In the early 2000s, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was a die-hard gaming fan. He’s spoken candidly about playing realistic sims like NASCAR Racing 2003 and streaming titles from PC to console. Behind the wheel or the screen, Junior’s passion for gameplay later inspired a lasting impact. He led the charge by bringing NASCAR into the gaming world through partnerships with iRacing and console platforms.
From consulting on the racing physics to early development of career modes, he has been deeply involved from the first day of listing old titles to the vision behind NASCAR 25. His fingerprints are all over the virtual sports resurgence, helping shape the modern gaming experience for both diehard fans and newcomers. Today, as NASCAR 25 nears its release, the influence of Junior still shapes the virtual race tracks the game will soon conquer.
Dale Jr. burns the midnight oil for the works of NASCAR 25
iRacing wasn’t born in a boardroom; it came from the garage, or at least the digital version of it. Back in 2004, a couple of racing obsessives, Dave Kaemmer, who helped create NASCAR Racing 2003, and John Henry, owner of the Red Sox, teamed up to build something real races would eventually respect. The idea? A Sim that didn’t just look good but felt right. With laser-scanned tracks and physics so realistic that actual NASCAR drivers started using it to practice, iRacing quietly became the heartbeat of online racing. And now, it’s the engine powering NASCAR’s return to console gaming with NASCAR 25.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t just a figurehead in NASCAR 25; he is deeply involved in its creation. In an exclusive conversation with Insider Gaming, producer Matt Lewis called his participation mind-blowing. Since iRacing acquired the NASCAR license in 2023, Junior has contributed far beyond endorsements, and he is even influencing the game’s soundtrack and narrative tone. Lewis revealed, saying, “He’s [Dale Earnhardt Jr.] sitting in on meetings longer than he should. We’ve been on meetings a couple of times where, like, his business manager’s popping her head in and being like, ‘ we gotta go.’ He’s like, ‘I know, 10 more minutes.’”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. works closely with the developers, describing how a driver truly feels during a race weekend. The pressure, the focus, the adrenaline, all to make game emotions authentic. Lewis says Junior’s feedback, especially regarding the career mode’s feel and messaging, has shaped the team’s approach to player progression. And the buzz surrounding NASCAR 25 isn’t just from fans; it is resonating inside the garage, too.
Hendrick Motorsports #24 William Byron has already taken part in early testing sessions. A recent sneak peek showed the #24 navigating the new controls and menus, suggesting that even seasoned pros are paying close attention to how the game simulates modern racing. Byron, who climbed the lines for the background and iRacing, as always valued realism, and that’s exactly what the development team promises to deliver in NASCAR 25.
Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will also appear in the career mode! Come race weekends, players will hear him live in the Dirty Mo studio, commenting on their performance, challenges, and breakthroughs. Lewis explained, “It’s this real sensory experience… halfway through my rise from Trucks to Xfinity… talking about me and something that just happened.”
That kind of integration was beyond expectation. Lewis adds, hinting at a game built with the two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion’s insights at its core. Lewis, who is awaiting the release of NASCAR 25, says, “It’s been far beyond what I expected; far beyond what I would have ever thought we could get. It’s really going to pay off for fans.”
And then there is Mitchell deJong, a racing powerhouse and one of the most decorated iRacers in the world. While not in the NASCAR Cup Series, deJong has become a benchmark for what is possible in digital motorsport. His success in the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series and other global game championships signals that professional-level talent is flourishing online and why drivers like him are watching NASCAR 25 with serious interest. When a game of tracks names, with that kind of position and compared to fire, it’s clear it’s aiming for more than arcade thrills; it is chasing authenticity.
In essence, NASCAR 25 is just a simulation; it is a virtual playground built at least partly by a legend who is known for both the rush and the grind. And for gamers, that means every turn, every lap, could feel just a fraction closer to the real deal. Junior’s role as the executive director of iRacing has also helped stretch his impact on the gaming world. Now, all gamers await with bated breath as NASCAR 25 promises a gaming experience never seen before.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. voices his concern over a dying Martinsville tradition
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spoken out as uncertainty grows over one of NASCAR’s most treasured traditions, the Martinsville grandfather clock. Following the announcement that the Howard Miller company, producer of the iconic Ridgeway clocks, will shut down operations in 2026, concerns have erupted across the racing world, but the future of the decades-old custom. Fans and NASCAR veterans alike are frustrated, hearing the end of a symbol that has had victory at Martinsville for generations.
Martinsville Speedway has been a fixture on the NASCAR calendar since 1949, and since 1964, winners of the NASCAR Cup Series races at the track have received a handcrafted grandfather clock. The very first recipient, Fred Lorenzen, dominated that inaugural year by leading 980 of 1000 total laps across both events. For drivers, winning the race was one thing; taking home that timeless, chiming trophy was another. No other track offers such a distinctive prize.
The tradition continued even after Ridgeway was acquired by the Howard Miller company in 2004. But now, rising production costs and bundling access to specialty parts have made the clock-making business unsustainable. CEO Howard J. Miller explained that the tariffs and a fractured supply chain had crippled their ability to produce the clocks domestically. Without a bio, the entire operation and the Ridgeway, Howard Miller, and Heckman brands will shutter by the end of 2026.
Upon hearing the news, the JR Motorsports co-owner, who famously earned his own Martinsville clock in 2014, didn’t hold back. He insisted that future manufacturers must honor the original design and craft membership, warning against any attempt to modernize or cheapen the legacy. Jr. said, “Whomever makes the next version better, make them exactly like the previous version. Don’t get cute and f— this up.”
The blunt message reflects what many within the NASCAR community are feeling. The clock is more than just hardware. It’s a legacy piece, rich with history, and replacing it carelessly would be, in Junior’s words, a mistake that cheapens decades of tradition.
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