Let’s get one thing straight. Many motorsports fans worldwide think that F1 has the longest-running season of all. Why? Well, because some esteemed media houses feel the 2024 season of 24 races is “record-breaking“. After we are done laughing, let’s think about the 38 races throughout the NASCAR season (2 non-championship races included). Tired of just thinking? Well, you are not the only one. Dale Earnhardt Jr. would second this motion, and with pretty strong words. 

Recently, the NASCAR world got its only off day in the entire season, and it was on Easter. Junior spent time with his family, like many other drivers. But imagine having one holiday in the entire year! How furious would a commoner feel at the end of the holiday? Well, looking at Dale Earnhardt Jr., it seems ‘very’ is a very low degree of intensity. His voice roared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, on an episode which delved into institutional matters, analysing and decoding the blueprint for outperforming competitors in NASCAR.

Only one weekend off flips Dale Jr. over

Dale Jr.’s frustrations are well beyond the throwaway comment on the podcast. There’s a certain nostalgia and weariness, almost a cry for help. “We literally just went through the weekend, the one and only off weekend of the whole year for the Cup Series,” he vented. And when TJ Majors, co-host with Dale Jr., noted that they now face a long stretch coming up, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was unflinching when he gave his 2-word verdict: “That’s b——-.” Furthermore, he repeated, as if the weight of that truth needed echoing. And why not?

NASCAR currently manages a racing season of 36 points races plus non-points events like the Clash and All-Star Race. Unlike the NFL or NBA, which build in recovery windows, Cup Series teams grind week after week, making drivers give up weekends with their families for sponsorship commitment practices and cross-country travel. “It ain’t like we’re playing,” Junior went on in his podcast: “Baseball’s pretty grueling. They’re traveling. They’re in an airplane or in a hotel every other day.”

This isn’t the first time a veteran has laid out the calendar. As both driver and team owner, Denny Hamlin recently spoke about keeping time sacred for his family. “Denny Time,” a pledge to his kids and girlfriend during NASCAR’s rare respite, was a mouthful. “If I didn’t take this time, when would I?” Hamlin wondered. His voice echoed the same fatigue that Earnhardt Jr. now amplifies from the sidelines. But, for all the groaning, the sport still has its call. Junior himself states, “I’m not going to complain too loudly.” Because that very grind, no matter how tough, builds legends. Long weeks on the road, back-to-back battles, those are the stories that draw fans and ignite that fire in the soul of their competitors.

What makes Junior’s bitter critique, however, is a wistfulness at what was. Recalling the days of his pangs of childhood, he painted in vivid colors an image of NASCAR that somehow seemed too easy: “We used to have a 28-race schedule back in the 80s,” he said. “Lots of fun days at the house with Dad around the lake, learning how to ski. Lake parties where the teams would come over.” That rhythm of hard work with real bonding was fading away in this overly commercialized age. The notion that fans would revolt if drivers took more time off? Junior challenged it. “Live stream. Lake party,” he joked. “They’d love it.” In this day of content currency, he is sure that any loving fan would actually love to see their idols take some time off as long as they are connected through various social media outlets. A stark contrast to the myth of the always-hot driver that modern NASCAR perpetuates. And, the Cup series is slowly catching its pace.

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Drivers brace themselves for an unbelievably brutal stretch

As NASCAR tears into the mid-season grind, teams and drivers get locked in for a punishing stretch drive into the playoffs. No Olympics break this year, no letup from the upcoming stretch featuring endurance tests such as the Coca-Cola 600 and the return to the wacky road courses, like Sonoma.

Rookie drivers and veterans are both tightly harnessed, not just for the racing, but for the weeks of no sleep to come. Justin Marks, owner, and Kyle Larson, driver, have already started discussing emotional toll due to the schedule and all those issues like family versus mental recovery versus performance. Even stars like Ross Chastain have confessed to leaning heavily on simulators and support crews to maintain their edge during this endless loop of race weekends. But, what is it for JR Motorsports?

Well, the grounds on which Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team stands look solid. Maybe the main reason behind Junior’s strong words was his young and impressionable drivers. Why? Well, because experienced drivers are quite acquainted with hitting the roads most of the year to race. But young drivers need to cultivate that patience slowly. While Justin Allgaier has experience, Connor Zilisch, Sammy Smith, and Carson Kvapil are just talented amateurs turning pro. To manage a team jam-packed with youngsters could be a challenge in this tough schedule.

Do you think the NASCAR season should be shorter? Whichever side you pick, make sure to drop the reason for your answers in the comments below.