There is no denying that sprint and dirt car racing have been the foundation of American motorsports. Grassroots racing has granted many NASCAR legends the platform to kick-start their career. It’s where drivers refine their skills, learn the intricacies of competition, and develop the mental and physical grit necessary to perform at the highest levels.

However, in an era where corporate-backed series dominate, grassroots leagues are counting their last breaths. Initiatives to make sure that these leagues survive are a must right now. Mark Martin, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, recently highlighted the critical role of grassroots racing and expressed his deep gratitude to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick for their efforts to showcase some of these grassroots stars with the CARS Tour.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick are preserving race culture

Mark Martin has had probably one the best underdog stories in NASCAR. This guy built his career all on his own through sheer grit and owes much to the grassroots system that helped shape his career. Which is why he recognizes the value of preserving this path for future racers. In a recent podcast with Chase Holden, he was asked “What do you think… these series that are out there… do you feel like they have an advantage right now, with NASCAR being in the position that they’re in, to kind of try to grab a little bit of the spotlight of the race culture?”. This prompted Martin to go on a little trip through nostalgia, and his own admitted love for dirt racing.

And since he was on the point of grassroots racing, he just couldn’t help but praise the work of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Burton for taking proactive measures to safeguard grassroots racing. “I’m glad to see what you know Dale Jr and Jeff Burton and those guys are doing… with the cars tours and all that stuff and Harvick that’s all good stuff we need that kind of racing to thrive,” said Martin to Chase Holden.

Without grassroots leagues, NASCAR risks losing its soul. Which is where the CARS Tour comes in. It’s a late-model stock car racing series, which has proved to be a vital stepping stone for many non-sponsored aspiring NASCAR drivers. With Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s passion for preserving the sport’s roots and Kevin Harvick’s drive to uplift young talent, the series has become a “talent factory.”

Drivers who shine on this platform get the exposure and experience necessary to transition to NASCAR’s national stage. Prime examples of this are drivers like Zane Smith, Christian Eckes, and Kaden Honeycutt, who won the Late Model (Eckes and Honeycutt) and the Super Late Model (Zane Smith) Rookie of the Year awards in their teens. All of them drive in one of the top three series in NASCAR today. For Martin, this system ensures that NASCAR remains connected to its origins and continues to evolve through homegrown talent like it used to be back in his days.

Martin continued, “That’s the foundation that myself and Rusty [Wallace] and Alan Kulwicki and you know so many guys that’s how you build your foundation.” Before becoming the NASCAR icon that he is, Martin was an avid dirt racer. His career started as a teenager, dirt racing in his home state of Arkansas. Martin’s father was a Truck driver who sponsored a local race team. Martin’s obsession with racing grew, and in 1973 he asked his father to build him a racecar. In 1974, as a fifteen-year-old, he raced his first stock cars at Locust Grove (Independence County). He secured a victory on his third start and ended the season winning the Arkansas State Championship race at Benton Speedbowl.

Martin transitioned to asphalt tracks by 1977 and won the American Speed Association Rookie of the Year, followed by three championships from 1978 to 1980. In 1981, Martin made his Winston Cup Series debut, and the rest, as they say, is history. Martin is one of the most decorated drivers not to win a championship, with 40 career race wins and over 450 top-10 finishes in 880 races. Martin was a beacon of consistency. He finished 2nd in the Cup Series standings on five occasions, narrowly missing out on the coveted championship.

An iconic career that was built on the dirt tracks of Arkansas. It’s no wonder why Martin loves the CARS Tour, as it provides the same opportunity for racers to prove themselves, keeping NASCAR’s future in safe hands.

The Impact of the Dale Jr.’s CARS Tour on NASCAR’s Future

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The CARS Tour’s rise under the leadership of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick has produced amazing results. By providing a competitive but accessible platform, the series not only preserves the best thing about grassroots racing but also lifts the aspirations of young drivers. The tour bridges the gap between the local dirt tracks and the national asphalt elites.

This type of racing creates the underdog stories that NASCAR fans connect with. “ I started racing on dirt and I went to asphalt racing because the Daytona 500 wasn’t on dirt,” Martin admitted. The prestige of the Daytona 500 is the only thing that could sway Martin away from dirt racing. In Martin’s era, most rookies had experience only in the dirt tracks and the transition to asphalt was both tougher and costlier. But these grassroots platforms like CARS Tour give today’s young drivers a similar opportunity to chase their dreams by helping them transition and get refined before stepping into the top tier of racing.

By investing in the CARS Tour, these industry leaders are not only safeguarding NASCAR’s roots but also securing its future. So what do you think, which other grassroots series is the next big thing?