How Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Kidnapping Threat Delayed His Formula 1 Experience By Years

This weekend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally checked off a major item on his motorsport bucket list — attending a Formula 1 race in person. After 19 years in the racing world, it was hard to believe that the NASCAR legend had never experienced the thrill of an F1 Grand Prix up close. But this wasn’t a simple matter of scheduling conflicts or lack of interest; there was something far more serious standing in his way: a kidnapping threat! But how did this threat keep him from attending an F1 race for all these years? Well, it seems that Dale Jr. has finally decided to drop the curtains!

Back in 2022, when Formula 1 made its debut in Miami, fans packed the Hard Rock Stadium, eager to see their favorite drivers in action. But despite F1’s rapid expansion from COTA, Miami and then to Las Vegas, Dale Jr. didn’t get the chance to visit the open-wheel racing spectacle until last weekend. As it turns out, TJ Majors, the spotter of Brad Keselowski and the veteran driver, had planned a trip to Brazil to attend a Formula 1 race. But, they couldn’t travel because there were safety concerns and a potential kidnapping threat on Dale Jr.’s head. 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals the real reason behind the F1 delay

On a recent episode of the DJD, the veteran driver took listeners by surprise, revealing the real reason behind his hesitancy to attend a Formula 1 race for so many years. In fact, it was not Dale who dug into the past. It was his longtime spotter, TJ Majors, who made him admit to a missed opportunity. TJ was quick to joke about Dale attending F1 without him. “That’s disappointing,” TJ said. “You were disappointed in me?” Dale asked.

With this, TJ finally opened up on the full backstory of what happened when they were trying to attend an F1. “Because we were gonna go. But I was mad that you went. Remember, we were gonna go to Brazil one time. And remember they wouldn’t let you go because they were like, ‘Woah, you’d get kidnapped.’”

Dale Jr. laughed, admitting that they couldn’t go the last time. “I didn’t have ransom insurance!” he replied. TJ summed it up perfectly: “One guy ruined it for the rest of us.” And it’s true. That threat kept not only Dale Jr. but also his spotter from attending the races back in the day. Well, if we are to go by Jr.’s story and posts on social media, it looks like he did have a good time attending his first F1 race. He’s seen it all, the tailgating experiences of the NASCAR race and the wild parties of the Talladega Boulevard. But what he saw in Miami left him stunned at how extravagant an F1 event is.

“They have built this entire three-four story structure, and then they tear it down and move it to the next race. And for Hard Rock, where this Red Bull deal was in one turn, Hard Rock also had a beach club, where they had a swimming pool and cabanas. I mean, it looked like the back of the hotel. The temporary structures alone, the grandstands, and pool parties, all the hospitalities, and they are massive build-outs, all of this stuff is the most impressive part of it, because it’s temporary.” Jr. explained.

DARLINGTON, SC – AUGUST 31: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., JR Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Hellmann s (8) during the running of the Clips Haircuts VFW 200 on August 31, 2019, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC.(Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire) AUTO: AUG 31 NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity Series – Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxRUSxSWExNORxDENxONLY Icon190831001200

Well, apart from the floating NASCAR circus, there are no similarities in the way American racing can be compared with the European open-wheel charm. But, after Dale Jr. shared his story on his F1 visit, he got down to business and spoke about the Xfinity race in Texas.

Dale Jr. lashes out at Kris Wright

Back home at NASCAR, Dale Jr. expressed his frustration over a rookie mistake made at Texas Motor Speedway. Here, a slow-moving Kris Wright caused a wreck that ended Allgaier’s race. The driver of the No. 7 JRM Chevy had led 99 laps and won stage 1, aiming for a third win of the 2025 season. However, while trying to chase down Kyle Larson, who was in the lead, Wright, multiple laps down, got in the way of Allgaier. This resulted in contact that sent the JRM into the outside wall. Seeing this incident, Dale Jr. remarked, “I hate that our car was involved in that accident. I hate that it ruined Justin’s chance at a good finish.” 

Saturday may not have ended ideally, but we still prefer our NASCAR this way. @DaleJr | @Tjmajors pic.twitter.com/JujjneJG8w

— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) May 7, 2025

 

Dale Jr. wasn’t against a slow-running car or independent team, but in Wright’s case, he feels he could’ve handled the situation a little better. “For years, there’s been slow independence out there, grinding it away on the racetrack. They always knew where to be. You know, that’s something this guy needs to figure out. It’s like, Hey, man, where do I? Where am I supposed to go to give the other guys the best chance to get around me?” Despite the setback, Wright was able to finish the race in 33rd, while Allgaier ended up in 35th.

Knowing that Allgaier had a shot at a potential win is what led to frustration within the JRM camp. But, Allgaier didn’t light up any controversy after the race; rather, he took the responsibility for the crash. And like Denny Hamlin explained, the #7 team was a little sluggish in their pit strategy that allowed Larson to run away with the win.

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