It seemed like whatever could go wrong, did go wrong for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Bristol Motor Speedway. The veteran driver was forced to drive the opening 50 laps at ‘The Last Great Colosseum’ without a radio and, to make matters worse, he also incurred a speeding penalty on the pit road. Despite the many setbacks, it looked like the racing veteran turned back the clock on the 0.533-mile concrete oval, securing an impressive seventh-place finish in what was his only Xfinity Series appearance this season.

Despite previously saying that he won’t be competing at Bristol next year, it sounds as if Dale Jr. might be having a surprising change of heart. The North Carolina native will be in the booth for Amazon Prime Video next year and while broadcast remains his priority, he’s leaving the door slightly open for a potential NASCAR return.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. refuses to rule out 2025 Xfinity Series return

Ever since Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from full-time racing in 2017, he has made it a point to compete in at least one Xfinity Series race every season, a ‘tradition’ that has been going on for 27 years. In the last few years, he has driven the No. 88 Chevy at Richmond, Darlington, Martinsville, Homestead, and Bristol, finishing top five in his last eight appearances. While his one-off appearances in NASCAR’s second tier are meant for fun, Junior’s competitive spirit still shines through and he would like nothing more than to enter Victory Lane again.

However, with Junior turning 50 next month, neither he nor the fans expect him to trade paint on the racetrack for much longer. The 15-time Most Popular Driver had previously ruled himself out for the 2025 season but appears to have changed his mind after an impressive result at Bristol Motor Speedway. Speaking in the post-race interview, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, “Next year they said we’ll do the races, you don’t need to run. I said, ‘Man, I just might’. I gotta work on my broadcasts and new partners and all that, so I want to be great. I feel like I need to really focus on that. That’s priority. I want to do well in the booth and maybe I will get back in this thing.”

Dale Jr.’s team JR Motorsports will see several changes going into the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Racing prodigy Connor Zilisch will come in as a full-time driver and will be behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevy, while Carson Kvapil is also rumored to join according to Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass. Meanwhile, Sam Mayer will be teaming up with the newly formed Haas Factory Team, and Brandon Jones is expected to return to Joe Gibbs Racing. With Junior’s team being in a transition phase, is it in JR Motorsports’ best interest for the racing veteran to make a one-off appearance next season? Or should he focus on broadcasting duties while giving his new driver lineup a chance to make their mark in the Xfinity Series?

Despite being one of the older drivers on the grid, it’s clear that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has what it takes to remain competitive. Last year at Bristol, he started the race in 15th place and was in the lead by Lap 174, showing that he could still dominate on the short track. While he couldn’t maintain the advantage, Junior remained in contention for a top-five result until an issue with the ignition forced him to retire, just 30 laps before the end of the race. It seems like Junior still has what it takes to compete in the Xfinity Series and as long as he’s enjoying life in the fast lane, does he need to stop?

Dale Jr. unsure about his racing future

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Few drivers have enjoyed an illustrious racing career as Dale Earnhardt Jr. The two-time Xfinity Series winner joined the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2021, a testament to just how well he has done in his almost two-decade-long racing career. Naturally, when he makes his one-off appearances, Junior has a legacy to live up to, not just the one he has set for himself during his time as a full-time driver, but also as the son of the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. Most drivers look to close their curtains on their racing career when they are still at the top and Dale Jr. is no different.

In the post-race interview at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dale Jr. shared his elation at finishing in the top 10 on the 0.533-mile track, but cast doubt about his future as a racing driver. He said, “I’m thrilled (to) come back here and be competitive. Man, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to be competitive. I can come out here for another 20 years, but eventually, these young kids will be so good.”

Junior’s seventh-place result at Bristol was his 96th top-ten result in his career so far, indicating that he remains competitive in the cutthroat Xfinity Series. However, the reality is that time is running out for the veteran to continue behind the wheel of a racecar if he aims to remain competitive in his one-off appearances. NASCAR fans will want Dale Jr. to compete as long as he can live up to the iconic Earnhardt name and time will tell when the North Carolina native finally decides to call it a day and only focus on his broadcasting responsibilities.