The end of the 2024 season opened the doors of immense headlines for NASCAR in 2025. Now the next question of every fan is, What next? The changes that NASCAR is making seem to benefit a few groups of people. But at last, it’s all a matter of individuality, what’s good for someone, might be worse in others’ case. NASCAR, this turned, had more drifts than on its racetracks. Still, the legend found out what can work best for him.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently opened up about the major changes in the NASCAR rules ahead of the season. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s favorite NASCAR rule

Recently on his podcast, Dale Jr. and TJ were discussing the series of changes in the rules. Although every season has its reason, one of which caught his attention, and as an owner of the team JR Motorsports that debuted in the Cup Series, he gave insights on it. 

“One of the reasons that I think about all the time as a car owner is all of our haulers were overloaded, to the limit in terms of legal limits on weights getting up and down the road yeah and so when we would have a $30,000 specially built crash carts. That was just for if we crashed and it. You had one that had all the suspension all over it. You had another one that had body, two crash carts and you can carry that damn thing everywhere.” Jr. said on his podcast, “if you didn’t use it you’re like, damn it’s hauling this thing around for nothing.”  

Crash carts were a great help to the drivers before the revision of new DVP rules. However, now, damage to a driver’s car results in towing it to the garage, unlike before when a car unable to reach the pit stop had to retire from the race. This is not just saving an enormous chunk of the teams, but also giving the racers a chance to win. Whereas, in the last season, Josh Berry faced elimination during the playoffs. A similar incident occurred to Ryan Blaney in the 2023 Bristol Night Race; a collision damaged his car. Because of this, he finished in 22nd place. This new rule will save the potential driver from major setbacks in the race. 

Earnhardt Jr. also emphasized the part that it can save a driver’s day than just getting knocked out, adding to which, TJ Majors explained, “This will save a lot of points on people’s seasons this year I mean instead of getting that you know you have you get towed out and you have something small brokes yeah instead of that 36 I mean you might come back out and get 10 more spots.” He further said, “So, this can save a lot of points.”

This rule is a keystone for Dale Jr. as it comes to the Daytona 500 race debut with Justin Allgaier. Where at one place he is the only driver piloting JRM’s No. 40 white, orange color Chevrolet and on top of it the team does not have a charter, which puts it in open entry. Making things purely revolves around the performance of the driver and car. But, this rule somewhere can act as an eraser for the unease laps leading to damages. 

What other inputs does Earnhardt Jr. give on NASCAR’s new rule?

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Jr. also discussed the waiver system, which is picking up on a debate that raised questions regarding the fairness, consistency, and authenticity of the competition. As per the Waiver Rule, if any racer misses any race, he can request it on grounds of medical emergencies, family emergencies, childbirth, and age restrictions. In 2025, the rules have got strict to seek waivers, like if it’s not for medical reasons, then it will cost them the playoff points and can go around 2000. 

However, its new rules seemed in response to the criticism faced during the Kyle Larson waiver case. The NASCAR authority granted him a waiver for playoff eligibility despite his absence from the Coca-Cola 600, caused by inclement weather that disrupted his schedule between the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. However, Jr. has his views on this waiver rule.

He said on his podcast, “I don’t like this waiver stuff…I’m trying not to take any examples, but if you’re injured and you’re out, you’re injured and you’re out. I don’t think there should be a medical waiver or any waiver whatsoever…If you don’t show up and you don’t race, you don’t get the points.” Although he didn’t take an example, this somewhere hinted towards the time back in 2015, when Kyle Busch went through major leg injuries during his opening season at the Xfinity Series at the Daytona International Speedway, which led him to miss around 11 races in the Cup Series. However, with the new comeback, he made his way to the championship trophy.

Still, the major things the conversation will go on are always choosing a fair approach and scaling the competitive landscape or making it a pure competition.