Dale Earnhardt Jr. Makes Sad Admission About His Future, NASCAR Wives Get Frisky & This Crash Made Me Nervous
Serious question … did y'all actually watch the NASCAR race yesterday? It's OK if you didn't. I get it. Trust me, I get it.
First NFL Sunday of the year. Race goes green right around the Witching Hour over on Red Zone. You're gonna tell me you were really locked in on Atlanta? Come on!
Doesn't mean you didn't have it on. I did – but it was on the teeny, tiny TV plugged in way over in the corner of the living room, while the Dolphins stealing one from Jacksonville was on the 80-incher (hey now!) mounted front and center.
I'm not gonna get into the lunacy of starting your playoffs on the same Sunday as NFL opening Sunday – I've said it a hundred times now, and clearly NASCAR doesn't give a shit what I think because they keep pumping out stupid schedules that bleed well into the fall.
But, just know that I get it. Asking folks to choose between Scott Hanson and Leigh Diffey is a tough ask. That's all.
That being said … we DID get a good little automobile race yesterday. Feel like Atlanta has quickly risen to the top of the must-see NASCAR races on the schedule every season. I generally don't love repaves, but turning Atlanta into a superspeedway race is one of the few smart things the sport has done recently.
Speaking of that … my God. Have y'all seen the drama with these ongoing charter negotiations between NASCAR and the teams? No? Well, lucky for you, I woke my ass up at 6 a.m. this morning and learned all about it so you didn't have to. You are welcome!
What else? I've got Dale Earnhardt Jr. making everyone sad on this second Monday of September, a couple SOLID wrecks from Atlanta that deserve a second look, and, of course, a couple Instagram heaters from a few of our regulars.
Four tires, a top-off with some of that Sunoco racing fuel, and maybe a couple beers for NASCAR and 23XI Racing to share, because buddy, they HATE each other right now … Monday Morning Pit-Stop – the ‘If A Race Happened On NFL Sunday And Nobody Knew About It, Did It Actually Happen?’ edition – is LIVE!
Let's switch it up and start with the NASCAR WAGs!
I know I usually save the best for last around here, but it's my class and my rules. And today, I feel like switching it up.
Maybe I'm just feeling a little more irritable because I haven't slept since August? Maybe it's because I lost $400 this weekend gambling? Maybe it's because it literally has not stopped raining in Florida in six weeks?
Hell, maybe it's all of that and a bag of chips?!
Whatever the reason, I need a pick-me-up today. The water-cooler is bare, and we're all just gathered 'round, looking for something – anything – to get us going on this Monday.
That's where Hooters Gianna, Sam Busch and Erin Blaney (angry Ryan's sister!) come in.
Welcome to the show, ladies. Let's get this week started right!
Joey Logano, shockingly, won a superspeedway race
NOW, we're ready to get this week rolling in the right direction. Sam Busch with bangs? Sure, why not? Never been a huge bangs guy myself, but if that's what she wants, who the hell are we to tell her no?
And what a damn week of content from Hooters Gianna! Insane. We've seen a lot of solid runs around here from the NASCAR WAG world, but this content heater from Gianna is an all-timer.
All hail the Coastal Cowgirl!
OK, let's leave the water (sad) and head inland. After all, there was a race yesterday. And guess what? Joey Logano, who has won approximately a billion restrictor plate races (yep, we still call it that around here) in his career, won another one!
Denny Hamlin … Ryan Blaney … Joey Logano … Brad Keselowski. It's pretty much those four and everyone else when it comes to superspeedway racing.
Poor Danny Suarez didn't have a chance going up against Logano AND Blaney. That was a losing ticket from the jump, and I know all about losing tickets because I had at least 30 of them this weekend.
Seriously, it was a bloodbath. But that's more of a Nightcaps conversation, so join me later on today as I beg you all for money!
Where was I? Oh yeah – Atlanta! Good racing all weekend, solid crashes, and nobody died. That's a win any time you go restrictor plate racing. Yeah, I said it. Whatever. We all think it, so I might as well just come out and say it.
PS: I only say that because this Kyle Larson wreck had me a little queasy for a split-second:
Dale Jr., NASCAR charter drama & what a day for Walmart!
Whoooooof. That was violent. And PS: Kyle Larson ain't exactly a lock to advance after that early wreck at Atlanta.
A quick look at the playoff picture heading to Watkins Glen should have all Larson fans feeling a little queasy today:
Look, he'll probably make it because he's Kyle Larson and he can sleepwalk to a couple top-5s over the next two weeks, but I'm just saying yesterday wasn't a great start to his postseason run. That's all.
Now, let's quickly dive into the weeds for a minute before we head off into a big week. But first, a question:
Do y'all give a shit about this charter drama? I don't. Personally, I just don't care. It's not my thing. The Big J journos are all over it and acting like it's the next Pearl Harbor, but it just doesn't move my needle.
And that's saying a lot seeing as the doctor told the First Lady she still has four weeks left until … well, never mind. You get it. And if you don't, look it up.
Anyway, here's the bottom line: NASCAR and the teams have been in charter negotiations for a new deal for two years now, and things came to a head Friday night when all but two teams – 23XI and Front Row Motorsports – signed the new deal.
From my good teammate, Bob:
The teams and NASCAR have been negotiating for two years, and, according to industry sources, teams were told Friday night that if they didn't sign the latest proposal that night, they could risk losing their charters for 2025.
Curtis Polk, who has an interest in 23XI and has been Michael Jordan’s long-time business manager, spoke to reporters from FOX Sports, The Athletic and The Associated Press in the Atlanta Motor Speedway garage on Sunday afternoon.
"NASCAR has consistently refused to deal with 23XI in these negotiations," Polk said. "We are David facing Goliath, NASCAR has superior bargaining power and undue influence over the sport and the charter process.
"They wielded this power continuously over the past few months and consistently rejecting broad team requests on major issues while providing minor changes for pet issues that some teams requested in 1-on-1 meetings."
Charters, for those who are as confused as me, are basically NASCAR's version of franchises. You have a charter (worth anywhere from $25-50 mil), you have a franchise. With that, comes a guaranteed spot in the field each week and guaranteed money.
Anyway, it seems that 23XI and FRM are either the trailblazers for the little guys who will go down in the history books with the biggest set of balls this side of the Mississippi, or they're both idiots and will be bankrupt in a year.
Can't wait to find out!
Do you care at all? Zach.Dean@OutKick.com! (or just write in and say Hi, either-or).
Two more quickies (four more weeks!) on the way out. First? Dale Earnhardt Jr. races this month in the Xfinity Series.
Better watch it, because you may not see 'ol Junebug again:
Hey, NASCAR fans … this is unacceptable. If I read this correctly, Dale basically just told you he's hanging it up because nobody gives a shit about him racing anymore.
Nope. Not on my watch. Dale Earnhardt Jr. races a week from Friday, at Bristol, in the No. 88 Chevy. Get your asses to a TV and watch it. Watch every single second of it. Don't let Junior go out like a loser. We're better than this.
If you're an American – a true Patriot – you'll make sure Dale hears you at Bristol. Drink a Bud Heavy, and get the hell AFTER IT.
Finally, speaking of American things …
Does Walmart have the best, most sturdy signs? Evidently, not. Nobody has ever accused Walmart of being fancy, or even decent.
But hey – at least they don't have all-gender bathrooms! Looking at you, Target.
#TeamWalmart!
OK, that's it for today. I usually end with a WAG, but we started with them. So, here's Dale's wife, Amy, talking about Lowe's.
I'm with Dale on this one, by the way.
Off to The Glen!