Where would NASCAR racing be without the likes of Ross Chastain, Carson Hocevar, and Denny Hamlin in the modern era? We often hear lack of personality is hampering the growth of the sport, but just when these characters try to stand out, they are often chastised. Remember in 2023, Chastain’s growing discontent on the racetrack was put to a halt by none other than Rick Hendrick. “I guess at this point in the race, maybe you’re super aggressive, but you just don’t run people up in the fence.” Since then, we have seen a measured approach from the driver of the No. 1 Chevy.
Hocevar was swarmed by several drivers after his P2 finish at Atlanta this season. Now, that is certainly not the best way to get disparity within drivers in the era of parity racing, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. certainly wants drivers to show personality. While the likes of Hamlin and Kyle Busch stir up the pot with their comments off the racetrack, Dale Jr. enjoys watching chaos and action as a viewer.
Dale Jr.’s wants more entertainment from NASCAR races
“I like that they race like a–hole. I know that we give Carson Hocevar a lot of sh– at times. We have gave Chastain and some other guys, but I want more of those guys.” Dale Jr. said on the Dale Jr. Download after Sunday’s race at Kansas. We saw Kyle Busch get tangled in a four-wide before spinning out of contention for the race win. Then there was a late race we saw Ty Dillon spark a multi-car crash, which engulfed Daniel Suarez. Now, this might not be fun for the drivers, but this aggressive style of racing sells on TV.
“Having a wild card or two or three or four or five out there that you’re not quite sure what kind of sh– decision they’re gonna make down in the next corner is kind of good. Having that guy that like, ‘Hey man, he’s a loose cannon,’ is kind of good when you’re trying to be entertained.” Dale Jr. elaborated. “You just got to have a lot… You got to have the good guy, the villain, the up. You got to have the guy that just can’t get it right. You got to have the guy that’s stupid fast but a terrible decision maker.” This tapestry of personalities, according to Earnhardt, creates the unpredictability that makes NASCAR a compelling sport to watch.
The introduction of NextGen cars with composite bodies has fundamentally altered how drivers approach contact on the track—a factor both Dale Jr. and Kyle Busch have addressed from different perspectives. While Jr. acknowledged the difficulty in assessing performance impacts, saying, “I can’t look at it and tell you as a viewer, hey, this is a problem now and this is why he’s going to run 28th today,” Busch has been more critical.
“We’re all clowns,” Busch lamented after his Kansas disappointment. “We all don’t know how to freaking drive. It’s the composite bodies that’s what it is. Everybody just runs into everybody and runs over everybody and hits everybody, hits the wall because we all just bank on the fact that the body’s just gonna pop back out and we’re going to be fine.”
CHARLOTTE, NC – MAY 27: Ross Chastain, driver of the 41 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, celebrates by eating a smashed watermelon after winning the Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 on May 27, 2022, at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, NC. Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire AUTO: MAY 27 NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Camping World Truck Series North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Icon220527031
This sentiment was echoed by Daniel Suárez following his DNF at Kansas, where he admitted, “The 10 [Ware] drove in there like he had new tires and we had old tires.” The NextGen car’s durability has encouraged a more aggressive racing style reminiscent of the sport’s rougher past, like the infamous 2017 incident at Kansas involving Joey Logano, Danica Patrick, and Aric Almirola, which resulted in Almirola being cut from his vehicle.
For Dale Earnhardt Jr., this evolution seems to be a welcome return to NASCAR’s roots, where personalities shone through driving styles and fans never knew what might happen next. “Put them in the cage and see what happens,” he concluded. “That’s my perspective as a viewer. Um, when I was on the racetrack, I wanted everybody to not run over my ass and stay off me and not fuck up around me, you know, but that’s kind of boring.”
When Dale Jr. Got “Checked” by NASCAR’s Next Generation
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s openness to bold personalities extends even to moments when he’s on the receiving end of young driver swagger. A recent encounter with 18-year-old Connor Zilisch—one of racing’s hottest rising stars illustrates Junior’s appreciation for confident personalities. Even when his own ego takes a hit.
While filming promotional content for the Red Bull Soapbox Race on Dale Jr.’s own property, Earnhardt offered to wear a Red Bull hat for the shoot. Zilisch immediately put the NASCAR legend in his place: “Oh, you can’t wear a Red Bull hat. You’re not a Red Bull athlete.” Junior’s stunned reaction—“Who the f— are you?”—quickly gave way to grudging respect for the teenager’s boldness. “18-year-old kid gonna snap back at me?.. I was so mad. But I was like, all right, yeah, I get it, man,” Earnhardt later admitted.
This interaction mirrors exactly what Dale Jr. now advocates for in NASCAR—personalities who aren’t afraid to make waves, even if they occasionally ruffle feathers. Despite being momentarily humbled by Zilisch (who has already notched Xfinity wins at Watkins Glen and COTA during his rookie season), Earnhardt’s willingness to share the story underscores his genuine belief that strong personalities create compelling storylines. The same authenticity that made his father an icon now shapes Jr.’s vision for NASCAR’s future. One where both veterans and rookies aren’t afraid to show exactly who they are.
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