“Yeah, I missed it, man.” Dale Jr.’s feelings on exiting the NBC commentary booth were clear. After spending six seasons as a race analyst, the 15-time Most Popular Driver took a step back in 2024. While fans missed his insightful commentary, Junior himself found it hard to stay away from the action. As the 2025 season approaches, Dale Jr. will return as part of TNT Sports and Amazon Prime’s NASCAR coverage. While Junior’s return has fans excited, even he admits that being in the booth isn’t always smooth sailing.

In a recent episode of his Dirty Air podcast, Dale Jr. hilariously described the chaos of live broadcasting. He revealed how some silly mistakes can ruin the entire show.

Dale Jr. reunites with old friends in the commentary booth

Since joining NBC in 2018, he has brought a fresh and engaging approach to race coverage, having built a strong presence in the NASCAR broadcasting sector with The Dale Jr. Download podcast and Dirty Mo Media. While being in the race booth might look easy from the outside, it comes with its challenges. In the latest episode of the Dirty Air podcast, Dale Jr spoke about the real challenges of live broadcasting.

“I think one of the biggest mistakes that I see in broadcasting—I guess not the biggest, but a common mistake in broadcasting, and I’m guilty of it too—is not listening to your booth mates. If you listen to a race, I bet you every race, no matter who it is, even when I’m doing it, you repeat things that your booth mate already just said. And so, I mean, it’s—that’s just been happening since the early days… But you got to listen… I can’t stop listening to what my booth mates are saying, because there can never be a moment where you’re like, ‘I don’t know what the f— they’re talking about,’” said Dale Jr.

Now, with Amazon and TNT, Dale Jr will not only return to broadcasting but will also reunite with his former crew chief Steve Letarte. The two shared success at Hendrick Motorsports from 2010 to 2014. However, Dale Jr has more hopes for a third partner, i.e. Adam Alexander. Speaking about him on Dale Jr Download, former HMS driver said, “When I started broadcasting, everybody in the NBC bubble was very supportive, of course. But outside of the NBC family, Adam was one of the few people that constantly was texting me, just saying nice things and being supportive.”

The positive relationship between Dale Jr and Adam should translate well on air. Notably, Adam is a well-known broadcaster. He has covered the Xfinity series for Fox Sports in the last few years. His experience, along with Dale Jr and Letarte’s longtime friendship, will be the USP of the show. It’s worth noting that Amazon and TNT joined NASCAR with a vision to cater to young and dynamic American audiences which traditional broadcasters have failed to address. 

In 2024, NASCAR signed a unique media deal with four different companies. The new seven-year media rights deal worth $7.7 billion introduced Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports into the mix. This marks a major shift from the previous decade-long deal involving only the cable networks of Fox and NBC. Notably, Amazon will air five mid-season races, beginning with the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. At Atlanta Motor Speedway, TNT will take over for the next five races.

Apart from these ten races, Amazon Prime and TNT will also have exclusive streaming rights for qualifying and practice sessions. Prime Video will stream qualifying and practice sessions for the first half of the season while TNT will get the second half. However, Fox Sports will keep all segments of the Daytona 500, the pre-season clash, and the All-Star Race. While fans are excited about Dale Jr’s return, there are rumors that another NASCAR Hall of Fame, Carl Edwards, might join the team as well.

Trending

1

NASCAR Star Drops Life-Changing Announcement as Racing Community Melts Over Welcome Surprise

2

3x Daytona 500 Champ Left in Tears Accompanying Tony Stewart’s Rival Into the Motorsport Hall of Fame

3

Richard Petty’s Son Betrays the King’s NASCAR Legacy With Humble Dale Earnhardt Claim

4

Kyle Larson Uncovers Welcome $18 Million Surprise Amidst NASCAR’s Michael Jordan Lawsuit Tussle

5

Kyle Busch Bags Another Deal as $700M Partner Extends More Lifeline After Iconic Sponsor’s Exit

Will Carl Edwards make a comeback in NASCAR?

Carl Edwards shocked the NASCAR world when he abruptly retired in 2016. The former Joe Gibbs Racing driver walked away at the peak of his career, leaving behind a legacy of 28 Cup Series wins and multiple championship near-misses. However, ahead of the 2025 season, Edwards made a grand comeback to the NASCAR world as he entered the elite Hall of Fame. While he enjoys the fruits of his legacy, his return to the sport has been a hot topic.

Rumors are swirling that Amazon Prime Video might be considering Edwards for a more permanent role. Journalist Jenna Fryer recently reported that Edwards is “interested in TV work” and noted that Amazon has yet to finalize its full broadcast lineup. Notably, broadcasting is not an alien opportunity for Edwards. In 2023, he stepped into the FOX Sports booth for a guest appearance at Darlington.

Speaking about his experience, Edwards had said, “I had more fun than I thought I would have.” Further speaking about taking the full-time role, Edwards expressed his desire to call the race. “If I were to come back in a regular capacity, what I enjoyed was being up in the booth. I enjoyed calling the race. So maybe something like that,” Edwards added. While there are no official words on these rumors, Edward’s comeback can’t be ruled out.

So far, Amazon’s broadcast team includes Dale Jr., Steve Letarte, and Adam Alexander. While this three-man booth is already strong, there is room for a fourth member. However, with Amazon looking to make a powerful impression in its NASCAR debut, bringing in Edwards could be pivotal. What do you think will Carl Edwards join Dale Jr. in the broadcasting booth?