$300M-worth Dale Earnhardt Jr. criticizes NASCAR's late start strategy for short-term gains

Former Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has condemned NASCAR's decision to postpone the Firekeepers Casino 400 at the Michigan International Speedway on Sunday. The race was red-flagged after stage one due to inclement weather.

Earnhardt, who has a net worth of $300 million (according to Celebrity Net Worth), began his Xfinity Series journey in 1996. He rose to full-time status and won consecutive championships in 1998 and 1999. While he amassed 26 race wins in NASCAR’s premier division, he couldn’t quite match the legendary achievements of his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., who secured seven Cup Series championships.

Coming back to the present, the Cup Series race at Michigan was set to start at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, but a rain delay pushed the start time by nearly two hours.

After it finally getting underway, drivers completed the first stage before another heavy downpour forced NASCAR to red-flag the race, leaving the track submerged once more. However, it was decided that the race would resume on Monday, August 19, at 11 a.m. ET.

The Athletic's journalist Jeff Gluck pointed out that the decision was made to cater to NASCAR's TV deal. Moreover, he pointed out that races should be scheduled earlier on tracks that don't have the means to host a night race. Racing America's Toby Christie resonated with Gluck's opinion and tweeted:

"Jeff Gluck hit the nail on the head, here. Does maximizing the TV audience matter, if the race doesn't actually happen in that ideal TV window? Now, a TON of people will be stuck at work in order to pay for said TV channels, and won't be able to watch..."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. criticized NASCAR for prioritizing short-term gains over fan experience.

"Mid afternoon start times. Short term gain. Long term detriment," he said.

Earnheardt Jr. co-owns the JR Motorsports, which competes in the Xfinity Series. He's also co-owner of the zMAX CARS Tour grassroots series with NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick.

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"Gave it everything they had" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. commends CARS Tour team after exciting night at Ace Speedway

Last Friday, the zMAX CARS Tour's schedule brought them to North Carolina to compete in the AcceleratedGFX.com 285 at Ace Speedway. The night featured a lot of hard-fought battles and an exciting race.

Ryan Millington and Brendan "Butterbean" Queen were locked in a fierce battle for P1 until Queen clipped the left side of Millington's #5 car. The closing laps were marred by multiple cautions, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

Co-owner Dale Earnhardt thanked the CARS Tour team for their hard work in ensuring the race progressed smoothly, tweeting:

"Our @CARSTour team of employees work hard every day to give these teams and drivers a platform to showcase their talents. The summer stretch is tough on everyone. Great effort across the board."

Amid the chaos, Brent Crews seized the opportunity, taking the lead with three laps remaining to secure a thrilling victory at the ACE Speedway.