Dale Earnhardt Jr. Irked by 3x NASCAR Champion Turning Into a ‘Sore Loser’

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race was everything fans hoped for. Wild restarts, bold moves, and a million-dollar prize on the line! Under the lights, tempers flared almost as bright as the sparks flying off the fenders. Social media exploded as drivers traded paint and words, with every lap feeling like a new chapter in a no-holds-barred showdown. But do you remember the highlight reel?

That incident was Christopher Bell out-dueling Joey Logano in the closing laps. Bell’s decisive pass came with just ten laps to go, as he muscled Logano up the track and never looked back. But guess what? The drama didn’t end with the checkered flag. In the aftermath, the three-time NASCAR champion’s post-race reaction started a ticking time bomb, catching negative looks from veterans and competitors alike. Logano, being a crybaby and complaining about things he and his team were responsible for, has irked Dale Jr., and now, the veteran has his own message for Team Penske’s alleged ‘face’.

Is a heavy-metal musician complaining about his neighbors making noise?

The 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro had all the ingredients for a classic. Tight racing, big money, and a finish that had fans on their feet. Christopher Bell took the win, holding off Joey Logano by just 0.829 seconds in a tense final dash. But it wasn’t just the action on track that got people talking. Instead, it was what happened after the checkered flag.

Joey Logano, a three-time Cup champion, didn’t hold back in his post-race interview. “I did all I could do to hold him off, and he got under me and released the brake and gave me no option. Kind of just ran me up into the wall, and if I could’ve got to him, he was going around after a move like that, I just couldn’t get back to him,” Logano blasted after the race. His frustration was evident, and social media lit up almost instantly.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was quick to share his thoughts on his podcast. “Joey gets out and says that stuff and holy s— everybody went after him,” Dale Jr. said, reflecting on the backlash. One fan summed up the people’s displeasure, saying, “Joey Logano complaining about another driver driving him the same way he has won multiple races is hilarious.” Logano, himself, is known for his aggressive driving style. This is a reputation that’s followed him for years. Whether it’s blocking, bumping, or going all-out in the final laps, the Team Penske driver has never shied away from doing whatever it takes to win.

Even Christopher Bell was surprised when told about Logano’s reaction. “He was really surprised that Joey felt the way he felt,” Dale Jr. added. In a post-race press conference, when asked about Logano’s remark, C. Bell said, “Joey was frustrated? He was frustrated? That is interesting. I genuinely would not have guessed that.” Moreover, similar to fan sentiment, Bell expressed that what he did was similar to Logano’s style of racing. “I don’t think that I did anything that Joey has not done, and I’ve seen Joey do much worse. So we will continue on.” It’s like a cop arresting another cop for letting a criminal slip away unintentionally.

What really irked Dale Jr. was how quickly Logano lashed out. “For him to have the instant reaction he had, still is an irk,” Dale Jr. summed up his feelings. “He could say ‘I’m p—–, I lost a million bucks,’” Dale Jr. further added. Well, Dale Jr. is absolutely spot on. Given Logano’s experience and stature as a three-time champion, he could’ve—and arguably should’ve—handled things with more composure. It’s easy to lose your temper in the moment, especially when a million dollars slips away in the final laps. The least you could do is to be honest about it. And this takes us back to the March 16, 2025, race of Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The No. 12 Team Penske driver was involved in a multi-car wreck on Lap 196. The wreck caught Bubba Wallace, who was furious post-race. But, Blaney accepted his mistake, saying, “Yeah, we were four-wide there, and honestly, I thought I had two (cars) inside and one outside of me. And I watched one little replay, and I had two outside, one inside, so I have to go back and see if I heard it wrong or if there was some miscommunication. I feel like I probably pitched those guys to the fence along the two, so it was probably my fault.” And this is a display of true sportsmanship.

As Dale Jr. hinted, there’s a difference between showing emotion and showing poor sportsmanship. Fans respect passion, but they also recognize hypocrisy. And when a driver known for dishing it out cries foul after getting a taste of his own medicine, the backlash is inevitable. But it’s safe to say, Logano is a fast learner. Now, he knows what he has done.

Cooler heads prevail after the race, but Dale Jr. isn’t that impressed

A day after the fireworks at North Wilkesboro, Joey Logano took a step back and did something not every driver was willing to do. He rewatched the race, particularly Bell’s move on him on lap 241. With a cooler head and a fresh perspective, Logano admitted his initial reaction might have been a little over the top. “When I went back and re-watched it, I was like, that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was,” Logano told NBC Sports.

It’s not easy to walk back heated comments, especially when the world is watching and social media is in full meltdown mode. But Joey Logano owned up, saying that Bell’s move was hard racing, not dirty driving. He even admitted to being a sore loser. “I’m a really bad loser. I’m a sore loser. I can’t help it. It is who I am, but I think that’s also what makes us winners,” Logano expressed his disappointment over his actions.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Logano some credit for this, too. “I appreciate that he went and watched it, whatever, and he goes, ‘All right, it wasn’t that bad,’” Dale Jr. said. The veteran acknowledged that it takes maturity to admit when you’ve overreacted. However, he still maintains that Logano didn’t have to bring the situation on to him in the first place.

At the end of the day, emotions run high when a million dollars is on the line. But is it better to speak your mind in the heat of the moment? Or to wait, watch, and reflect before going public? In NASCAR, that’s a question drivers (and fans) will keep debating about.

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