Back in February, the NASCAR world buzzed over the wild success of the Clash at Bowman Gray. It was raw, loud, and packed. And no one was more excited than Dale Earnhardt Jr. The short track buzz, the energy in the stands, and the throwback vibe had Dale Jr. thinking out loud. Could this be replicated? Could NASCAR bring that magic to other iconic venues like Hickory or South Boston?

He pointed to Bowman Gray’s unique infrastructure—seating for 17,000—and questioned if Hickory, with its 10,000-seat capacity, could get the same support. “I love that idea a lot, but I just don’t know if NASCAR would do it. They’re not going to come in there and build grandstands. They could maybe put in some temporary ones and get another 3,000 to 5,000 people, maybe. But I don’t know if NASCAR sees that as realistic,” Dale Jr. said on the Dale Jr. Download.

But the seed was planted. Fast forward two months, and Dale Jr. has done more than daydreaming. He’s making it happen. While NASCAR hesitates, Dale Jr. is throwing down a challenge. Not with words, but with a record-setting purse for grassroots racers at the track that launched his family’s racing legacy.

Dale Jr. continues to revive his dream project!

This August, the legendary Hickory Motor Speedway will host the Throwback Classic presented by FloRacing. This will be a doubleheader event featuring both the Late Model Stock and Pro Late Model divisions of the zMAX CARS Tour.  It’s not just another race. It’s the richest single-night purse in pavement late model racing history. Over $200,000 will be paid out across both divisions.

The Late Model Stock feature alone offers $50,000 to the winner and $2,500 to start. The Pro Late Model winner gets $30,000, with every starter taking home at least $1,500. “This payout is simply incredible for the series, drivers, and teams,” Dale Jr. said in a statement. But the money is only part of the story. With FloRacing handling the stream and a full media push across platforms, this event is designed to pull eyeballs.

The race will stream exclusively on FloRacing and will feature national-level stars in the late model scene. This is only the second time in history that a $50,000-to-win Late Model Stock race will be held. The event will also be loaded with retro paint schemes, celebrating racing’s past. At Hickory, that nostalgia is real. Unlike NASCAR, the teams will have the option of changing the numbers and the paint schemes to be identical to the original version. However, as the CARS Tour celebrates this record-breaking purse, the numbers reveal something else—NASCAR’s prize distribution gap.

While Cup races feature million-dollar payouts, for some reason, the Xfinity and Truck Series events take a back seat. Let us take a look at the Bristol race weekend’s payouts to understand the issues. The Food City 500 Cup Series race boasts a prize purse of $11,055,250, meanwhile, the Xfinity race will see NASCAR shell out only $1,651.939. The Truck Series event couldn’t even cross the million dollar mark at $782,900, and this is the case for most events. These are national series races backed by media broadcasters and big-money sponsors, yet there’s a big gap in terms of payout. Here, a regional series, with fewer viewers and less exposure, is handing out more than double that in one night. That’s where Dale Jr.’s move feels bold and a bit personal.

Hickory Motor Speedway is where his grandfather, Ralph Earnhardt, built his legacy. Since the inception of the track in 1951, Ralph Earnhardt won five races within a decade. His winnings and performance established a latter legacy doubled down by Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Jr himself. In 2022, Dale Jr spoke about the legacy his family had at the track. “I am very, very proud that we’ve been able to come here and win races with our Late Model program,” he said.

“Considering the history that my grandfather Ralph and my dad have here and the races they ran, it’s nice to have some sort of legacy here,” he further added. Now, three generations later, Dale Jr. is making sure Hickory doesn’t just survive—it thrives. He’s not waiting for NASCAR. He’s doing it himself. And he’s not alone in that mission.

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Wyatt Miller is living up to the Earnhardt legacy!

At just 13 years old, Wyatt Miller—Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s nephew—is already making history at Hickory Motor Speedway. Earlier this month, Miller secured his first Late Model win at the iconic short track. It was a symbolic moment. The fourth generation of the Earnhardt family wasn’t just showing up. He was winning. The same track that witnessed Ralph Earnhardt’s dominance and Dale Sr.’s rise is now shaping the next star in the family tree.

Starting from the pole, he lost the lead early but stayed calm. He waited for the right moment, and when Zach Bruenger’s engine blew up, he capitalized on his rival’s misfortunes. But the job was only half done as he had to see out a late charge by Aiden King on the final lap. He held firm, kept the lead and crossed the start-finish line first. It was just his second Limited Late Model start at the track. “We had a really good car… I think Aiden tried to rattle my cage, but it didn’t work,” he said in the victory lane.

That quote wasn’t just funny—it was familiar. “Rattle your cage” is classic Earnhardt lingo, something his grandfather, Dale Earnhardt, made famous. And it showed that Wyatt isn’t just racing like his family—he’s speaking like them, too. Notably, Wyatt’s rapid rise is staggering when you compare timelines. Dale Jr. didn’t win at Hickory until age 20. Wyatt did it at 13. The same asphalt that once felt the tires of Ralph, Dale, and Junior is now carrying Wyatt’s legacy forward.