On the Apr. 8 episode of the Dale Jr. Download, Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke about the frustration with the Cup Series effort during the throwback weekend at Darlington. “I was kind of taken aback,” Junior said. “That anyone wouldn’t be on board with something like this.”
Junior illuminated how race sponsors can influence teams not to participate in throwback weekends. “I didn’t think about some of the challenges the landscape presents to the sponsors these days,” Junior explained.
The Intimidator would be proud. #NASCARThrowback pic.twitter.com/LWktKehINr
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 6, 2025
“Some of these partners might have just a couple weekends a year, where they’re a three race sponsor, and they’re like, well, I don’t want to change all my stuff up for this race,” Junior continued.
The JR Motorsports owner related to teams not participating in the weekend, as his cars abstained in the past. “Junior motorsports didn’t participate every year,” Junior said. “There was quite a while where the seven didn’t run one, and when they do run one, it’s a throwback to something company-related and not NASCAR or motorsports-related.”
At Darlington, Josh Berry and the No. 21 team paid homage to the 1965 Indianapolis 500 car driven by Jim Clark.
“It’s like, yeah, alright,” Junior said. “I would keep it inside the NASCAR box. Some people go outside that box and do things that don’t make any sense to me whatsoever.”
Despite the initial frustration with how teams handled the weekend, Junior acknowledged the fact the weekend is evolving.
“I didn’t mind that the 19 guys were out there running around with their non-throwback schemes,” Junior said. “We just kind of all got to get out of the way and let throwback weekend be what it wants to be.”
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