“This, for me, is like a dream.” This is how Daniel Suárez, a proud Mexico-born Cup Series driver, expressed his feelings when NASCAR announced its international plans. He has long dreamed of racing in front of his home crowd, and this year, that dream will become a reality. Finally, NASCAR will branch out internationally having scheduled their first Cup Series point race at the Hermanos Rodríguez circuit, in Mexico City.

While this move signals an ambitious expansion plan, not everyone is convinced that NASCAR is ready to take this leap. Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of NASCAR’s most respected voices, has openly questioned the decision. Jr. fears NASCAR may be straying too far from its roots. He believes the sport still has major issues at home that need fixing before looking beyond U.S. borders.

Dale Jr.’s concerns about NASCAR’s global aspirations

Dale Jr. has always been a vocal supporter of NASCAR. However, on the latest episode of his Dirty Air Podcast, he admitted feeling uneasy about the sport’s aggressive push for global expansion. The NASCAR Hall of Famer believes that sport is in danger of losing its identity. While following the blueprint of Formula 1 might look like a sensible choice, the premier stock car racing isn’t known for hosting international races. Rather they’ve built their success story with all-American ideas and passion for racing.

“NASCAR was stock cars. And they’ve always been North American-based for the most part… And I’m not opposed to taking the sport and racing it in other countries. That’s great. But I just feel like we still—you know, we had our peak popularity in the mid-2000s, I mean, massively larger than we are today. And I feel like we still have to fix—not fix, but I mean, I still feel like we’ve got a lot of work to do here before we can think of going beyond,” says Dale Jr.

Notably, Dale Jr.’s comments come when NASCAR is fighting hard to cater to new audiences. However, the JRM owner is not confident about the path NASCAR is running on. “I don’t know. I feel like every type of motorsport has a lane. F1 has always been F1. I mean, they get a lot of credit for their rise in popularity because of Drive to Survive, but even before that, they were freaking epically global. IndyCar is open-wheel North America, and it’s awesome. There’s a demand for that, and there are people interested in that,” Dale Jr. added.

Notably, unlike IndyCar and F1, NASCAR is going beyond its traditional boundaries. Its expansion into Mexico isn’t just about the race. The sport has maintained a presence in the country for years, sanctioning the NASCAR Mexico Series since 2004. The return to Mexico is part of a larger strategy to globalize the sport, but the timing raises concerns. NASCAR’s viewership has been declining, and competition from F1 is stronger than ever.

The Netflix Drive to Survive series introduced millions of new fans to Formula 1, leading to record-breaking attendance at races in Miami, Austin, and Las Vegas. Meanwhile, NASCAR has struggled to hold on to its audience and bring in new eyeballs. Dale Jr.’s comments highlight these concerns as he pushes NASCAR to prioritize rebuilding its American fanbase before aggressively expanding. To counter this decline, NASCAR secured a $7.7 billion media rights deal that will run through 2031.

Unlike F1, which is pursuing an aggressive streaming-first approach, NASCAR has chosen a hybrid approach. They roped in four broadcasters mixing traditional TV with streaming on Amazon Prime and TNT Sports. This approach allows NASCAR to maintain a broad audience. However, a lot will depend on how NASCAR builds on its legacy. The move to Mexico is promising but it shouldn’t be coming at a cost to the American market.

Well, the veteran driver isn’t waiting for NASCAR to start the in-house revolution. He’s now finally fulfilling his long-time dream to enter Cup racing as owner. And he just couldn’t contain his excitement to see his race car trying to qualify for the Daytona 500.

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Earnhardt Jr’s emotional JRM revelation

While Dale Jr has concerns about NASCAR’s international direction, he celebrates a huge milestone in his career, this time around in the role of a team owner. His championship-winning Xfinity series team JR Motorsports enters the Great American Race with Justin Allgaier. This marks a dream come true for Earnhardt, who has long wanted to compete in the premier series of stock car racing.

Speaking about it, Dale Jr. expressed his happiness. “It’s awesome. You know, dream of mine to be in the Cup garage as an owner, so it’s pretty special to finally have that opportunity. Especially at the biggest race of the year. Go out there and see what the car can do. Glad we got some practice. Certainly, with a brand new car, you’ve got bugs and things to work out, streamline everything to get it doing what it’s supposed to do,”

Notably, this opportunity came together through an unexpected partnership. Country music star Chris Stapleton reached out to Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick for a partnership deal. That conversation eventually led to a deal with JR Motorsports, with Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey joining as the team’s primary sponsor. Reigning Xfinity series champion Justin Allgaier will drive the No.84 Chevrolet.

While JRM has been dominant in Xfinity, competing in the Cup Series is a unique challenge. The team will have to adjust and qualify for the four open slots. With Dale Jr.’s leadership and strong backing from Hendrick Motorsports, they could make a serious impact. Never say never, JRM just might win the Daytona 500 on their Cup Series debut.