Looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s luck isn’t favoring him too much these days. When the Hall of Famer signed an ambitious deal with Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports as a commentator, leaving a six-year broadcasting relationship with NBC behind, it was supposed to be about new beginnings. The streaming giant was supposed to preside over five races—Coca-Cola 600 (May 25), Nashville (June 1), Michigan (June 8), Mexico City (June 15) and Pocono (June 22)—with Jr’s voice at the forefront. However, heading into Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, looks like the veteran racer-turned-broadcaster might have hit a snag already.

As things stand, despite being scheduled to cover the June 15 clash from the booth, Dale Junior now finds himself grounded—literally. A post that quickly made the rounds reveals that the flight meant to carry him to the International Cup Series event is nowhere near North America…

…which Earnhardr Jr revealed on X on June 10: “Planned flight to Mexico City apparently is in Singapore, stuck in maintenance, and I will need to be seeking alternative solutions.” The message was short, but it packed a punch. While he still has time for Plan B, in the off chance that Jr is not able to make it, his absence would certainly leave a noticeable gap. It’s not every day your lead analyst gets benched by a jet halfway around the world, especially a race as iconic as the coming weekend…

Notably, the race at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez marks a historic moment for NASCAR. It is the first point-paying Cup Series race being held internationally since 1958, and the first international Cup Series race in 25 years. And for Mexican-born racer Daniel Suárez, this will definitely be an extra special moment.

Talking to 

The New York Times, the racer heartily revealed, “I’ve been hoping for this moment to come for years, since I won the championship in Xfinity almost 10 years ago (in 2016). And now we are here. It’s not just a very special moment for myself, but also for the sport, for the industry. Obviously, I’m very proud of being part of this race, of this event. I’m very proud of bringing you guys in the media, the teams and the drivers to my home to teach you a little bit about myself and about my culture. So I’m extremely proud, and I’ve been working very hard to make sure this event is going to be extremely successful.” So, one thing’s clear:

Given the magnitude of this event, both racers and fans and Prime Video would want Dale Jr. to be there covering it. However, with his flight stuck and an alternate solution still unclear, the clock is ticking.

And when the broadcast team scrambled behind the scenes, fans didn’t hold back their thoughts either.

From playful suggestions to pointed criticism, dear Junior’s travel hiccup has opened up the floodgates, and not everyone is rooting for a smooth landing; in fact, they don’t even want him to take off!

Fans sound off as Dale Jr.’s trip stalls

As soon as Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared his flight troubles, NASCAR fans did what they do best—fire off reactions faster than a green flag restart. The replies came in hot, and let’s just say, a few folks didn’t exactly send their thoughts and prayers for a smooth journey.

One fan cut straight to the point, hilariously writing, “Stay in America,” while another wrote, “Stay home, player.’ The tongue-in-cheek tone kept rolling, with a user suggesting, “Stay put, sir. Do the race virtual,” as if hopping on the Zoom call could replace trackside analysis.

Others took a more skeptical view of the event. “NASCAR should not even hold a race in Mexico. NASCAR supposed to be an American sport, not a foreign sport,” one comment read, stirring up an old debate that’s reared its head throughout the week. Another fan went full apocalyptic, declaring, “Mexico City would definitely not be at the top of my list of places to visit right about now.” Some even saw Junior’s grounded flight as more than bad luck. “Probably a sign not to go…” wrote one user, while another put it bluntly: “Just a sign the NASCAR has no business racing in Mexico.”

While plenty of fans are still excited for the international expansion and Dale Junior’s presence in the booth, this pocket of reaction shows just how passionate and divided the community can be when the sport leaves its home turf. Whether Dale Junior makes it to Mexico or not, the fan chatter is already louder than the engines.