Where would North Wilkesboro Speedway be had it not been for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s efforts? Last Sunday’s All-Star race was a reminder of just how good short-track racing can be. While tracks like Bristol and Martinsville haven’t really delivered barn burners with the Next Gen car, NWS seems to be the one setting the blueprint. Even the race winner, Christopher Bell, couldn’t hold back his emotions after a thriller: “North Wilkesboro is the best short track on the schedule. Let’s go.”

What followed next was a flood of comments on social media demanding a points-paying race for the 0.625-mile track. And even Dale Earnhardt Jr. is now rallying behind this idea. But, surprisingly, Jr. isn’t ready to go all out if the NASCAR Cup Series were to go back to NWS for the first time since 1996. He’s even ready to make a compromise on one of the biggest pain points that fans feel has ruined racing in general.

Dale Jr. is in favor of stage racing for North Wilkesboro

Back in the day, there were no stage breaks or cautions. This change was brought in 2017 to increase the intensity of the race, or who knows, to improve TV ratings. However, neither of the objectives has been fully fulfilled, and instead, fans call it a mechanism to manufacture drama and intensity. While there are bonus playoff points and stage points on the line, the traditional NASCAR viewer feels this disrupts the natural flow of the race. Bunching the field together after every stage essentially cuts out the advantage a lead car had gained and allows the trailing cars to contest for the top spots.

Yet, if the points race were to return at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Dale Jr. feels having a 400-lap race with three stages is going to be a safe bet. “I don’t give a f— about backlash. What do you want to see? I’ll be honest, I like the stage cautions, cause they bunch the field up, give me a restart. I get to see some action in a situation where there may be a dull race happening. Sometimes I think that the stages are too short. You don’t even get going. I just think, if you’re going to take a Cup race to Wilkesboro, you don’t take any risks or chances. Wilkesboro tried for 3 decades to get back. It’s back, let’s not take any f—— unnecessary risk with it.”

Now add the factors such as tire wear, pit stops, and also racing for points and the model which Jr. proposes is not a regular one. At Martinsville, we had stage breaks on lap 80, 100, and 220, while Bristol saw a similar model with 125, 125, 250. There’s just too big a gap between the first stage and the final stage. And Jr. believes that a 400-lap race broken down in equal parts would lead to good short-track action. Even his co-host, TJ Majors, agreed on it.

“I think it’s a 400 lap race and I think your stage could be 125, 125, 150, there’s your race.” To this Majors replied, “And the last stage would maybe not have a pit stop, they’d be sliding all over, oh it’d be awesome.” Either the drivers will have to pit under green or try and bet for a fuel-saving race after the second lap. It throws everyone off guard and brings in the unpredictability that makes short-track racing worthwhile. And in case the rumored increase in horsepower to the Next Gen car becomes a reality, the racing will only get better.

Well, this only solves half the problem. If North Wilkesboro Speedway gets the points race, who takes on the All-Star race? Again, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a remedy for this.

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A mix of All-Star and Clash would be an interesting idea

“I would be OK with some way that we combine that Clash and the All-Star Race. The Clash should be pole winners only. I don’t want anybody else in it. But that’s never going to happen. We’re never going back to that… The All-Star race should be winners only.” He explained. No All-Star Open or the fans’ vote, only the best running drivers with wins would show up at this exhibition race.

As far as the problem about the reshuffling of the schedule goes, it’s not going to be drastic. Get this All-Star race on Rockingham Speedway, while Bowman Gray was good, the Rock needs to get a shot at revival. Then comes the part where the points race should be discarded. There are 36 races on the Cup Series schedule, and the most obvious choice right now seems Charlotte Roval. Veteran drivers like Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin would appreciate this.

Then comes the price purse, which many drivers argue isn’t enough to make the All-Star race any special. Surely, $1 million isn’t doing the trick, but if this is bumped up to 3 million with the Clash and All-Star combined, we might have the chaos we need.