"Apparently idiots running the sport don't realize" - NASCAR fans echo Dale Jr.'s outrage over NASCAR's scheduling

NASCAR officials postponed Sunday's FireKeepers Casino 400 race due to bad weather in Michigan. However, this move received a lot of backlash from fans as well as NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Although the race began on August 18th, drivers could complete just the first stage. Ryan Blaney won stage one ahead of William Byron and Chris Buescher. The weather worsened by lap 50, causing a red flag. With the race already delayed by over two hours, officials decided to call off the event for the day, thereby postponing it to Monday morning (August 19th).

This move by the sanctioning body was criticized by fans, media personnel, and even former NASCAR drivers.

"I understand TV is king. Really, I do. But at what point does this just seem insane? Move the start times up at tracks with no lights. Especially with the threat of rain. Please. People have work and school tomorrow and they could have seen an official race today" senior journalist Jeff Gluck wrote on X.

"Mid afternoon start times. Short term gain. Long term detriment" Dale Earnhardt Jr. added, responding to the aforementioned post.

Several fans agreed with the NASCAR driver on X. Here's a look at a few responses.

"Apparently the idiots running the sport don't realize that or give a crap. The stupidity is appalling" a fan wrote, supporting Dale Jr.

"Yup. Need to go back to 1pm starts for tracks without lights. I never understood the shift to later starts. The ratings might be slightly better but you're putting out a worse product that's more threatened by weather/darkness. The drop-dead time is good but just a band-aid" another user commented.

"And yet NASCAR brass is stuck in old ideas like these unwilling to change. That among many other things. They practically live by the definition of insanity" a fan said, critisizing NASCAR.

"That 10am window on a Monday must be prime for TV 👎🏼" another fan wrote sarcastically.

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"Define what is unacceptable" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. requests NASCAR to define the limits of hard racing post the Richmond incident

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has prompted NASCAR officials to define the limits of hard racing and the consequences of crossing them after the controversial Richmond incident.

During a recent episode of Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt Jr. shared his opinion on how the sanctioning body should have acted after the Cook Out 400 race. He criticized NASCAR for missing a crucial opportunity to set new standards for hard yet fair racing.

"I believe that this was a missed opportunity for them. This was definitely more than enough. I think they definitely had an opportunity to define what is unacceptable," Dale Jr. said (19:54 onwards).

Here's a look at the entire podcast, posted on YouTube:

"I wish something had been done live in the moment. Because I don't think that there is enough influence. A way to influence the drivers after the fact like there used to be back in the day," he added, urging prompt action from NASCAR (22:35 onwards).

To recall the race weekend, Austin Dillon took out Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the last turn of the penultimate lap. Although he won the race, his spot in the Playoffs was taken away by NASCAR after a thorough investigation.