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 transition his Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports, into a Cup side, fulfilling his own dream as well. However, various obstacles, including financial constraints, 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. Over the past seven years, the cost of charters has skyrocketed from $2 million to $40 million. This substantial increase in price demands a significant investment from JRM in order to enter the Cup Series. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is frustrated by the fact that he missed the opportunity to invest when the cost was much lower.
During a recent episode of his podcast, Junior expressed his frustrations about the current situation with Cup charters, particularly in comparison to the Xfinity Series charters. He acknowledged that the rising costs have made it nearly impossible for even 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 for the teams to receive a better return on their investment in order for the sport to thrive as a whole.