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RICHMOND, VA – SEPTEMBER 11: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 11, 2015 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images)

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RICHMOND, VA – SEPTEMBER 11: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway on September 11, 2015 in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/NASCAR via Getty Images)
It’s tough to be fair and neutral when you have a stake in the fight. That’s the dilemma former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr is often faced with since he is the owner of JR Motorsports along with being a broadcaster for NBC Sports.
He described how this particular situation isn’t all that difficult for him most of the time. But then there are those moments in which it’s tough.
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“When the cars, say they’re having a battle like Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry had at Charlotte, I’m not sure I’d be able to. I’d have a hard time not voicing my frustrations over how hard they were racing each other,” he said.
“And then there’s moments when they wreck, race hard and beat and bang other drivers, there was a Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain at Watkins Glen a couple years ago, and I have to call it down the middle and I’m not gonna lie, I’m not gonna say, ‘Justin wasn’t at fault there if he was.’”
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Dale Earnhardt Jr and his drivers are on the same page
The JR Motorsports owner went on to reveal that he has had the tough conversations with all his drivers about him being responsible and professional in his broadcasting duties while he is calling their moves on live television.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA – AUGUST 30: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #8 Hellmann’s Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway on August 30, 2019 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
“I’ve told all my drivers, we’ve had them here in this room that, ‘Look man, in the booth, you got to remember, I’m not your owner anymore, I’m gonna call it how I see it. If you mess up, I’ll say you messed up and it’s gonna be on TV and that’s not gonna be great for you. You’re not gonna love it,’” he said.
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“But that’s my job in the moment.”
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