As NASCAR remains mired in a short slumber due to the Paris Olympics, late-model events are all the rage at the moment. The recently unfolded CARS Tour race at Hickory Motor Speedway witnessed a lot of banged-up fenders and flaring tempers. It set the stage for the upcoming race next weekend, but more importantly, the Late Model finale at the end of the year. But Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants none of that.

The veteran NASCAR driver hung up his firesuit over six years ago as he continued working in the racing world as a broadcaster, podcast host, and team owner. But Dale Jr. is like the rest of us when it comes to holidays. Who would work on a holiday? Nobody, right? Even if that means missing out on a Late Model crown jewel event.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. upholds the holiday spirit

Every year, the Thanksgiving Classic race is held at Southern National Motorsports Park in November. While their Cup Series compatriots test their mettle in the Phoenix finale, Late Model drivers fight for the finale trophy here. Dating back to 1998, the Thanksgiving race has seen varied winners, including current full-time Cup drivers. Denny Hamlin earned two victories in the mid-2000s, while Josh Berry achieved back-to-back wins in 2021-2022.

But Berry’s mentor Dale Earnhardt Jr. does not like the race date. On the Dale Jr. Download, one fan craved Junior’s presence at the Southern National this year. And, in response, the 26-time Cup winner clearly stated that no race should top a relaxed holiday. He said, “This race falls on Thanksgiving…I don’t have a problem with that. But I don’t want to miss Thanksgiving, I wish they wouldn’t…I wish no one would race on holidays, ever, no series…I am not going to be there.” 

However, even though Dale Jr. can be absent on the racetrack on Thanksgiving, it is a different story for the 4th of July festivities. “I mean, unless my job, my broadcasting job might require it…We went around like, taking a job that would require me to be away from the family on the 4th of July.” 

His wife Amy Earnhardt chimed in, waxing woefully about Dale Earnhardt Jr. missing quality time. “Wait a minute, we got two little kids and we do all this stuff at the beach in the summertime. And now you want to…this is going to be the best option? That really stinks. And 4th of July lands on like, Friday, Saturday, Sunday…So he literally will miss the whole thing.” 

Although the Earnhardt family is averse to working on Thanksgiving, others harbor different opinions. Dale Jr.’s own Late Model mentee professed his liking for the event.

Brenden Queen found the date ‘iconic’

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Brendan Queen, four-time CARS Tour winner, recently made an insightful revelation. He admitted that winning is not the only thing that pulls you up through the racing ranks. Yet you need to do that first, and Queen does that beautifully. He soared to victory in last year’s Thanksgiving Classic race, trumping the efforts of repeat winner Josh Berry.

Queen recorded another crown jewel triumph with Lee Pulliam’s performance in his first year with the team, with the Hampton Heat and the South Carolina 400 already on his resume.

More significantly, Queen clearly countered Dale Earnhardt Jr. about the Thanksgiving sentiment. He said, prior to the 2023 race, “I think it’s a cool atmosphere. A lot of people are off already because of the holiday, and it’s a unique race to [compete in] around that holiday time. It’s something I’ve done for a while, and it’s always a family thing. We’d spend our Thanksgiving on the road, so it’s an iconic thing I’ve always done being able to do that race.”

He added, “We’ve finished second twice in it, and I’ve actually never won at Southern National, so that’d be really cool.” And Brenden Queen lived up to his aspirations.

Evidently, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has some hardworking pupils who are willing to burn rubber even on big holidays. Let us wait and see if Brendan Queen manages a back-to-back victory this year.