Brad Keselowski is far from alone in his rant about road courses. Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin took his shot, too, declaring that “Six is a lot considering that we are NASCAR.” Richard Petty also echoed this stance after Shane van Gisbergen’s Mexico City win locked him into the playoffs, saying, “You’re making a championship situation by winning a road course, which is not really NASCAR to begin with.” Now Dale Earnhardt Jr. has joined their side.
Keselowski’s rant struck a chord with NASCAR favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. Brad has found an ally. However, his comments sparked a full-blown debate in the NASCAR community, as fans are now squarely divided over the sport’s future.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. ignites road course debate
Brad Keselowski’s stance on NASCAR increasing road course presence has taken center stage following a heated debate and a major incident in Chicago. The veteran driver and RFK racing co-owner expressed concern that the shift toward more road courses threatens the sport’s traditional oval identity. His comments gained traction after a multi-car crash at the Chicago Street course brought fresh attention to NASCAR’s evolving schedule and the growing tension between heritage and change.
Now 41, Keselowski, winner of 36 NASCAR Cup Series races, including prestigious events like the Coca-Cola 600, Brickyard 400, and Southern 500, has been vocal about his unease with the sport’s current trajectory. After the crash in Chicago, he reiterated that NASCAR’s DNA lies in oval racing, not in the increasingly popular road course trend gaining ground across the calendar.
The discussion intensified after motorsport journalist Pete Pipstone posted on X, crediting fans for pushing NASCAR towards more road course events. Brad Keselowski responded with a direct post, doubling down on his belief that the change risks diluting NASCAR’s identity. Taking to X, the veteran driver didn’t mince words. He said, “We went from 2 to 6 Road course races, possibly 7 next year. NASCAR was successfully built as a primarily oval racing series. IMSA was built as the primary road course series in North America. IMSA will always do road racing better than NASCAR, and that’s ok. Yes, TOO Many Road courses in NASCAR.”
And Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t one to shy away from supporting Brad. Dale Jr. has been very vocal about his stand on road courses. On an episode the of Dale Jr. Download, the Hall of Famer said, “I don’t like the road courses right now. I would say my favorite thing about our sport is probably the Charlotte’s and the Kansas’s… I used to not want them added, but I am sort of understanding…they’re going to do what they’re going to do.” And in reply to Brad’s post on X, Dale Earnhardt Jr. summed up his emotions with a GIF that said, “You are absolutely correct.“
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 10, 2025
Brad’s comments stirred wider conversation in the paddock and online, raising questions about how NASCAR balances its tradition with innovation. While acknowledging the skill it takes to compete on road courses, Keselowski pointed to IMSA as the rightful home of road racing in North America and emphasized that NASCAR should stay true to its roots.
NASCAR, for around 30 years, had just Watkins Glen and Sonoma as their road courses, showing the willingness to dip into right turns but prioritizing the oval heritage that stock car racing was built upon. Six road races in a 36-race schedule might not seem like a lot, but prioritising them over traditional ovals on the schedule is what is irking veterans like Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
This controversy escalated after Brad Keselowski’s day at the Chicago Street course ended prematurely. On lap four, Carson Hocevar clipped the wall exiting Turn 10, triggering a chain reaction crash in the narrow section of the course. Keselowski, who was trying to slow down, was rear-ended by Daniel Suarez and forced into the pileup, which also caught drivers like Austin Dillon, Todd Gilliland, AJ Allmendinger, Will Brown, and Riley Herbst. This crash also put him out of contention for the In-Season challenge. The chance for one million dollars is gone as he lost it to Ty Dillon, who trolled the veteran driver, too.
The No. 6 Ford Mustang sustained significant damage with a broken left front suspension, marking Keselowski’s 6th DNF of the 2025 season. The crash laid bare one of the key differences between ovals and street circuits: tight corners, limited visibility, and zero margin for error. Even seasoned drivers like Brad were left with no time to react, reinforcing his view that NASCAR identity may be better preserved on the wide turns and banking of its historic oval tracks. His rant and Dale Junior’s support have left fans in a split. Dividing them into team road courses versus team oval tracks.
Fans are split on the verdict of road courses in NASCAR
While Brad Keselowski’s passionate stance on the increasing number of road courses has drawn plenty of support, it has also sparked some spirited pushback from NASCAR fans who see things a little differently. After all, there are 30 oval races still locked into the current schedule; many argued that the sport’s core identity hasn’t strayed as far as Keselowski fears.
One fan bluntly put it, saying, “I would argue that 30 oval races on the schedule means we are still, in fact, a primarily oval racing series.” Another chimed in, questioning the fuss altogether, “31 ovals isn’t enough for Brad?” It’s a fair question for those who see the current road course expansion not as a hostile takeover, but as a refreshing sprinkle of variety.
However, there is nostalgia too. For the days when only two road courses, Watkins Glen and Sonoma, punctuated the season. One longtime fan admitted, before adding a more measured view, said, “I preferred it when there were two. I much prefer ovals and drafting, but that’s just me. In the end, I’m happy to do whatever possible to get more eyes on the sport.”
That willingness to evolve has become part of NASCAR’s survival strategy, with the road courses offering new markets like Chicago, unpredictable racing, and unique challenges. But not everyone is sold on their entertainment value. One user very colorfully put it, saying, “NASCAR road races play out like taxi-cab racing most of the time.” Suggesting that finesse and racecraft sometimes get lost in the stop-start nature of these layouts, still, the overarching tone of the backlash wasn’t exactly panic. For many, the numbers speak for themselves, and the shift doesn’t feel as seismic as Keselowski suggests. As one fan summed it up with a shrug, saying, “Less than 20%…it’ll be ok, Brad.”
In the end, the debate reflects a large amount of attention in NASCAR. The balance between preserving tradition and embracing innovation, and for now, that conversation is still very much racing down both sides of the track.
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