Dale Earnhardt Jr makes up a select group of elite NASCAR drivers who have raced AND won the NASCAR All-Star Race. His last race in the NASCAR Cup Series was in 2017, meaning he’s been retired for half a decade now – but he isn’t one to just sit back. Junior has also been one of NASCAR’s most outspoken critics.

On his Dale Jr Download podcast, he suggests changes to the All-Star weekend in 2023, which is planned to be held at North Wilkesboro Speedway. He said, “The only thing I would add to the Sunday main event for the All-Star Race is…our All-Star Races are abbreviated events compared to the 400-500 mile races we have every weekend…”

“But for this particular weekend, people have been waiting for decades… So I will be encouraging you to add about 20% more length to the traditional All-Star format and I would front-load the very beginning of the event with a longer stage… That first stage gets a little longer than you traditionally have, a 100 laps for the first stage. I don’t really care about the other 2 – you could have a 100 laps, 50, 20, 10 – I don’t care.”

“I think that final stage should be, you know, a 12th round knockout. You got 10 laps, the cautions don’t count, you gotta take the checkered flag. If there is a wreck on the white, re-rack them. It should be a 12th round, 7th game, 9th inning moment; and a short track…” said Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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As attention spans continue to reduce, all sports have had to adapt to shorter and more entertainment-centered formats. Dale Earnhardt Jr is bang on with his suggestions and changes like these would only help NASCAR reach out to a wider audience around the globe.

Will we see Dale Earnhardt Jr in the All-Star Race in 2023?

We saw Dale Earnhardt Jr feature in 20 All-Star Races between 2000 and 2017. His first was in 2000 and he won it racing his Chevy; he also won the 2012 Sprint Showdown.

But since his retirement, his appearances at the event have stopped. 2023 however could mark the return of the legend to the prestigious event. Given the effort that Dale Jr put in to bring back the All-Star Race to the North Wilkesboro Speedway, there are murmurs that his wildcard entry could be facilitated by NASCAR.

Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic believes “Let’s just say, hypothetically, that if Dale Earnhardt Jr. decided to enter the 2023 All-Star Race, or Jimmie Johnson puts North Wilkesboro on his 2023 “bucket list,” the confidence level is high that officials would find a way to ensure that either would have a place in the main event. The idea of Earnhardt competing in any All-Star Race, let alone at North Wilkesboro, would be a boon. And you can bet Fox Sports, which televises the event, would love this.”

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A return for Dale Jr to North Wilkesboro would cap off what is otherwise one of the biggest events in years to take place in NASCAR. We have our fingers crossed. Would you like to see him race again?