NASCAR Fans Flip on Dale Earnhardt Jr. as He Calls Out Richard Childress’ Star Driver for Blatant Hypocrisy

The chaotic Martinsville race last weekend left NASCAR fans stunned as Sammy Smith’s controversial last-lap move on Taylor Gray opened the door for Austin Hill’s victory amid a flurry of cautions. While Dale Earnhardt Jr. publicly criticized the deteriorating racing standards, he simultaneously showed steadfast support for his driver, sitting atop Smith’s pit box at Darlington just days after the controversy.

“Dale Jr. is on site at Darlington today,” reported Jeff Gluck of The Athletic. “As he said at the end of his podcast this week, he drove down so he can sit on Sammy Smith’s pit box as a show of support after Smith’s rough week post-Martinsville.” This display of loyalty didn’t stop Dale Earnhardt Jr. from calling out Austin Hill. However, after @nascarcasm posted a video comparing Hill’s driving style to a Jurassic Park dinosaur pursuing prey. Dale Jr.’s pointed response—”To hear he spoke up in the Xfinity all drivers meeting to suggest he could be one to mentor the kids was the best laugh I had all week“—ignited a firestorm among NASCAR’s passionate fanbase.

The comment came amid widespread criticism of the Martinsville race, which Cup Series driver Christopher Bell called “absolutely infuriating” and “a disgrace for our sport.” Bell wasn’t alone, as drivers from both the Xfinity and Cup Series voiced their disapproval, leading NASCAR officials to call a mandatory drivers’ meeting before Darlington. In the aftermath, the 20-year-old Smith showed signs of maturity, speaking with Taylor Gray, apologizing to the 54 team, and admitting his mistake—growth that his team owner clearly wanted to encourage through his visible support despite the controversy.

Against this backdrop of accountability and reflection, Austin Hill’s apparent offer to mentor younger drivers struck Dale Jr. as particularly tone-deaf. Hill, who had just wrecked his own RCR teammate Jesse Love at Martinsville before benefiting from Smith’s controversial move, told reporters after the drivers meeting that “the tone of the meeting was firm, but they got their point across.” What he didn’t mention publicly was his offer to mentor younger drivers—a suggestion that prompted Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s incredulous response.

It is indeed hard to pick sides between Sammy Smith or Austin Hill after the Martinsville muckup. But Dale Jr.’s jab at the RCR driver wasn’t appreciated by the racing community, who shared their take on the ragging debate.

Mentorship or Mockery? NASCAR Fans Weigh In on Dale Jr.’s Hill Criticism

Fans quickly took sides in the brewing feud. One supporter of Hill tweeted: “Wow I’m sorry @DaleJr I’ve been a fan of @_AustinHill since he drove a truck I don’t see what everyone is so upset about… he has done nothing deliberate.” This defense comes despite Hill’s history of aggressive moves, including incidents with his own RCR teammate Jesse Love at Martinsville. The fan’s steadfast loyalty highlights the polarizing nature of Hill’s driving style—respected by some for its old-school aggression, criticized by others for crossing ethical boundaries.

One fan asked if Dale Jr was “laughing in the way that ‘that’s laughable’ or laughing that the median age of the xfinity drivers is so low Austin’s a mentor?” Another pointed out the contradiction in Hill’s position, remarking, “To be Sammy Smith’s owner and say that.” This was a direct jab at the JRM co-owner whose driver could’ve opted to run the race clean but blatantly took out Taylor Gray on the very last corner on the final lap. Not only that, Smith even rammed into Justin Allgaier, which allowed Hill to thread the needle and claim the win.

Perhaps the most scathing fan reaction came from a commenter who suggested: “I think by mentoring he meant doing some 90’s wrasslin’ moves post race.” This sardonic take references the rough-and-tumble driving style reminiscent of the contact-heavy NASCAR era of the 1990s—a style that many veterans like Dale Jr. have suggested doesn’t belong in today’s more technically sophisticated racing environment. Hill’s aggressive moves at Martinsville, where cautions flew frequently, seemed to embody this outdated approach, making his mentorship offer particularly jarring.

Not all reactions were critical of Hill, however. One pragmatic fan noted: “Comical take though… because in a heartbeat, albeit maybe Allgaier… you’d replace any of your current drivers with Austin Hill.” This comment strikes at the business reality of NASCAR—results often trump racing etiquette. With three wins already in 2025, Hill remains a valuable commodity for team owners, regardless of controversy. Even Dale Jr., despite his criticism, would likely recognize Hill’s talent and marketability, creating a complicated dynamic between racing ethics and competitive success.

As NASCAR heads into the heart of the season, this feud between one of the sport’s most respected voices and one of its most aggressive competitors highlights the ongoing debate about racing standards in the Xfinity Series. For Austin Hill, the path forward may require reconciling his winning ways with the mentorship role he aspires to claim.