For Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR means everything to him. But as a result, his passion for improvement and maximizing the product on offer can sometimes overcome his desire not to shade others’ perspectives on the sport.

NASCAR runs in the blood of the 51-year-old, perhaps more so than with anybody else. The grandson of former NASCAR star Ralph, and the son of seven-time champion Dale Sr., the Earnhardt name is inextricably linked with the sport, with young Wyatt Miller, Earnhardt Jr.’s nephew, the latest to enter the motorsport world.

A 36-time race winner, Hall of Famer, Xfinity Series team owner, and late model series owner, Earnhardt Jr. is one of the most impactful and respected figures in the sport today, a fact which he is acutely aware of.

In a recent interview with The Athletic, Earnhardt Jr. admitted to concerns about how any criticism on his part directed at NASCAR risks unfairly jading the opinions of fans or damaging the sport itself. He noted, “Since I bought the CARS Tour, I’ve gotten a really unique perspective on NASCAR’s position…I worry about that. I do.”

Earnhardt Jr. went on to note that he “hates” that certain opinions he has made public previously have had a detrimental impact on somebody’s stance on NASCAR, calling the sport “the most important thing in my life” besides his family.

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“If NASCAR failed, or if NASCAR was to diminish, all the things that I ever accomplished — or more importantly, that my dad accomplished — are less valuable, less important,” he explained.

“I want NASCAR to succeed and be the greatest thing ever. We’ve all got our own version of NASCAR, and what we think NASCAR could be and should be. I believe in its success. But it’s hard sometimes to keep your mouth shut.”

One venture that has helped Earnhardt Jr. learn when to hold back has been his ‘Dale Jr. Download’ podcast, which is produced by his own media company, Dirty Mo Media. A prime example of this has been the ongoing debate surrounding the much-maligned current Playoff format, of which Earnhardt Jr. has been a consistent and vocal critic, believing a return to the full-season 36-race championship is the best way to go.

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“I can tell you with all honesty, no B.S., the champion this year is a deserving champion,” he said. “I would celebrate them, drink a beer with them, and be as envious and as jealous of them as any champion we’ve ever had.

“But I have a format that I love better than the one we use today. So I can tell you both things, and they both can be true.”

Despite this improvement, Earnhardt Jr. seemingly remains critical of himself, saying that he’ll sometimes wake up and “think I need to be less of a talking head, because a lot of the things I want or think are better are not going to happen.”

He continued, “And so I’m spewing all this criticism and critique into the middle distance that’s benefiting nothing. But then there’s days you get up and you’re like, ‘I want this to be better. I want more of this. I want more for this.’

“And you want to fight for something, or you get confident or passionate about a particular viewpoint in the sport or about the car itself.”

The NextGen car currently used in the Cup Series has proven another bone of contention in NASCAR circles, with Earnhardt Jr. again unflinching in his frustrations with it. However, in a recent interview with NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell on his podcast, it emerged that change is coming.

In 2026, NASCAR is set to increase the horsepower available on all courses under 1.5 miles in length, along with the five road courses, to 750. This will ultimately impact 17 tracks in total, although according to some, including Kyle Larson, it likely won’t make a noticeable difference.