In recent months, NASCAR’s evolving regulations have sparked buzz across the motorsports world. From talks of road course dominance to speculation about hybrid tech and international drivers, the sport’s future feels more open than ever. Whispers even floated around the paddock that a “world-class driver” could test the NASCAR waters. Naturally, many fans (and a few insiders) couldn’t help but wonder: could it be Max Verstappen?

While that remains a far-fetched rumor, the idea alone speaks volumes about NASCAR’s changing identity. But as the Miami Grand Prix brought racing’s elite to one spot, one iconic American driver got a rare chance to speak with F1’s reigning titan. And what unfolded? Let’s just say Dale Earnhardt Jr. left the track with more admiration than satisfaction and a lingering sense of regret.

Dale Jr. misses his moment with Verstappen over a weather chat

Dale Jr. made headlines by attending his first Formula 1 race at the 2025 Miami Grand Prix, invited by Red Bull Racing and Hard Rock. The NASCAR legend, accompanied by his wife Amy, soaked in the electric atmosphere at the Miami International Autodrome and shared his excitement online. “Our first @F1 event. Thanks @HardRockBet @redbullracing,” he posted on X. The buzz around his visit only grew when he met four-time F1 champion Max Verstappen, a driver he deeply admires for his impact on sim racing.

“I wanted to tell Max like, ‘Dude, I appreciate everything you do for the sim world, you legitimize it,'” Dale Jr. shared his post-meeting thoughts. Max Verstappen, outside of Formula 1, is known for his heavy involvement in sim racing platforms like iRacing and rFactor. His presence in the virtual world has lent credibility to sim racing as a serious training and competition tool, something Dale Jr. has advocated for since the early 2000s.

“20 years ago, when I tried to tell my team that Sims were cool…they laughed and now they’re all spending millions of dollars,” Dale Jr. revealed. Well, he isn’t talking about a video game console in the basement. Today’s simulators used by Formula 1, NASCAR, and other professional teams are hyper-advanced, multimillion-dollar tools designed to mirror real-world conditions with incredible accuracy. Finally, Dale Jr. revealed his moment of regret. “I wasted my opportunity of conversation on something frivolous…” he admitted, reflecting on his brief exchange with Max Verstappen. Instead of praising Verstappen’s contributions to sim racing, a topic Dale Jr. feels deeply about, he defaulted to small talk about the weather.

“I was like, ‘Man, it might rain today, you know. How do you feel about the wet?”‘ He recalled. Verstappen responded with a calm shrug: “I’ve been running in the rain all my life… even when I was a little kid, just playing in the yard or around my streets, you know, as a kid on karts and stuff.” Well, Max isn’t wrong. Wet weather racing is something Verstappen has absolutely mastered—most recently proven in Brazil 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix. But, it’s not like multi-disciplinary racers are just a product of F1 or simulators. Even NASCAR has talents rooted in different beginnings.

Young drivers like William Byron, Ty Majeski, and Rajah Caruth rose from sim racing and have made it big! However, practising for NASCAR’s biggest stage is not a climb from iRacing. Unlike other motorsports, stock car racing starts from the grassroots level. Yes, we mean dirt! While digital racing has brought many drivers to the limelight, nothing compares to the generational talent Kyle Larson and Baby-faced assassin Christopher Bell. Both of them have proven that they are among some of the best drivers the sport has ever seen. Not a controller, but grit is shaping the future stars!

We have Keelan Harvick, Happy Harvick’s son, who recently made his debut in the CARS Tour Pro Late Model series, competing at Cordele Motor Speedway. He is an exceptional driver. With no iRacing involved, his overtakes are precise and his driving crisp. And speaking of new drivers, the 2025 Golden Driller winner, Brexton Busch, cannot be left behind. The kid is a dirt monster! He is so good at it that there is a fair possibility of him shattering records even before his Cup Series debut. It is evident that his father, Rowdy, would not be the best driving Busch in the near future. But let’s get back to Dale Jr. now.

For a figure who’s bridged NASCAR and sim racing, Dale Jr.’s Miami GP experience was memorable but tinged with “what if.” He got the handshake. He got the moment. But he left wishing he’d said more, especially to a driver who represents the future of motorsport, both on track and online. Will there be another chance for these two motorsport icons to connect over their shared passion for racing’s digital frontier? Only time will tell.

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Red Bull returns to NASCAR, but this time, it’s different

Max Verstappen’s F1 team, Red Bull, isn’t just dominating Formula 1. It’s also quietly building bridges back into NASCAR. And no, this isn’t 2006 all over again. Instead of launching a full Cup Series team like before, the $36 billion energy drink brand is taking a subtler route. It’s backing talent. And that starts with Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch.

Shane van Gisbergen, a three-time Supercars champion, turned heads by winning his Cup debut on the Chicago Street Course in 2023. Now running part-time with Trackhouse Racing, SVG has Red Bull’s backing. This time it’s not just financially, but with global brand power. Connor Zilisch, a teenage phenom from North Carolina, is also on Red Bull’s radar. He’s signed with Spire Motorsports and is expected to be NASCAR’s next big thing.

“They’re kind of dipping their toe in the water instead of just diving into the deep end,” Dale Jr. recently said on his podcast. This strategy is intentional. Red Bull is more focused on supporting individual drivers than owning an entire team. That’s a sharp contrast to their 2006–2011 effort, which included two Cup cars, countless resources, and only two wins to show for it.

Dale Jr. put it plainly: “While we wanted to kick their ass on the racetrack, we wanted the Red Bull brand to succeed in our sport.” That sentiment still rings true. But this time, Red Bull seems to be playing it smart. Could this athlete-first approach finally help the brand thrive in stock car racing?