Dale Earnhardt Jr. bought the CARS Tour from its founder, Jack McNelly, in 2023. And since then, Junior, along with a group of high-profile partners that included Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks, has tried to shape and expand the series into something that would connect with the fans at the grassroots level and beyond.
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Three years down, Dale Jr. feels they have made considerable progress with the series, changing the way it is perceived. The CARS Tour was always seen as a ladder for young drivers to develop their skills and move on to higher racing platforms. It still serves that purpose.
However, it has also become a competitor to even the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and the Cup Series. This rise in status can be attributed to how intense, appealing, and close its races are.
“I hear a lot of this from competitors and fans. Our series reminds them of what they experienced in either the NASCAR Xfinity Series or even the Cup Series back in the 1980s and 1990s,” Dale Jr. said per Flo Racing.
“It has that feel. That has really been the identity of the CARS Tour, and we want to hang onto that identity as we grow,” he added.
Many other factors elevate the stature of the CARS Tour. For instance, the driver range is diverse. There are veterans and novices from every corner of the racing universe. Junior believes that this makes races more like reality television.
Plus, the races are incredibly intense, and there is no way of predicting results. A driver could finish up high in one race and simply end up last in another.
Dale Jr., with all that talent and experience, struggles with the races here. He noted that a driver who qualifies first will be just a couple of tenths from the back of the field. That’s how close things are. He also mentioned how fans are attracted to the body of the car.
“I think the cars are relatable,” Junior said. “They are beautiful-looking race cars. Late model stock body is just a good-looking car. I think that appeals to fans when they see the car on the race track.”
All these factors have strengthened the position that the CARS Tour currently holds. But its key attraction remains the ability to develop young drivers. As it continues to perform that role effectively, it continues to attract more eyeballs.
A total of 14 events are on its calendar for 2026. And all these races will go down at different race tracks. The season opened at the Southern National Motorsports Park in February and will conclude at the South Boston Speedway in October.
