Despite Its Success, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Left Disappointed With the Return of North Wilkesboro in 2025

North Wilkesboro was a bed of excitement this year. A million dollars for the winner, a tire experiment by Goodyear, and it was only the second time a race was held here since 1996. The one who championed heavily for its revival was Dale Earnhardt Jr.

So naturally, you’d expect that he would have been elated about its comeback. But it was quite the opposite and his statement at a recent podcast signaled his disappointment. Not just that, he even suggested a swap that NASCAR could do to get the most out of the All-Star race and the North Wilkesboro Speedway track.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says North Wilkesboro will need to earn its stripes

The showdown at North Wilkesboro Speedway was such a success. Moreover, they even announced that the All-Star race would be back on track next year. But that didn’t sit well with Junior, with him sharing in his podcast, “My initial reaction to that was a bit disappointed. Why would I be disappointed about that? Because I want Wilkesboro to have a points race.” For Dale Earnhardt Jr., North Wilkesboro’s true resurgence will only be when they host a regular cup race—one that has points. According to him, while people think it’s still on the schedule, it’s not until a points race. Dale expressed his fear, saying, “I still worry that it’s on the fringes. I still worry that it’s not a hundred percent back into our DNA, right? 

And it’s only right he has those doubts, given the new tracks like Chicago and plans of going to Mexico loom above. Who knows what happens if NASCAR decides to take it off the schedule? That’s not a far-off thought; after all, it has been done in the past. Earnhardt Jr. feels that the Wilkesboro track is one of the best short-track races and mentioned how the drivers were elated too.

But with that, he also thinks that North Wilkesboro will need to work extra hard to earn those stripes. He added that as a caution because he wants Wilkesboro to sustain in the game for the long run. “Wilkesboro isn’t the new shiny thing. Wilkesboro is not Chicago Street course, not Mexico City. Wilkesboro is Wilkesboro and they going to have to work twice as hard to earn its stripes,” he said. He ended the podcast with a statement that sums up his thoughts perfectly: “I am thankful it’s back; thankful they running the All-Star race there. But I will finally find relief when they run the point race.” 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says All-Star race doesn’t belong on the side stage

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Earnhardt Jr. petitioned for a normal cup race for the North Wilkesboro Speedway. So what about the All-Star race? According to him, “All-star race needs Charlotte” He petitioned to get it back as it was earlier. He said, “The all-star race needs Charlotte Motor Speedway to reach its potential. And we have seen it in Charlotte, and since we have moved it around, it doesn’t give it the same feel.” According to Dale, the next-gen car is amazing on the 1.5-mile tracks. 

He mentioned that while he loves Wilkesboro, the stage itself is not big enough for the All-Star race and it’s not what it deserves. Dale Earnhardt Jr. also shared that while Wilkesboro, Bristol, Martinsville, etc are all good, there are facilities like Daytona, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, which are the main stage. “The main stage is where the headliner is going to be and that’s where that’s Charlotte, right. That’s Daytona that’s the big stage and that’s where this All-Star Race belongs it doesn’t belong on the side stage,” he explained.

Moreover, Dale genuinely seems worried about the long-term future of North Wilkesboro, unable to trust the new shiny tracks from trying to take its position. He is even concerned about the All-Star race not reaching its full potential. What about you? Do you think Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fears are legitimate? Or do you feel that since Wilkesboro is his brainchild, he is just championing it hard? Let us know in the comments.