Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gives Positive Verdict on NASCAR Havoc at Bristol

The chaos-filled race at Bristol has drawn a line between NASCAR aficionados. While some like defending champion Ryan Blaney have criticized the tire issues and the racing experience, others have expressed excitement at the action involved. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr. belongs to the latter category.

Sunday’s race saw just 5 cars that started the race finish in the leading lap. During the race, tiny rubber balls from worn-out tires accumulated in the corners of the track and caused most of the cars to drop significant pace. Sources suggest that the key reason behind the tires wearing out so quickly could be the new type of resin that officials used to coat the concrete surface.

Even before the race’s completion, Dale Jr., posted on social media about the nature of the tires and applauded Goodyear for enabling competition. “Bravo @GoodyearRacingThese drivers have got to be smart with these tires today. We will see who can balance pushing toward the front vs. killing their tires. This is fun to watch,” he wrote.

Following the end of the 500 laps and the victory of Denny Hamlin, Junior contended that the concerns about the tires lasting only 50 laps weren’t valid.

He once again took to social media and wrote that the teams would be able to run 80-100 laps on the same tires if they were given a week to adjust and the race was held again next weekend.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. does not want to see Goodyear compromise to suit the resin track

Goodyear’s Greg Stucker spoke to the media after the race and acknowledged that the wearing-out of the tires was a lot more than they anticipated and they had to yet understand why. Kaulig Racing’s Landon Cassill responded to Stucker’s interview and wrote on X that the promotion should leave the tires alone and see if it leads somewhere positive.

Reposting Cassill’s response, Dale Jr. too contends that drivers and teams will draw strategies to make the tires last longer on their own if left alone. Junior further reposted the words of Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief. Gabehart had given Goodyear a clean chit against any wrongdoing and said in Bristol that this was the sport and it is supposed to be hard.

With Goodyear executives puzzled over the exact reason for the tire wear, Strucker has told the press that they could possibly have another test at the track before the September race. Whether the voices of Dale Jr. and others could persuade the manufacturer and the promotion otherwise, is a bit of a question.