Dale Earnhardt Jr. Expresses Astonishment at NASCAR's Perceived Threat from SRX

The recent antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR, which was settled during the trial, has brought to light internal discussions and perceptions within the sanctioning body. Among the revelations discussed on Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt-Miller’s podcast, "Dale Jr. Download," was NASCAR’s reported unease regarding the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) and its subsequent actions to fortify its own track relationships through extensive sanctioning agreements. Evidence from discovery and trial testimony indicated that top NASCAR executives felt a degree of frustration, bordering on apprehension, towards the upstart series.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., a prominent figure in NASCAR and a keen observer of the sport’s landscape, shared his surprise at the intensity of NASCAR’s reaction to SRX. Speaking on his podcast, Earnhardt stated, "I gotta be honest, this shocked me." He elaborated on his initial perception of SRX, founded by Ray Evernham, as a nostalgic endeavor aiming to recapture the spirit of the International Race of Champions (IROC). Earnhardt described the original concept as a compelling one: a series that would visit local markets, feature retired racing legends and unique personalities, and offer opportunities for local talent. "The original idea of SRX, in my mind, was a good idea," he remarked.

However, Earnhardt admitted he was not personally involved or a significant follower of the series. "Out of the gate, I just didn’t have the bandwidth to get into it. I wasn’t a fan; I didn’t really watch too much of it," he confessed, emphasizing that his lack of engagement was not a slight to SRX or its supporters.

The revelation that NASCAR perceived SRX as a threat, even a minor one, struck Earnhardt as particularly surprising given the perceived disparity in scale between the two entities. "To hear that they were even remotely the least bit threatened is so surprising to me because they’re this giant that’s NASCAR and SRX is just this little thing," Earnhardt commented. He characterized SRX as a modest operation, often operating with a small field of cars and facing financial challenges. Earnhardt also noted the inherent risks and potential for damage in the series’ aggressive racing style, suggesting that unexpected repair costs were a significant factor. Ultimately, he attributed SRX’s cessation to its unsustainable financial model, citing high operating costs and viewership numbers that did not justify the television contracts, leading to a financial shortfall. "SRX went away because it’s expensive to operate and the viewership numbers didn’t justify the TV contract and the TV contract couldn’t afford the series, so it just financially didn’t really work," Earnhardt explained.

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During the antitrust trial, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell testified about his concerns. He recounted instructing NASCAR’s legal department to examine the situation, as he felt the SRX’s format, which often featured Cup Series drivers and their sponsors competing in mid-week short-track and dirt-track events, was beginning to resemble NASCAR itself. However, O’Donnell also acknowledged that legal counsel advised there was insufficient grounds for official action.

Earnhardt expressed his bewilderment at NASCAR’s level of concern. "I am surprised by the some of the comments I read from O’Donnell and a couple people of, ‘Man we gotta put an end to this or we gotta go take a look at this.’ Why are we worried?" he questioned. "I don’t care [about the ratings], people were gonna be curious. … I’m not alarmed by that. … I was really surprised by that," Earnhardt reiterated. He maintained that he never viewed SRX as a potential problem for NASCAR.

Instead, Earnhardt suggested a more collaborative approach. "I would’ve looked at what they were doing … why do people like it and can we work together?" he proposed. He acknowledged that SRX did evolve, attracting prominent NASCAR drivers like Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney, who participated in the series, often with family members, for the enjoyment and a modest financial incentive.

A particularly striking aspect of the revealed communications involved internal NASCAR discussions concerning the potential return of races at North Wilkesboro Speedway and Bowman Gray Stadium. Text messages between NASCAR executives, including O’Donnell and SVP of Strategy Scott Prime, revealed a sense of urgency to schedule events at these tracks before SRX could. In a June 2022 exchange, O’Donnell expressed concern that Dale Jr. might initiate an event at North Wilkesboro if NASCAR did not act swiftly. "Wait until (Dale) Jr. says he is running an event. Matter of time. They will go to North Wilkesboro with Jr. if we are not careful. We need to be the first back," O’Donnell texted. Prime concurred, suggesting North Wilkesboro and Bowman Gray for the following year if moves were not made. The executives even discussed a potential "combo" event for the All-Star Race, featuring Bowman Gray and North Wilkesboro on consecutive days.

Ultimately, North Wilkesboro Speedway was indeed added to the Cup Series schedule in 2023, with Bowman Gray Stadium slated to host a Cup Series event in 2025. However, Earnhardt was quick to credit Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith and North Carolina’s "Build Back Better" fund for the revival of North Wilkesboro. He asserted that NASCAR played no direct role in the track’s resurgence. "Listen, there is a lot of stuff about NASCAR in all of this that I don’t know," Earnhardt stated. "I don’t know everything about how they run things, and I certainly didn’t know how they felt about some things, and how these text messages have unveiled some things. But I’ll tell you what I do know, is that North Wilkesboro came back because of Marcus Smith … NASCAR, you know, they didn’t play any role."

Earnhardt emphasized that while NASCAR must now accommodate the track’s return to the schedule, the initiative did not originate from within the sanctioning body. "But, look, NASCAR never was going, ‘Guys, we gotta get Wilkesboro going.’ This isn’t a knock to them, you know, this isn’t a knock to them, they shouldn’t take this as an insult, but Wilkesboro is back because of everybody else. The government, our local government, and the town, a lot of volunteers. Fucking, 20 years of volunteers, people just like even keeping the grass mowed for 20 years," he explained, highlighting the grassroots efforts that preserved the track. He commended the individuals and entities that maintained the facility over two decades, making its eventual return possible.

Kelley Earnhardt-Miller also pointed to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s influence in facilitating the CARS Tour’s involvement and his participation in a "Race Track Revival" event that drew 20,000 fans prior to NASCAR and Speedway Motorsports’ official scheduling of the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro. While Earnhardt Jr. himself might downplay his role, his significant star power demonstrably contributed to the successful revival of the historic venue.