“We’re Heading in the Right Direction “- Dale Earnhardt Jr Confirms the Inception of NASCAR Revival

Last week’s NASCAR awards marked the end of the 2023 season completely. The champions, stand-out performers, and fan favorites were commemorated at the annual NASCAR banquet on a glorious evening. One of the many famed guests at the banquet was Dale Earnhardt Jr. The former Hendrick Motorsports driver was extremely pleased with the turnout at the award ceremony, and it made him feel that there is something that the fans are connecting to.

Joining the superstars with his wife, Amy Earnhardt, Junior highlighted the changes the fans will see in 2024. Having spent a major part of the racing season inside the NBC broadcast booth, analyzing and commentating on races, Dale Earnhardt Jr also believes that the new TV deals starting in 2025 are the way to go forward as a sport.

Despite popular opinion, Dale Earnhardt Jr saw positive changes in NASCAR

Dale Earnhardt Jr has taken on various roles in the NASCAR industry. He has done everything from being an Xfinity team owner to a racing series owner to an analyst in the NBC telecast booth. That is more reason for fans to be shocked by his opinion at the NASCAR award. While Junior has been a vocal part of the community and has spoken on the more pressing issues in NASCAR, some fans might not have expected the positivity.

Junior said at the NASCAR Awards in Music City Center, Nashville, “I thought this year was really entertaining. I’m not surprised.  I’m happy with what I saw and what I was able to enjoy in the booth, and we had a thrilling year.”

“So looking forward to next year, looking forward to the game started. Lots of changes in the sport, some new announcements with TV partners so forth, and coming down the line, but the sport’s in a good place. When I first walked into the lobby tonight and saw the amount of people that are here tonight for the awards banquet tells me that we’re heading in the right direction. “

The star-studded evening saw Chase Elliott reclaim his throne as NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver and extend his streak to six successive wins. That could also be one of the reasons for the high attendance at the awards. Chase has been the most supported driver in the community for the last five years, and it continues to be so. Elliott claiming his sixth consecutive NMPA award despite a disappointing season might have been a crowd attraction.

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However, if it manages to unite the fans and bring them closer to the sport, it is something NASCAR could capitalize on again. With the 2024 season nearing with every passing second, one cannot help but keep guessing the conclusions for 2024. The off-season hasn’t been any less exciting, either.

NASCAR could go international sooner than we thought

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The events of 2023 pointed out another great opportunity for NASCAR. Earlier this year, HMS, Goodyear, and Chevrolet combined to create a car that took the sport back to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This began NASCAR’s attempts to go global this year and established a solid presence in world motorsports with the ‘Garage 56’ project.

Another positive from the season was the recruitment of international drivers from different forms of racing. Shane van Gisbergen realized his love for NASCAR and will soon leave the Supercars circuit for Trackhouse Racing‘s Cup Series team. Current Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki could also follow in his footsteps after an encouraging sign from Richard Childress.

RCR‘s alignment with Erebus Motorsports has eased the facility flow between the Australian and American teams. Speculated to return in 2024 for around five races, Kostecki could also be a permanent feature for RCR soon. NASCAR officials have also looked at options to expand the base quickly.

The first option has been the Canadian fanbase, which can be tapped into through races in Montreal. NASCAR CEO Steve O’Donnell spoke earlier about the possibilities of an expansion with Front Office Sports and said, “Absolutely. We’re exploring a number of different options. We want to bring that experience outside of North America as well,”

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The latest media deals, which begin in 2025, also feature worldwide famous platforms like Prime Video, TNT Sports, and Bleacher Report alongside WBD’s Max Streaming services. CW has also acquired the rights for the Xfinity Series telecast, making the sport’s second-tier available to viewers. All in all, development has been fast and smooth in the latter part of 2023. Falling viewership and losing fans’ interest were concerns for NASCAR, but seemingly not anymore.