Dale Earnhardt Jr. sounds off on NASCAR’s controversial ruling

Modified Apr 09, 2025 05:05 GMT

Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR: Cup Practice - Source: Imagn

Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't pleased by NASCAR's controversial decision during the Darlington Cup Series race. The officials didn't throw a caution when Brad Keselowski spun off Turn 4 but flagged the race four laps later, before the green flag pit cycle ended.

The RFK Racing driver exited the pits with a fresh set of rubber on Lap 133. But just two laps following the stop, Keselowski's #6 Ford spun due to his right rear wheel nut becoming loose. Nonetheless, the 2012 Cup Series champion saved his NextGen package from making contact and safely steered back to the pitlane.

NASCAR didn't issue a caution, and the race stayed green. But on Lap 139, the debris on the restart zone forced the officials to disrupt the pit cycle and throw a caution. As a result, it robbed the drivers of the track positions gained during the green flag cycle, something that has attracted Junior's scrutiny.

The NASCAR champion iterated that such instances have occurred in the past where the officials refrained from issuing a caution, fearing it would turn the field 'upside down.' However, that's what happened after the Darlington ruling, following which Dale Jr. expressed that the officials should've waited for a few more laps.

"I felt like it was, personally from what I could tell watching the race, I thought it (wheel nut) was far enough out of the way, (and) that they (officials) could've waited for the end of the pit cycle. I've seen them do that in the past, I've seen them understand that 'we can't turn the field upside down, this situation, we have to handle it but we can give it a few more laps'," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said via Dirty Mo media (16:48 onwards).

It's worth mentioning that Denny Hamlin claimed during the Actions Detrimental Podcast that he was surprised that NASCAR didn't throw the caution immediately.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Bubba Wallace's controversy

Dale Earnhardt Jr. opines on Bubba Wallace's controversy- Source: Imagn

While the Darlington battle stole the spotlight for Denny Hamlin's second consecutive win, it also attracted massive attention concerning the late race wreck between Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson. Both drivers were racing on the 'Too Tough To Tame' track, but the Hendrick Motorsports driver checked up despite having sufficient headway.

Wallace, who piloted the #23 Toyota Camry, was unaware of Larson's act and rammed his NextGen car into the 2020 Cup Series champion's rear. Larson's radio clarified the lapse on his end as he was heard admitting to his 'embarrassing' fault.

Still, many felt Wallace deliberately wrecked Larson to force a caution and help his teammate Tyler Reddick punch his playoff ticket. That said, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave his verdict on Larson's 'surprising' move, exonerating Wallace as the guilty party in the disaster.

"I've watched it over and over, and I'm like, he's a long way from Reddick. I wonder why he powered down so hard? He just, you know, middle of one and two, just kind of went by Bubba. So he knows Bubba's right on his right rear, full steam. So that was surprising. Everybody was like, 'Oh, Bubba did it on purpose,' but he did not," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said (26:23).

Notably, Denny Hamlin's two and Christopher Bell's three consecutive Cup Series wins this season haven't been able to dethrone William Byron as the Cup Series leader.

About the author

Aneesh is a Motorsports journalist at Sportskeeda and covers both NASCAR and Formula 1. An ardent sports fan since his early lawn tennis days, he has showcased his keenness in NASCAR, and has already garnered 5 million views at Sportskeeda thanks to his meticulous work.

When it comes to NASCAR, his top picks are Kyle Busch and Ross Chastain, while in Formula 1, he fervently supports Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. He believes F1 should continue to have more races in courses than in street circuits and feels NASCAR should be more proactive about global promotions to reach F1’s popularity level.

He is very particular about his sourcing for articles, largely relying on the official website of F1 and NASCAR, and relies on understanding different perspectives by browsing through social media and reputed publications for unique story angles.

Even in his spare time, Aneesh is keen to learn more about F1 cars and studies various aspects of them, including its design and engine. He enjoys driving himself and often explores new parts of his city when he can.

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Edited by Aneesh