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Dale Jr. rejects electric SUVs; details preferred O’Reilly Series changes
TL;DR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. opposes the introduction of electric SUVs in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series, arguing it would harm the series' appeal. He supports updates to the series but believes changes should maintain its current identity.
Key points
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. opposes electric SUVs in NASCAR
- He believes it would harm the O’Reilly Series
- Supports updates but wants to maintain current car identity
- Viewership for the series is on the rise
- Switching body styles could jeopardize success
Mentioned in this story
Dale Earnhardt Jr.NASCAR
O’Reilly Series
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made clear that he believes electric SUVs would ‘kill’ what is now called the NASCAR O’Reilly Series but agrees the second-tier division needs updates and has a solution for that too.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer and co-owner of JR Motorsports discussed the topic this week on his Dale Jr. Download podcast amidst a Sports Business Journal report that stated an interest from the Sanctioning Body to use a Crossover body in one of the three divisions.
“It’s my belief that absolutely the electric car and that body style and all that is something NASCAR is looking at as a possibility for the future of the O’Reilly series,” Earnhardt said. “The O’Reilly Series has got a lot of good things going right now. Viewership is continuously on the rise and our cars, we can all kind of relate to those cars when we look at them and we see them on the racetrack. I think making a switch to anything unlike what we have would be a massive, massive mistake and it would probably be the end of the rise.
“Things are going well. We got a great TV partner, we got great numbers, we got great fan engagement, and I think any kind of change like that so dramatic as that would be, would destroy the series as we know it. I would not be interested in that, I don’t think JR Motorsports would be interested in that. I’m certainly not interested in that car or that body or any of that. I think they need to leave well enough alone, quit fiddling with everything, and feeling like everything needs to be improved, fixed, changed.”
NASCAR has been on the defensive this week, merely stating that the body style and not the electrification is what the league is considering but Stock Car purists want traditional looking cars and less of the Sports Car looking NextGen or even Crossovers.
Earnhardt conceded that parts and pieces for the 15-year-old platform are getting harder to come by so he would just prefer an upgrade to the current platform rather than a completely different look.
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Q&A
Why does Dale Earnhardt Jr. oppose electric SUVs in NASCAR?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes that electric SUVs would 'kill' the NASCAR O’Reilly Series and negatively impact its rising viewership.
What updates does Dale Earnhardt Jr. suggest for the O’Reilly Series?
While he supports updates to the O’Reilly Series, Earnhardt emphasizes that any changes should not deviate from the current car style that fans relate to.
What is the current viewership trend for the NASCAR O’Reilly Series?
The viewership for the NASCAR O’Reilly Series is continuously on the rise, indicating growing interest and engagement from fans.
What did Dale Earnhardt Jr. say about the future of the O’Reilly Series?
Earnhardt expressed concern that switching to a different body style, like electric SUVs, would be a massive mistake and could jeopardize the series' success.
