NASCAR’s got a reputation for unfiltered characters who don’t hold back when it’s time to throw shade. The garage is a pressure cooker, and drivers aren’t shy about calling each other out when tempers flare.  Take Denny Hamlin at Gateway in 2022, when Ross Chastain wrecked both him and Chase Elliott in the same race.

Hamlin didn’t sugarcoat it on TV, “It’s good he takes responsibility, but it doesn’t fix the issue. He’s making a lot of mistakes and it’s cost a lot of people. Until he gets a ton of enemies, then it’ll be a problem.” A week later on his Actions Detrimental podcast, he doubled down, “You can’t just say ‘my bad’ every week. At some point, you’ve got to clean it up.” That was Hamlin drawing a line in the sand, and fans ate it up.

Then there’s Joey Logano, who had his own moment after Denny Hamlin squeezed him into the wall at Martinsville in 2019. Logano let it rip post-race, “He’s just a hack. Just a hack.” That clip went viral, and “hack” became a go-to insult drivers tossed around for years. It was raw, real, and exactly the kind of spice NASCAR thrives on. Logano didn’t care about making friends, he wanted to make a point.

Kevin Harvick’s no stranger to the game either. After Chase Elliott held him up at Bristol in 2021, costing him a shot at the win, Harvick unloaded, “It’s kind of chicken-sh*t. You know, I don’t care who he is. That’s the way he races me, so that’s the way I’m going to race him from here on out.” The tension boiled over into a viral shouting match in the garage, helmets still on, that had fans buzzing for weeks. That’s NASCAR, grudges don’t just simmer; they explode.

Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski’s feud from the 2010s was another classic. Busch didn’t hold back in a 2010 press scrum, “Brad’s just an ass. That’s all he is. He’s a big mouth.” Keselowski fired back on SiriusXM, “Kyle doesn’t like me, and that’s fine. He doesn’t have to. But I’m not here to make friends.” That back-and-forth was pure NASCAR drama, the kind that keeps the sport’s pulse pounding.

Contrast all that with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who built a 20-plus-year career as the guy everyone liked. Unlike his dad, the “Intimidator,” who thrived on rivalries with Terry Labonte and Rusty Wallace, Dale Jr. was the diplomat, relatable, fan-friendly, and rarely stirring the pot. He kept things chill, focusing on racing over trash-talking, which made him a locker room leader in the garage. That’s why when he drops a rare spicy comment, it hits like a thunderclap.

Since retiring in 2017, Dale Jr.’s let loose a bit on The Dale Jr. Download, sharing wild stories, like Tony Stewart chucking a helmet through his truck window, or admitting how Talladega wrecks scared him. He’s gotten candid, even dropping takes on today’s drivers that he’d have dodged as a racer. So when he mentioned “some jerks out there” in the Cup Series during a recent podcast, it sent fans into a frenzy. Dale Jr. calling anyone a “jerk”? That’s not his usual vibe, and now everyone’s playing detective, trying to figure out who he’s talking about.

Fan reactions and speculations

Dale Jr.’s “jerk” comment, dropped at 14:15 during a Chase Briscoe interview on The Dale Jr. Download, lit up Reddit with fans tossing out guesses left and right. One fan summed up the challenge, “Honestly have no clue, pretty sure nearly the current entire cup field has been on the download at this point.” It’s a fair point, Dale’s podcast has hosted a who’s who of NASCAR, from heavyweights like Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, and Kyle Larson to veterans like Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Even new blood like Carson Hocevar and Noah Gragson have pulled up a chair.

Another fan took a playful jab, “Jerks according to Dale Jr: the drivers anyone responding to this thread doesn’t like.” That’s a clever way to call out how fans project their own grudges onto Dale’s vague comment. He’s always been careful not to name names, sticking to general gripes like “drivers need more respect on track” or “that was a dumb move.” So when he says “jerks,” fans fill in the blanks with their own villains, Logano for his aggressive blocking, Kyle Busch for his sharp tongue, or Hamlin for his knack for stirring up drama.

One theory got specific, “People keep saying it can’t be Hocevar because Dale praises him but he says the same stuff about Kyle Busch. I think Jr can think those types of people are good for the sport but still jerks.” This one’s got legs. Carson Hocevar’s made waves for his raw, sometimes reckless style, like when he intentionally wrecked Taylor Gray in a 2022 Truck race at IRP, drawing major heat. Dale’s praised Hocevar’s talent but called out his immaturity. Same deal with Kyle Busch, Dale’s said on air that Busch’s polarizing attitude is “good for the sport,” but Busch’s tantrums and fines for language could easily land him in the “jerk” category.

Another fan widened the net, “Haven’t listened but going off the content here… are we sure it’s drivers? Could it be a spotter? An annoying AF Australian crew chief who always messes things up?” This is a smart angle. Dale’s vented before about more than just drivers, officiating, team radio chatter, even crew chiefs. The “Australian crew chief” likely points to James Small, Martin Truex Jr.’s strategist, who’s taken flak for botched calls, like in the 2023 Southern 500 when Truex’s dominant car faded due to pit miscues. Spotters, like Joey Logano’s T.J. Majors, a longtime pal of Dale’s, have also sparked drama with heated radio moments. Dale’s “jerks” might not just be behind the wheel, which makes the speculation even juicier.

Finally, a fan threw out some big names, “Surprised no one has mentioned Denny Hamlin yet, or Ty Gibbs. Gibbs had a reputation of deliberately wrecking people, and Denny’s on track persona has definitely rubbed people the wrong way in the past.” Both make sense. Ty Gibbs’ 2022 Xfinity season was wild, he wrecked teammate Brandon Jones at Martinsville for a win, costing Joe Gibbs Racing a Championship 4 spot, and got into a pit-road scuffle with Sam Mayer. Hamlin’s no stranger to controversy either, with his blocking-heavy style and feuds with Ross Chastain in 2022–23, where both admitted to on-track retaliation. Whoever the “jerks” are, the speculation’s keeping the NASCAR drama alive and well.