"We want to see them panic": Dale Earnhardt Jr. all-in for NASCAR putting Talladega in Round of 8 playoffs in 2025

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently shared his take on Talladega's rumored spot in next season's playoff schedule. Although a confirmed official schedule hasn't been released from NASCAR yet for next season, many insiders have reported on the shuffle and changes that will take place for many racetracks.

One of those racetracks is Talladega and its place in the playoffs. Currently, the superspeedway has the Round of 16 spot on the playoffs. However, as per The Athletic's report, Talladega could hold the second spot in the Round of 8, essentially making the superspeedway race as a semi-final race.

This was something recently discussed on the podcast show of Dale Earnhardt Jr. The NASCAR Hall of Famer said that many people are "freaked out" about Talladega having the Round of 8 spot, to which Andrew Kurland expressed his shock, claiming that it is a race that would qualify drivers to the championship.

"You’re acting like Talladega just got built, and that the Superspeedway racing and drafting is this new thing that shouldn't be valued in the discipline of short-track racing and mile-and-a-halfs. Talladega’s been around since ’69. I know that it’s an 80% chance you’re gonna crash and I know that there are a lot of fluke winners. But I don’t think that should scare the industry away from…throwing the drivers right into those difficult scenarios. Throw them into those moments. We want to see them panic," Earnhardt said. [1:05:10]

The former Hendrick Motorsports driver further defended the track's place on next year's schedule, asking Kurland whether he views Talladega as "some sort a freaking fluky race." Junior further added that he wouldn't feel the difference between Talladega going from Round of 12 to Round of 18.

He claimed that he'd be more nervous if Talladega was in the first round of the playoffs. Dale Earnhardt Jr. reasoned it so because that would increase the chance of 12 drivers hurting the points-path of any given playoff driver in case of a bad race, which would lead to the said driver being "in a worse spot."

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Talladega was one of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s strongest tracks during his full-time career

Just like his father, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a brutally succesful driver at Talladega Superspeedway. While Earnhardt Sr. had 10 wins on the track, the most of all drivers, his son also scored 6 himself, which are tied for the second-most.

In fact, one of his most emotional wins came at Talladega in 2015 when Junior ended his drought on the racetrack after 11 years.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. held on to his #88 HMS racecar, which was in less than ideal condition in front of a packed house with over 100,000 in attendance, witnessing his win. Speaking after the race, Earnhardt remarked as per Jacksonville:

"Just real emotional, man. Everything is just so good for me now, my personal life, my racing, the team I am with. I don't know why. I don't feel like I deserve it. I'm, blessed, man. I'm blessed."

He claimed that winning was easier for him when he was younger, but with his win at Talladega, he had got his confidence back.

Earnhardt would go on to win two more races that season, which ultimately turned out to be the year he recorded his last win at the Cup level.