Chicago threw several curveballs over the 4th of July weekend: a high-stakes scrap between Joey Logano and Ross Chastain, another Shane van Gisbergen victory, and a late-race Cody Ware crash that laid bare the concerns about NASCAR safety systems. As Chicago entered its last race as per the three-year deal, Chicago locals were more than happy to have the race next year.

Discussions about extending the deal are underway. But with tensions running high and old debates surfacing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has jumped into the fray, delivering his latest verdict on NASCAR’s evolving schedule.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is game for more Chicago races

The recent Chicago event marks the final of the three-year Street race contract, and NASCAR is already eyeing San Diego as a replacement. Locals argue that the spectacle may bring in crowds, but at the expense of beloved traditions like the abandoned oval racetrack of Chicagoland. Meanwhile, oval loyalists argue that fans would revolt if one of the classic 1.5-mile races were dropped to make room.

NASCAR’s pivot to road courses and street circuits like Chicago is infuriating a growing swath of purists. Traditionalists say that these races strip the sport of its soul, a concern echoed by voices like Kyle Larson and Joey Logano, who have publicly stated there are simply “too many road courses.” Reddit threads expanding on the sentiment lament how the Next Gen car stumbles at RCs (road courses), creating processional racing with sparse passing opportunities.

Enter Dale Earnhardt Jr. on The Dale Jr. Download, where he unpacked both sides. He appreciates the energy of street races, and if NASCAR extends the Chicago deal by a couple of years, he’d be fine with that. The Hall of Famer goes on to say, “If they said tomorrow, yeah, there’s a new, new two-year deal or a new three-year deal. I wouldn’t be mad about it. The race itself is entertaining as s—. The guys, they have a really challenging time with that racetrack. I’m entertained by the race itself. We had a good race. SVG is going to be hard to beat there.”

While the Chicago event delivered an impressive turnout and economic impact, reportedly generating $128 million in 2024, the conversations now center on balancing new markets with legacy preferences. As Dale Jr. suggested, maybe both Chicago and San Diego can exist, but NASCAR also needs to respect its roots and audience.

The Hall of Famer goes on to say, “I don’t know if they’ll go back. I hear San Diego is going to take its place. There’ll be a street course in San Diego of some type. And that is, uh, what will take Chicago’s place, but it doesn’t mean that Chicago can’t still exist. Maybe, um, you know, Mexico City goes away, and Chicago shifts to a different part of the schedule. I don’t know, you know, but I think there’s a potential where you could see us racing at Chicago and San Diego. There’s a world where that exists.”

And indeed, talks are already accelerating behind the scenes. NASCAR is reportedly in advanced negotiations to launch a new street course race in San Diego for 2026, sweeping through downtown waterfront streets with the Pacific as a backdrop. Local officials are hyped about the tourist pull and fresh energy San Diego could bring, but this potential shift reflects NASCAR’s strategy to keep its street race offering fresh—preventing fatigue by rotating host cities.

The 50-year-old acknowledges the drawbacks, specifically SV’s dominance. Gisbergen has owned both the Xfinity and the Cup circuits on the road and street layouts. His Chicago wins and playoff implications are emblematic of how specialists can monopolize these events. But Junior also emphasizes the broader fields of battle and strategy intrigue that still offer a very compelling show. Taking to X, Junior weighed in again after the media griped about too much negativity surrounding Chicago. He said, “I was wondering where the negativity toward this race existed. I hadn’t noticed it, but saw some other media reacting to it. Welp, found it! 😂😂”

Ultimately, he suggests flexibility. Chicago doesn’t have to vanish if NASCAR expands street courses. But hitting that balance, preserving ovals while experimenting with street and road venues, is the true conundrum. However, that is the only thing that Dale Jr. had his eyes on. Delivering a comment on the most horrific crash this Sunday, Junior has his own inhibitions.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is against NASCAR’s long-awaited yellow caution

Speaking of controversy, the Cody Ware crash highlighted glaring safety lapses. Ware slammed into the tire barrier in turn six at around 93 MPH, and despite his in-car radio call of “Need help,” NASCAR roughly waited 35 seconds before waving the yellow. By that point, SVG had already taken the white flag, effectively sealing the race.

According to race director Brad Moran, they lacked a clear view of the impact. They delayed the caution, giving Ware time to back up his vehicle before calling it. Dale Jr. was worried, too. He said, “My problem is we absolutely should have known the minute he hit that wall—he hit it at 100 mph and it was violent and it was scary. It was a matter of how quick someone could get on the button to NASCAR, to the tower, and say, ‘Wreck, hard wreck, hard wreck—he’s not moving.’ Yeah, out of this entire barrier. And then that quickly gives them the opportunity to throw the yellow.”

Widespread backlash followed; fans, drivers, and the media labeled the delay as unacceptable and dangerous. Fortunately, Ware walked away shaken but safe; crew chief Tommy Baldwin called it “probably the worst hit of the Next Gen era.” NASCAR has pledged to review the incident. Brad Moran admitted that if they had seen the crash severity, the yellow would have flown immediately. Still, the near miss raises urgent questions. If Ware hadn’t been able to exit, could that delay have cost more than a few seconds?