Late race restarts in the NASCAR Cup Series races have been chaotic this year. From the last-lap carnage at Talladega to Austin Dillon’s double takedown at Richmond, drivers are forcing the issue when it comes to meeting their objectives. Although it is entertaining for the fans, it’s led to growing concern for team owners like Dale Earnhardt Jr.

While drivers should be held accountable for resorting to such tactics, they are only working with what’s on the table for them. And for the time being, they are stuck with NASCAR’s Next-Gen car, whose problems are now stretching far beyond the racetracks.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sheds light on the expenses

One of the big arguments made by the team owners before the owners was the rising prices of running a race team. Even top-tier teams like Hendrick Motorsports weren’t able to turn their investments into profits. HMS VC Jeff Gordon had revealed to Dale Jr., “We don’t make money, right? I don’t think Hendrick Motorsports has made a profit in 10 years.” In theory, NASCAR’s new invention should have helped this burden, but rather it has also added to the team’s woes.

While a small fender damage or a crooked back bumper might not sound like a big deal. The rising costs of replacing these parts from the authorized vendor leave a heavy dent in the team’s pocket. Dale Jr., while speaking on DJD’s 577th episode, was positive that this shift in driver’s mentality was because of the race car.

“They do, they beat the sh*t out of these cars because there’s less of a performance penalty. But it does bend that $500 freaking aluminum brace on the right front of the bumper; there’s like six of them across the bumper. I’m sure that damn thing ain’t cheap. I’m talking about the guy that’s restarting 30th dive bombs down on the inside at COTA and destroys $10,000 worth of bodywork to get five spots.” Jr opined.

The veteran driver even called out NASCAR’s ingenious plan that leads to monopoly, which again ends up hurting the teams. “All this carbon fiber, all these purpose-built parts that we have to buy from these other third-party people are expensive. As they made that car absorb the crashes better, that means sh*t getting torn up, that means more damage to the cars. The third-party vendors, they got the monopoly on bumpers, right?”

It wasn’t just Dale Earnhardt Jr., even some of the drivers left the Watkins Glen race frustrated, given the nature of racing.

Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick called out fellow Cup drivers

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Road course races are expected to deliver surprises and big upsets. But no one would’ve expected that only two of the 16 playoff drivers would secure a top-10 result. Martin Truex Jr. was already below the cutline and was in dire need of points at the Glen. Despite winning stage 1, he just couldn’t make any progress and ended the day placed 20th.

“I just don’t really understand how guys can call themselves the best in the world when they just drive through everyone on restarts at the end of these races. It’s very frustrating, but it is what it is these days. I’m out of here.” Truex Jr. said this after the race. Meanwhile, fellow TRD driver Tyler Reddick also echoed a similar sentiment.

For the first time in three years, Reddick wasn’t able to get a top-10 finish at the 2.45-mile road course in New York. “There is no more driver code. It’s gone. I got home, and I was on the couch and saw Martin Truex Jr.’s post-race comments. And it’s so relatable. It is what it is. I hope that it changes. But with the old car, you could bump a little bit, but you would knock your radiator out.” Reddick said this on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Perhaps drivers should learn a thing or two about how Chris Buescher and SVG battled during the final two laps of the race at the Watkins Glen.