What Tyler Reddick showcased at Homestead won numerous hearts. After a scary tumbling wreck at the Las Vegas race and a 35th-place finish, Reddick switched to ‘Beast’ mode, taking full advantage of the dynamic Homestead-Miami racetrack. He overtook Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney on the last lap, finishing 0.241 seconds ahead of the defending champion to clinch the win. Despite this thrilling finish on Sunday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was skeptical.

Ever since the playoffs started, racetracks have drummed up a ton of dislike among fans. From the wild chaos unfolding at Watkins Glen to Kyle Larson’s overwhelming dominance at Bristol, the races could not capture people’s interest. Homestead stands out as a blemish in that regard, surpassing expectations. And Dale Jr. pressured NASCAR to keep repeating that.

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. expecting more?

Wrecks and spins have frequented playoff drivers’ fortunes this year. For instance, the Talladega race caught most playoff drivers in the gigantic 28-car wreck, while non-playoff racer Ricky Stenhouse Jr stamped his victory. Then Tyler Reddick tumbled in Las Vegas after contact with Chase Elliott. Yet Homestead presented a different scenario, as 33 lead changes, and every title hopeful except for William Byron and Joey Logano led. Throw in Reddick’s titillating last-lap pass in that mix, and you have a recipe for tremendous popularity. Fans and NASCAR experts alike smashed the like button for the Straight Talk Wireless 400 race.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. agrees with them, but he believes Homestead has always held that reputation. Since 1999, all its winners were the cream of the field, owning 19 wins or more, except for Byron, Christopher Bell, and Tyler Reddick. Junior said in a Dale Jr. Download episode: “I don’t know if I’m seeing the 10/10; it was good… It was the race I would have expected to happen at Homestead.” He compared the race with the entire first two rounds: “The first two rounds that everybody said were very awkward and clunky, the racetracks in those rounds, and the playoff drivers – all of that maybe hadn’t achieved the desired euphoria for a fan watching. Then you go to Homestead and you’re like, ‘Ah they’re all up there. This is it!'”

Additionally, Dale Jr. delved into NASCAR’s decision-making process. “Maybe there’s a balance…those first two rounds – very challenging, difficult, odd racetracks…It muddied the water a little bit. The playoff drivers weren’t shining.” 

Yet in trying to toughen up drivers, NASCAR may be ruining the race quality as well. So Dale Jr. demanded that officials repeat Homestead’s feat. “I felt like I was watching a pure NASCAR oval motorsport. It was good, and solid – that’s what I expect when I watch a race. While I am thrilled it was a great ending, I’m glad it was a happy day…that’s what I would like to happen every week and I think that’s attainable right?” Not to mention, Junior himself holds precious memories at Homestead, although he has never won.

Dale Jr.’s trophyless glory in Florida

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After the penultimate race ended at Homestead in 2017, Martin Truex Jr. posed with the Bill France Cup. But the crowd of fans cheering for him rivaled the crowd flocking near Dale Earnhardt Jr. The Hendrick Motorsports driver fetched a dismal 25th-place finish on the track. Yet that was hardly the subject in the spotlight then—the 14-time Most Popular Driver was retiring.

“I told them a couple of weeks ago, the only thing I care about really is finishing all the laps and pulling down pit road and getting out of the car and having a beer with my team,” Earnhardt had said. The veteran owns only one top-five at Homestead in 2013. But he raised that number last year.

Competing in an Xfinity race last year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. produced his second top-five finish at the Florida track. He finished 7.884 seconds behind JR Motorsports driver Sam Mayer. Dale Jr. also took the blame for putting Mayer’s teammate Josh Berry into the wall on lap 171. “The car was not doing what I wanted it to do, but we worked on it,” he said. “I sent us the wrong way at the first break. Once the guys figured out what we needed to do the car got better.” 

Despite his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller claiming she wanted him to stop racing after 2024, Junior was not convinced. At Homestead, he winked and said it was up for negotiation.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had unique experiences at Homestead, and the recent race enthralled him. Hopefully, NASCAR will pay heed to his demand for more racing like Florida.