"Take away the info from driver" - Dale Earnhardt Jr. backs Kyle Larson on rear camera debate for aero blocking

Dale Earnhardt Jr. weighed in on aero blocking, supporting Kyle Larson's proposal to eliminate the digital rearview camera to prevent lead drivers from blocking those behind them.

The recent Cup race at Dover Motor Speedway witnessed an intense battle for the lead between Denny Hamlin and Larson in the final laps. Although the #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driver kept closing the gap to Hamlin, he could not make the pass and had to settle for second place.

Kyle Larson argued that Hamlin was trying to block the air by taking the same line as him through the turns. To prevent the lead driver from using aero-blocking tactics, Larson wants NASCAR to remove the digital dashboard cameras in favor of rearview mirrors.

In the recent episode of Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes NASCAR cannot alter the Next Gen car to prevent dirty air. In lieu of this, he claimed that taking the information away from the lead driver would help improve the racing.

"What I do hear is that drivers are getting smarter about how to block, so let's make that harder. If we can't change the car, let's take away the information from the driver so that he really... to Denny's point has to rely more on the spotter, the spotter is earning his paycheck," he said on his podcast [35:53]

Denny Hamlin had a differing opinion from Kyle Larson as he believes removing the camera won't make a difference. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggested that Hamlin's perspective as the winner might be biased.

"I think the digital camera aids in the driver's ability to know where to go, to take the air away... I'm not going to listen to what the winner said, he won, he's happy, nothing's wrong... what do second through 35th had to say about taking the mirror out," Dale Jr added.

---

Kyle Larson is in favor of rear-view mirrors over digital cameras

The Next Gen car introduced digital rear-view cameras which replaced the rear-view mirrors used in the previous generation of cars. Kyle Larson wants the return of the mirrors as he believes the digital dashboard has made it easier for the leader to imitate the moves of the driver behind.

"It’s hard to see out of the rear-view mirrors but the cameras are so easy. I would be for taking the camera out because it’s so easy … When I’m leading, I’m staring at my camera. When he turns right, I turn right. When he pulls down, I pull down," he was quoted saying by Sportsnaut.com

"When you have the mirror, you can’t see well … but the camera is a tool and we’re all using it."

Kyle Larson conceded to using the same aero-blocking tactics when he clinched his last victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, preventing Tyler Reddick from overtaking him.