Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not Planning on Racing in NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to contest Friday's NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but NASCAR Hall of Famer and two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion is not expecting to race in the series again in 2025.
"Well, I'm not planning on racing next year," Earnhardt said in a press conference on Friday afternoon at Bristol Motor Speedway.
While he isn't planning on running a NASCAR National Series event in 2025, don't consider this a goodbye forever for one of NASCAR's all-time Most Popular Drivers. If a package comes together, where it makes sense for his JR Motorsports team, we'll see him back again someday.
"I'd be foolish to say I'm never going to run again because I don't know well enough to stay away from it," Earnhardt admitted. "And I'll probably miss it next year and be absolutely willing to sign up for anything that may be beneficial to JR Motorsports."
Since the 2015 season, Earnhardt has driven a one-off NASCAR Xfinity Series race as part of a partnership with Hellmann's and Unilever, which sponsors the JR Motorsports team. As part of the requirement of that deal, Earnhardt was required to run at least one race per season. The company has relinquished that requirement from its deal in 2025, which has paved the way for Earnhardt to take a year off next season.
"I don't have a requirement to run next year," Earnhardt explained. "And I will miss it terribly, and regret I didn't race and probably in 2026, find me somewhere where I can compete in the Xfinity Series again. But right now, I don't have any plans. But that's the way I like it."
At 49 years old, Earnhardt knows he's up against the clock. He is realistic, and understands that he more than likely only has a few precious years left of being competitive in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as a driver. But that he'll have to see how badly he misses it next year before attempting to come back in 2026.
A big part of the reason Earnhardt is content with not running in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025 is that he has reconnected with his first love as a race car driver - Late Model racing. Earnhardt, who is in the ownership group of the CARS Tour Series, has competed for JR Motorsports in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Series over the last few years.
While NASCAR, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series is truly special, Earnhardt feels he can have just as much fun at the grassroots level behind the wheel of a Late Model race car.
"I found what I love, to be honest with you, in driving that Late Model Stock Car. I mean, the things I'll enjoy tonight are there as well. And I can go to some grassroots short track and have a good time and enjoy what I love about driving cars just the same," Earnhardt said. "So, I'll continue to do that next year as well."
While he expects that he will find his way back into the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2026, if Friday night's Food City 300 is Earnhardt's final NASCAR Xfinity Series start of his career, he will walk away with a 148-race record in the series. And if all goes according to plan, he'll add a 25th win to his record on Friday night.
Toby Christie is the Editor-in-Chief of Racing America. He has 15 years of experience as a motorsports journalist and has been with Racing America since 2023.