Dale Earnhardt Jr says the numbers indicate it could be cheaper to run a NASCAR Cup Series team over a NASCAR Xfinity Series team
Dale Earnhardt Jr is an owner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series via JR Motorsports. For years, he and Kelley Earnhardt have stated the team has no intentions to go racing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The team opened in 2005. They’ve collected three drivers’ championship along the way in 2014, 2017 and again in 2018.
JR Motorsports has ties with Hendrick Motorsports. It would have been easy to set up an alliance and go Cup racing. But, until next year, there was a bigger hurdle to make that happen.
To date, costs have been the only thing keeping JR Motorsports away from the top level of stock car racing.
However, in recent months, Dale Jr has hinted there’s some interest within his organization to move up a level. But, what’s changed?
Related: Dale Earnhardt Jr notes discussion of JR Motorsports in Cup Series (April)
The NASCAR Next Gen car could be a big part of that. The new spec chassis will take car development away, in bulk. Aside from body shape, all the cars will be the same from team to team, regardless of manufacture.
NASCAR is looking for a level playing field. But, buying cars in bulk and distributing them also has other advantages, like lower costs. On top of the development costs being sliced out of the sport.
But, now a new issue is surfacing. It could be cheaper to run at the NCS level than it is at the NASCAR Xfinity Series level.
Related: Kyle Busch knocks the NASCAR Next Gen car
Dale Earnhardt Jr talks Next Gen costs versus Xfinity
“The way they’re talking about this new car, it’s going to be more expensive to be in the Xfinity Series than it would be to be in the Cup Series,” Dale Earnhardt Jr stated via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
“I don’t see how that’s really possible. You know, the numbers that you hear as far as the new car in the Cup Series is going to cost and how much it should cost to run it, sounds very conservative and very positive. Too good to be true.”
“But, we’ll have to wait and see. Hopefully, they’re right and this new car is much less expensive to operate and it’s much easier to run a business in the Cup series, more profitable.”
“I hope that’s correct. But, if that does happen then the Xfinity Series is going to have to change. Because it will be much more expensive to play in that space than it would in the Cup Series. That doesn’t work.”
“I might be almost even, across the board, to run a truck versus a Cup car from the numbers I’m hearing. NASCAR will have to do something to relieve strain on the Xfinity and Truck teams.”
The NASCAR Next Gen car will make it’s debut in the 2022 Daytona 500.
Related: Kelley Earnhardt Miller on her racing career
