Dale Earnhardt Jr concerned for NASCAR ‘maniac’ – Sports News
The NASCAR Cup Series’ longstanding playoff format is lastly set for a main change, after 11 years of the prevailing 10-race, four-round construction, culminating in a winner-takes-all Championship Race.
While the 2026 Cup Series schedule has already confirmed that the playoffs will nonetheless be made up of 10 races, with the finale set to return to Homestead-Miami Speedway after six years at Phoenix Raceway, precisely what broader format NASCAR is planning to undertake stays a thriller.
What the longer term holds for the win and also you’re in aspect of NASCAR additionally appears to be unsure, one thing Dale Earnhardt Jr. seems frightened about relating to one of the game’s most controversial, if undeniably proficient, younger stars – though he believes it may but show helpful within the long run.
“I think with this shift in the playoffs and how we crown our champion going forward is actually really going to be good for a lot of these guys because Hocevar could… he’s in a car that if you know if they win a race, they’re going to get in the championship playoffs, right?” the Hall of Famer stated on his podcast.
“If they don’t win a race, they’re probably not going to point their way in. So, he can race like a maniac. And if he ends up backwards and crashes out at the end of the day, ‘Hey, we got to, we’ll go back and try to win next week because winning is the only way we’re getting into the playoffs. And that’s really all we’re worried about.’
“With the new format, he’s gonna have to make sure that those days when he wants to crash out, he’s gonna have to get it 15th, 20th. You’ve got to get a result. Got to put together a result. And so maybe we see a lot of these guys, maybe the format changes the attitude and how guys are racing, and they’ll start putting together better races. I think you’re going to have to.”
Hocevar’s strategy to racing has typically rubbed his rivals the incorrect means, resulting in him being labeled a “moron” by former champion Ryan Blaney and NASCAR’s “biggest dumb—” by Austin Dillon.
The Spire Motorsports driver, who is alleged to be an admirer of Earnhardt, has been threatened by each Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Zane Smith, whereas he has additionally risked getting on the incorrect aspect of Rick Hendrick after a conflict with one other former champion in Chase Elliott.
Hocevar, who completed second twice in 2025, has by no means hidden his devil-may-care perspective, nonchalantly admitting to Earnhardt on his podcast that he doesn’t have any buddies on the grid.
However, so far as Earnhardt is concerned, Hocevar could need to shift his mindset quickly if he’s to actually compete.
“I don’t like the attitude of, ‘It doesn’t matter if I wrecked because I’m gonna to go win next weekend and I’ll be in the playoffs.’ We talked about that on here a lot,” he defined. “And so, hopefully, if that goes away and winning the championship is going to be a process of many, many weeks, then the way we see a lot of these guys compete is going to change…
“And you’re going to have to be that kind of driver that your team can depend on. ‘Look, man, we suck today. Just get home 15th. Please don’t back it into the wall or end up backwards or get in an argument back there with somebody in 25th and ruin your day.’”
Not solely will Hocevar have a new Playoff format to deal with subsequent season, however he’ll even have a new teammate in Daniel Suarez.
Unfortunately for Spire, shortly after the announcement of the Mexican-American’s impending arrival, he and Hocevar clashed on a number of events at Martinsville Speedway, resulting in the teenager spinning twice. To make issues worse, Hocevar was additionally spun out by teammate Michael McDowell late within the race, en path to a Thirty first-place end.
Stay forward of the sport with the most recent developments within the sports activities world! Our web site is your final vacation spot for sports activities information, delivering complete updates, in-depth analyses, and knowledgeable insights into the fast-evolving realm of athletics. We convey you every day protection on all the things from breakthrough coaching techniques and rising group methods to main bulletins which are setting the tempo within the sports activities industry.
Discover how these trends are redefining the aggressive panorama! Visit us repeatedly for participating and informative content material by clicking right here. Our meticulously curated articles cowl game-changing techniques, investment alternatives in sports activities, and key milestones in right now’s dynamic athletic area.
