When someone says “endurance race,” what’s the first thing that pops to mind? Le Mans, right? Sure, Le Mans is the granddaddy of them all, steeped in history and prestige, but it’s not the only endurance race that gets the blood pumping.

Think about the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a 24-hour marathon held every January at Daytona International Speedway. This beast of a race is the crown jewel of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, often called the “Super Bowl” of U.S. endurance racing. Winning cars churn through 700 to 740 laps, sometimes hitting a record 808, like Action Express Racing did in 2018. Kicking off in 1962, the Rolex 24 has grown into a global heavyweight, drawing the best drivers to battle it out on Daytona’s 3.56-mile road course.

NASCAR drivers have been known to jump ship and tackle the Rolex 24, with big names like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart. Even the Intimidator competed in the marquee event alongside his son, Dale Jr, in 2001. Andy Pilgrim was leading the charge of this Corvette team, and there have been some good stories that emerged from this collaboration. Now that Jr. has limited his race time in NASCAR, is there a possibility of him hopping in the Trackhouse Racing entry? From 2001 to 2025, not just NASCAR, but endurance racing has undergone a drastic transformation, and Jr. doesn’t fancy his chances against the talented endurance racers.

Dale Jr. says no to Rolex 24 return

In a recent video from Dirty Mo Media, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got real about the Rolex 24 when asked what it’d take to see him back in the driver’s seat. “So when I ran the Corvette during the race in ’01, during the race in ’04 with the prototype, you’d get in there and you’d be 3/10 off, a 1/2 second off the A driver, but it was okay because when the race started, everybody dialed it way back. You had to be really careful, you didn’t want to hit anybody, didn’t have to repair anything,” he said. Those memories paint a picture of a different era, one where strategy and car preservation were as critical as speed.

Dale Jr.’s Rolex 24 resume is nothing to sneeze at. In 2001, he teamed up with his dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr., in the No. 3 Corvette C5-R for Corvette Racing, joined by Andy Pilgrim and Kelly Collins. The father-son duo delivered, finishing 4th overall and 2nd in the GTS class—a standout result, especially since it was Earnhardt Sr.’s only Rolex 24 run. In 2004, Dale Jr. was back, this time in a Daytona Prototype for Howard-Boss Motorsports with Tony Stewart and Andy Wallace. Despite battling rain-soaked night stints, a suspension failure led to a DNF, though they were still classified 5th overall. Those races taught Dale Jr. the art of endurance racing—managing traffic, saving the car, and staying sharp for hours—skills far removed from NASCAR’s sprint-race chaos.

But today’s Rolex 24? It’s a whole new beast. “Now those cars are much tougher, the drivers have all gotten better, and they run the entire 24-hour race like they’re qualifying, I wouldn’t see myself at this age part of any kind of a combination of drivers to be able to go out there and compete, it’s fun as hell, but you’re gonna find my ass probably at a 24 Hours of Lemons before I go back to Daytona and run that race, that’s kinda my speed these days.” Dale Jr. said. At 50, he’s blunt about his limits, conceding that the modern pace—where drivers push flat out for 24 hours—doesn’t match his current game.

The numbers back him up. In 2001, the winning car averaged 97.29 mph over 656 laps, with the fastest lap hitting 125.6 mph. Fast forward to 2025, and the average race speed jumped to 133.408 mph over 781 laps, with Sheldon van der Linde’s fastest lap clocking 133.6 mph. That’s qualifying-level intensity for a full day, a far cry from the more cautious approach of Dale Jr.’s era.

For fans, it’s bittersweet. Dale Jr.’s Rolex 24 runs were special, blending NASCAR grit with endurance racing’s unique vibe. His stories, like Earnhardt Sr.’s no-nonsense advice to stay focused, capture the race’s magic. But at 50, he’s choosing peace over the grind, and that honesty hits as hard as any checkered flag.

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NASCAR’s Le Mans adventure hits the screen

Dale Jr.’s Rolex 24 reflections tie into a bigger story of NASCAR pushing boundaries in endurance racing, captured in the upcoming Prime Video documentary American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans, set to premiere June 12.

This feature-length film dives into NASCAR’s bold 2023 quest to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for its 100th anniversary, bringing a Chevrolet Camaro stock car to battle Ferrari and Porsche prototypes. It’s a tale of ambition, with NASCAR Chairman Jim France chasing a childhood dream to see his cars race at the iconic Circuit de la Sarthe.

The project, called Garage 56, saw Hendrick Motorsports take on the challenge, transforming a car built for three-hour NASCAR ovals into a machine ready for Le Mans’ 24-hour gauntlet. World-class drivers Jenson Button, Jimmie Johnson, and Mike Rockenfeller joined the effort, backed by an 18-month journey of engineering and grit.

Produced by NASCAR Studios and Griffin Van Malssen, with Jeff Gordon among the executive producers, the documentary promises a front-row seat to this historic adventure, available to Prime members in over 240 countries.

Just like Dale Jr.’s Rolex 24 runs, this Le Mans effort showcases NASCAR’s willingness to step outside its comfort zone, blending American stock car swagger with endurance racing’s global stage. While Dale Jr.’s opting for a quieter path these days, American Thunder keeps the spirit of those crossover moments alive, celebrating the drive to test limits—whether at Daytona or Le Mans. For fans, it’s a chance to relive NASCAR’s boldest endurance gamble, a perfect nod to the legacy Dale Jr. helped build.