Dale Jr Says Daytona’s Lost Its ‘Super Bowl’ Status, Offers Bold Fix

In NASCAR, there was a time when a driver’s legacy often hinged on triumphs at the Daytona 500, the crown jewel that has long defined stardom in the sport. Icons like Richard Petty, with his record seven wins there alongside seven championships, and Jeff Gordon, who claimed three Daytona victories en route to four titles, built unbreakable reputations on that 2.5-mile superspeedway. Even Dale Earnhardt Sr., whose lone 1998 Daytona 500 win complemented his seven championships, saw his career elevated by that singular achievement. These moments turned drivers into legends, often outweighing other accolades in the eyes of fans and historians. Yet as the focus shifts toward championships, questions linger about whether this iconic race still holds that defining power.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., himself a two-time Daytona 500 winner in 2004 and 2014 despite no championships, earned his spot in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2021 largely on those feats and his overall impact. Retiring from full-time Cup Series racing after 2017, he continues shaping opinions through media, now sensing a dip in the event’s prestige amid evolving priorities. But with Daytona’s history of pack-style racing and high-stakes drama since its 1959 opening, there’s room to reclaim its glory. As he weighs in from experience, his views highlight what might restore that lost spark.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. laments Daytona’s fading prestige

On his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. opened up about his deep affection for Daytona International Speedway, a track where he notched significant success, but he didn’t hold back on recent criticisms. He pointed out how the racing there, along with Talladega, has drawn flak from fans and drivers alike for lacking intensity, with fuel-saving tactics dominating strategies and reducing on-track action. “The racing there over the last several years has taken a beating from critics, myself included,” he said, underscoring a shift that has eroded the Daytona 500’s once-unrivaled status.

This comes against a backdrop where superspeedway events, known for their drafting and multi-car packs on the 31-degree banked turns, now often see drivers conserving rather than pushing hard, a far cry from the aggressive style that defined earlier eras. Earnhardt Jr. elaborated on why he believes the Daytona 500 has slipped from its perch as the sport’s equivalent to the NFL’s Super Bowl. He recalled how winning there was once equated to a championship, even for drivers like himself who prioritized it highly.

“The Daytona 500, for all of my life, has been compared to the Super Bowl of the NFL. It has always been this very important event that everyone did everything they could to try to find a way to win it once,” he reflected. But now, with the playoff format emphasizing overall titles, he notes that “no one’s asking those questions now because obviously everyone would say, ‘I want that championship because of the Daytona 500,’ and it’s solidified spot as the most important race is no longer the case.” This mindset shift, he argues, stems from longer stage lengths at these tracks, typically three, like 65-65-70 laps at Daytona, forcing teams into fuel-mileage plays that stifle competition.

To revive that prestige, Earnhardt Jr. floated a bold adjustment: introducing a fourth stage to superspeedway races, “And so adding this fourth stage and making those races mean more from a point standpoint would also make the races, again, mean more from a competitor standpoint,” he explained. This would mirror the Coca-Cola 600 format at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where four 100-lap segments keep strategies dynamic and minimize conservation. He sees this as a way to ensure shorter segments where drivers can race flat-out without worrying about fuel, potentially recreating the thrilling passes and risks that made Daytona legendary.

While acknowledging it’s not perfect and fans might prefer scrapping stages altogether, he views it as a practical step NASCAR has discussed, especially after races like the recent Talladega event, where passing improved but fuel tactics lingered.

Earnhardt Jr. pushed back on alternatives like removing stage cautions, arguing they’d still lead to saving for pit advantages. “I think that if you add the four stages, you more than likely, more often get that style of race,” he said, drawing from his own racing days where handling and bold moves defined Daytona outcomes. With the track’s tri-oval layout promoting three-wide action when speeds stay high, this change could counter the gridlock seen in recent events, where front-runners control lanes and limit overtakes. NASCAR officials like Mike Forde have confirmed such talks, noting it could make fuel saving “a waste of time” at these venues.

Shifting gears from track tweaks, Earnhardt Jr. also shared his gut feelings on the ongoing playoffs. His take on who might falter next offers a fresh lens on the competition heating up.

Dale Jr.’s Round of 12 struggler picks

Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned heads with his instincts on the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, zeroing in on drivers he thinks could hit roadblocks in the Round of 12. Without leaning on stats, he named a quartet facing potential elimination. “No scientific data here. No, no evidence or real hard study to back up this prediction. But my four that are going to struggle to make it into the next round are Chase Elliott, Cindric, Chastain, and Reddick,” he said in a recent discussion.

This is surprising given Chase Elliott‘s steady regular season, where he led points for much of it, but Junior points to a quieter playoff start, like a P17 at Darlington and P38 at Bristol, as signs of vulnerability ahead.

He contrasted this with stronger contenders like Joey Logano, who benefits from tracks suiting his style. “I think that Logano, who tested at Loudon… I feel like Loudon and Kansas are two good tracks for Joey. And so I think he’ll do just enough to advance,” Earnhardt Jr. noted. Logano’s history of postseason rebounds, even after uneven regular seasons, backs this up, as seen in his back-to-back years of stepping up when it counts. Meanwhile, Elliott’s mixed record at upcoming spots, averaging 14.7 at New Hampshire with two top-fives in 11 starts, adds weight to Junior’s hunch that consistency might not carry him through.

Earnhardt Jr. admitted his confidence in Elliott wavers despite the No. 9 team’s points-leading form earlier. “They were the most consistent team in the garage and led in points, right? So, I mean, he’s points-leading worthy. Led the points for most of the season. But where is my confidence? You know, I guess it’s been just so quietly doing this,” he reflected.

For Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, and Tyler Reddick, the prediction ties into broader playoff pressures, where tracks like Kansas and the Charlotte Roval could expose weaknesses if momentum slips.