Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick’s CARS Tour serves as a stepping stone for drivers who aspire to reach NASCAR, since NASCAR has been renowned for oval racing. Although the series has now embraced various track configurations like road courses and street circuits in its schedule to heighten spectator interest while attracting drivers from outside and capitalizing on new drivers’ fan followings, CARS Tour has remained faithful to its foundations.
Advertisement
The grassroots racing series primarily operates as a short-track oval series, featuring tracks less than one mile in length and concentrating on oval tracks throughout the Southeastern United States, such as North Wilkesboro, Florence, and Southern National Motorsports Park.
The series briefly experimented with a road course in 2019 during its first visit to Dominion Raceway in Thornburg, Virginia, a race won by Josh Berry. Since then, however, it has not returned to that format.
That could change. Recently, a fan tagged Dale Earnhardt Jr. on social media about the condition of Virginia International Raceway and asked for his help in bringing a race to the road course, writing, “@DaleJr Cars tour at VIR would feed families.”
Earnhardt Jr. responded positively, while also outlining the challenges involved. “It would be awesome to find a pathway to get even one road course event on our schedule,” he wrote. “I’ve learned through the Dodge deal that, on the front end, we would need different transmissions and oil pans. There’s also a lot more expense per team to consider beyond that, but it’s not entirely unlikely.”
Would be awesome to find a pathway to get one single road course event on our schedule. I’ve learned through the Dodge deal, on the front end we would need different transmissions and oil pans. There’s also a lot more expense per team to consider beyond that. But it’s not… https://t.co/A3I6KW4pkd
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) January 30, 2026
Given that fans recognize how fervently Dale Jr. has championed oval racing in NASCAR and grassroots racing series like CARS Tour, fans began commenting, “Don’t need to add a road course to the CARS tour. It’s a late model series for short tracks.” Meanwhile, one supporter jokingly stated, “Hey @DaleJr blink twice if you are being held against your will. We will send help.”
Don’t need to add a road course to the CARS tour. It’s a late model series for short tracks.
— John Henry (@John_Henry_NC) January 30, 2026
An astonished enthusiast remarked, “Dale wanting a road course? The world truly is upside down,” and a fourth devotee sarcastically countered, “Man its brakes, shocks, springs, oil system, coolers, transmission, clutch maybe. Stay in your lane.”
Dale wanting a road course? The world truly is upside down.
— Gary (@Gary83072) January 30, 2026
Earnhardt’s track record on road courses never matched his skills on ovals; Dale Jr. himself averaged a 20.3 finish on road and street courses during his NASCAR career. And he had stated previously that while road course racing represents a legitimate and valuable component of modern NASCAR, the sport’s roots lie in oval racing, and he would prefer a maximum of two road courses on the schedule.
Even recently, after Charlotte ROVAL was removed from the playoffs and the sport opted instead for oval racing, Dale Jr. said it makes zero difference to him personally, which made his support for a road-course event for his own CARS Tour race an unexpected development for everyone.
