Dale Earnhardt Jr. still has a strong interest in becoming a team owner in the Cup Series. Since his retirement from the Cup Series, the absence of the iconic Earnhardt name has been felt in the racing community. Many anticipated that the Hall of Famer would turn his Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports, into a Cup team, fulfilling his own dream as well. However, several obstacles, including financial restrictions, have prevented him from doing so.
Now, returning to the Cup Series as a team owner would be more challenging than ever for the two-time Daytona 500 winner. In the last seven years, the cost of charters has increased from $2 million to $40 million. This substantial price hike requires a significant investment from JRM to enter the Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is frustrated for missing out on the opportunity to invest when the cost was much lower.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Junior expressed his frustrations about the current state of Cup charters, especially compared to Xfinity Series charters. He acknowledged that the rising costs have made it nearly impossible even for the wealthiest drivers in the sport to enter the Cup Series as individual investors.
The future of Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a potential Cup team owner may depend on NASCAR’s decisions regarding charter negotiations. It is crucial that teams receive a better return on their investment for the sport to thrive as a whole.
