“I Mean…”—North Wilkesboro Reviver Dale Earnhardt Jr Gives Verdict on His Participation in the 2023 All-Star Race

The return of North Wilkesboro Speedway has been one of the most exciting developments in NASCAR in recent times. With the announcement of the All-Star race at the venue in May 2023, fans are eagerly anticipating the drivers who will take part in the event.

One of the most talked-about names in the mix is Dale Earnhardt Jr, who has been closely associated with the revival of the historic track. In a recent episode of the Dale Jr. Download, the popular NASCAR driver and commentator gave his verdict on his participation in the All-Star race. His response was quite surprising.

Junior’s response to the question in everybody’s mind

Mentioning that it was one of the most-asked questions on social media in the past couple of weeks, Steve Letarte asked if Junior had considered running in the NASCAR All-Star race in North Wilkesboro.

Junior’s response was an emphatic “No no no.” He went on to say, “I don’t know that I’ve had an invite to do it. I’m not gonna run in it.”

However, he did mention that he would be racing in the late-model stock car race at the track on Wednesday before the All-Star race. “I’m gonna run a Late Model stock car on Wednesday. […] There’s a Super Late Model race on Tuesday I believe, a pro late model and a car’s tour pro and a car’s tour late model stock race on Wednesdays. Two races that day.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr is vehemently against stages

During the conversation, Junior also expressed his dissatisfaction with the stages in the truck races, saying, “The trucks, I mean, if the trucks didn’t have stages, I’d run. I’d have already ran in Martinsville if the trucks didn’t have stages. But the truck races in Martinsville […] they beat the *beep* out of each other. They run over each other, dump each other in every corner. 

“The stages confined them to being all the over top of each other. (They) can’t get away from each other.”

He added, “I probably would’ve run the truck race if I knew I was going to get a good long run, wear some tires out, slidin’ around, chance to really put some distance on some people or whatever, right?”

Read More: How Dale Earnhardt Jr Was Instrumental in Revamping the North Wilkesboro Speedway

He later emphasized, “A truck race at a short track doesn’t need stages. It just doesn’t. 

The short, staged races in the trucks and Xfinity series, which Earnhardt Jr criticized, have been a topic of discussion among fans and drivers alike. Many argue that the stages reduce the unpredictability and excitement of the races, making them less appealing to viewers.

Nevertheless, the return of North Wilkesboro Speedway has been a bright spot for NASCAR, and the All-Star race promises to be a memorable event.

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