Dale Earnhardt Jr. has admitted that he struggled during the 2025 NASCAR season, admitting that he had to keep some of his criticism to himself.
The legendary driver and current TV announcer confessed on the latest episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast that he was worn down by the negativity surrounding the sport, including debates about the championship format and the lawsuit between the sport and two of its teams.
That lawsuit has now been settled, and the championship format changed – with the 10-race Chase brought back instead of a playoff system, to widespread praise.
Earnhardt admitted that he was reticent to criticize the championship format while broadcasting, revealing concerns about keeping his job.
Dale Jr.: NASCAR's heading in the right direction
“I’ll be honest," he said, "I’m in a better place now. Last year wore me down, the trial, the negativity, all of it. I didn’t realize how much I disliked the format until it was gone, and I couldn’t really say it out loud while I was still broadcasting. You want to protect your job, and that puts you in a tough spot.”
He added: “That said, there have been real gains. The tire was better last year. The car is being adjusted in the right direction. A lot of things are looking good. It feels like the sport is pointed in the right way. We’ll see how it all plays out.”
Earnhardt also took some time to praise NASCAR president Steve O'Donnell, now pushed even more into the spotlight after last year's messy trial and the recent resignation of commissioner Steve Phelps.
“I like O’Donnell," he said. "I’ve known him my whole career. I know where his heart is. If you paid attention during the trial, you learned that both Phelps and O’Donnell were actually trying to get the teams what they wanted. They were working to make it right.”
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