Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never been one to whisper when something bothers him, and this time his frustration landed right on NASCAR’s doorstep. The Hall of Famer took aim at the sport’s recent habit of chasing shiny experiments. Junior’s message was blunt: NASCAR keeps learning the same mistake the hard way, saying, “The part about NASCAR that’s frustrating for me is that we eventually get to where we’re supposed to be, but like we try a bunch of things…that don’t pan out.”

However, that rant doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Soon enough, one of NASCAR’s most outspoken insiders jumped into the conversation, and suddenly the critique wasn’t just emotional; it was about business, power, and a few miscalculations that cost NASCAR.

Kenny Wallace believes NASCAR can learn from its mistakes

Kenny Wallace didn’t sugarcoat it. According to him, the sports leadership went all in on ideas that looked bold on paper but felt disconnected from the fan base.

“I know for a fact that NASCAR is all hands on deck,” Wallace said. “They realized what happened, and it took them a while, but they definitely made some decisions that were not the way to go. They just went all in, all in, and now you look back and realize how much they messed up.”

For Wallace, the mistakes weren’t abstract; they were visible on the weekend. NASCAR doubled down on cookie-cutter mile-and-a-half tracks while letting historic venues fade into the background.

Rockingham and North Wilkesboro were treated like relics instead of assets. Add to that a stretch where fans were boxed into buying full weekend ticket bundles just to attend a single race, and the message felt clear.

Convenience and tradition are taking a backseat to aggressive monetization, highlighting NASCAR’s greed.

Then came Bowman Gray Stadium. The madhouse, a place dripping with history, noise, and chaos in the best possible way. NASCAR’s decision to move the Clash there for 2025 and ditch the LA Colosseum experiment felt less like innovation and more like homecoming.

The fans responded instantaneously. The event pulled in 3.08 million viewers, more than double the audience from the 2024 Los Angeles race. No, no rebranding, just NASCAR finally realizing that it should return to its roots.

And that is exactly what Junior was talking about. Sometimes the solution isn’t hiding in a boardroom; it’s right there in NASCAR’s own backyard.

Still, Wallace insists this isn’t a lost cause. In fact, he believes NASCAR leadership has been shaken enough to finally listen.

“They did a lot of wrong things, but I do know they have been humbled mightily,” Wallace admitted. “NASCAR has been humbled mightily. And I know for a fact they hear y’all. They are going to go on tour in 2026, and they’re going to make it right.”

That optimism carries weight coming from Wallace. For someone who bleeds stock car racing and will always defend the sport when outsiders take a cheap shot, Wallace also drew the line, and that loyalty doesn’t mean blind agreement.

When NASCAR stumbles, Wallace calls it out. And if he truly believes the brass is gearing up for an apology tour and course correction, then maybe, just maybe, the rift between NASCAR and its fans isn’t permanent. But NASCAR still has one lifeline to redeem itself.

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How can NASCAR undo past wrongs with the new playoff format discussion?

NASCAR finally has a gateway to redeem itself. Its long championship overhaul for 2026 is still under wraps, but behind the scenes, the gears are turning faster than expected.

While fans wait for an expected January reveal, one top executive is pushing back on the idea that the format isn’t being cooked up in isolation.

In an exclusive chat with Epartrade, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst offered a glimpse into how the sport is tackling its most sensitive topic: how to crown a champion.

“We have broadcast in there. We have our OEMs. We have our team partners,” he said. “And as I’d mentioned earlier, our fans and the playoff discussion is no different. We hear and pay attention to a lot of the feedback that we get through social media in various directions that come our way.”

According to Probst, the process isn’t all that different from how NASCAR handles major rule changes elsewhere. Whether it’s engine packages, aero tweaks, or competition balance, everything starts with one thing: listening. And not just to one group.

At the end, the final decision will land somewhere between priority and spectacle. But the priority remains the same: protect the sports’ integrity while keeping it entertaining.

NASCAR has already confirmed one major move: the championship race will return to Homestead-Miami, but John hinted that it won’t be the last surprise.

Change is coming. The message from NASCAR headquarters is simple: everyone’s voice has been heard, and now comes the hard part, which is getting it right.