After Ryan Blaney's outrage, Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses NASCAR's rule debate: "I do think there is a middle ground"

Ryan Blaney’s anger over NASCAR’s rules has sparked a debate about how cars are repaired during races. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also tweeted about NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy on September 16. He criticized the time limit for repairs and said it forces teams to rush and could lead to more safety issues and extra debris on the track.

The recent crash during the first lap last Sunday at Watkins Glen involving Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell led to a disappointing race for Blaney. His No. 12 Ford, including the steering arm, was badly damaged, and he had to be towed. Blaney’s chances in the playoffs were severely impacted because of the crash.

In a recent tweet, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested finding a balance.

"With the current rule there is also no need for elaborate "crash carts" and overloaded haulers full of parts and pieces. I do think there is a middle ground. The clock has teams rushing repairs and sending cars back on the track in dire need of more repairs. These hurried repairs create their own batch of debris cautions as well," Earnhardt Jr. wrote on X.

Blaney was upset after the race because the rules did not allow his team to check or fix the car. Currently, if a car is towed off the track, it is out of the race. However, some believe teams should have a chance to fix their cars.

"Give us a chance to fix it. They said because I couldn’t drive it back to the pit, we’re done. If you have four flats, you get towed back. I don’t understand why we can’t even try to fix it,” said Blaney (as quoted by Newsweek).

FOX Sports analyst Bob Pockrass also gave a detailed explanation of the rule after the race.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to NASCAR charter dispute

Dale Earnhardt Jr. also weighed in on the dispute over NASCAR’s charter agreements. Earlier this month, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to sign the new contracts. The teams demanded more time to negotiate the terms of the agreement.

Earnhardt Jr. replied to the news about the charter deals with "Holy 🐮" on September 7.

The exact details of the new charter have not been fully revealed. There is also speculation that 23XI and Front Row might take legal action against NASCAR. Both teams have hired antitrust lawyer Jeffrey Kessler but have not revealed their next steps.

NASCAR set a Friday night deadline two weeks ago for teams to agree to the updated charter but the two teams missed it. Thirteen teams signed the deal, which guarantees a spot in every race and boosts annual payments from $4-$5 million to about $8.5 million starting next year.