For over a decade, the NASCAR world has been locked in a tussle between drivers and Goodyear tires. The debate first revved up with Tony Stewart‘s public critique of Goodyear during practice at Daytona International Speedway, in the run-up to the Daytona 500. Stewart, who co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing, saw both his cars take a hit. Fast forward to today, and it’s clear that tire troubles have become a recurring headache for drivers, as vividly showcased in the 2023 Cup Series.

Despite these bumps in the road, Dale Earnhardt Jr recently took a more nuanced stance in Goodyear’s defense on his podcast. However, things got interesting when he recently chose to partner with Goodyear’s rival for his upcoming CARS Tour series.

Dale Earnhardt Jr took an unexpected turn by partnering with Goodyear’s rival

In a recent tweet, he shared, “Hoosier has reimagined their short track tire for asphalt in 2024. The @CARSTour is excited to hit the track with the ST2 next season.” The revelation came hot on the heels of his admission on The Money Lap podcast about an impending announcement with Hoosier, signaling a new direction in short track and grassroots racing.

Hoosier Racing Tire recently made a splash in the racing world, debuting their new ST tire line at the Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, just in time for the Snowball Derby. This latest innovation is a game-changer for oval asphalt racers, offering a one-size-fits-all tire solution suitable for a wide range of tracks and series.

Dale Earnhardt Jr, always one to keep his finger on the pulse of the racing scene, was quick to tip his hat to Hoosier’s latest venture. He revealed that the CARS Tour series is teaming up with Hoosier, expressing his excitement about the collaboration. “The CARS Tour is excited to begin the 2024 season on the new Hoosier ST2 tire. Hoosier has been a great supporter of the CARS Tour for years. We are confident the ST2 will be a solid product for our teams. It’s very similar to the tire we’ve ran in the past years, and I expect the drivers and setups to adapt quickly.”

Yet, not long ago on his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr had painted a different picture. He spoke about Goodyear’s strategy, focusing on crafting durable tires for next-gen cars built to withstand the rigors of racing. Intriguingly, he pointed out that Goodyear’s NASCAR involvement isn’t driven by profit.

“They’re not in NASCAR to make money. They’re not making money in NASCAR. They break events. They build those tires. We race the sh*t out of them, and it all pays for itself. They’re making money during the week selling tires to all of us customers on the street. And if all their racing tires are falling apart on the racetrack, they don’t sell many tires on the street. So they cannot have problems on Sunday. Can’t have them. That’s right. Right. And they did.”

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This stark contrast between his words and actions does turn heads. Could this be a case of Dale Earnhardt Jr trying to navigate the tricky dilemma between being an owner and a driver?

Dale Jr recently opened up about the challenges of wearing multiple hats

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Back in the day, the driver-owner duo of Josh Berry and Dale Earnhardt Jr at JR Motorsports was a force that could not be messed with. They blazed a wake from the JR Motorsports Late Model Program to setting new records in tournaments nationwide. With Berry moving on from the team, Dale Earnhardt Jr has shifted his focus to nurturing new talents like Carson Kvapil.

Reflecting on his journey as an owner of the series and team, Junior shared, “Trying to move onward, man. It’s a blast. I’m doing all that while I’m trying to also continue to be a team owner. That’s a fine line to walk right?“ He further reminisced about owning a car in the series for over a decade, racing with talents like Berry, Kvapil, and others.

Read More: “That’s a Fine Line to Walk”- Dale Earnhardt Jr Comes Clean on the ‘Weird Dynamic’ of His Life Behind the Racing Lines

Junior acknowledged the delicate balance required in his position, stressing the importance of maintaining the integrity of both roles.