- Probst proposed introducing EVs to O’Reilly Series, possibly in the 2030s.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not on board with the idea... big time.
- NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin also pushed back on the proposal.
NASCAR executive John Probst has recently sparked a big conversation with a proposal that could reshape the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and not everyone is ready to jump on that train. Among those pushing back is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has made it clear he is not on board with the idea.
During a recent interview with Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, Probst, NASCAR’s Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, outlined a concept that would see the series adopt an electric crossover-style car.
The vehicle in question made its debut at the Chicago Street Circuit in 2024, and while Probst stressed that no decision has been locked in, the idea is rooted in carving out a clearer identity for each national series.
Expanding on that point in a follow-up post, Stern shared Probst’s remarks. “I’m not sitting here saying today we’re breaking news it’s going to CUV, but these are the things that are on the roadmap to consider, so you’d have a Truck, a CUV, and a Cup, that’s three very different bodies that are relevant for our OEMs today to create that brand identity for each series.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr. pushes back on the idea
The reaction has been swift and not quiet. Fans have voiced concern about moving away from a series that, since the arrival of the Next Gen car in the Cup Series in 2022, has come to resemble what many consider the sport’s roots. The O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, in their view, has become the last link to that past.
Dale Jr, a Hall of Famer and a title-winning team owner in the series, did not hold back either. Reacting to the whole conversation, Dale Jr. took to social media and wrote, “I hope this never happens.”
He then carried that stance onto The Dale Jr. Download, where he laid out his reasoning and expanded on his thoughts. “It’s my belief that absolutely the electric car and that body style and all that is something that NASCAR is looking at as a possibility for the future of the O’Reilly series. The O’Reilly series has got a lot of good things going right now. Viewership is continuously on the rise. We can all kind of relate to those cars when we look at them, when we see them on the racetrack.”
“Destroy the series as we know it”
Dale Jr continued, warning against a shift that could alter the course of the series. “I think making a switch to anything unlike what we have would be a massive, massive mistake. We’re going up, right? Things are going well. We got a great TV partner. We have great numbers. We got great fan engagement. I think any kind of a change like that, dramatic as that would be, would destroy the series as we know it. I would not be interested in that. I don’t think Junior Motorsports would be interested in that,” he continued.
He has co-owned and operated JR Motorsports since 2005, and so has a weight in the conversation. Under his watch, the team has amassed 111 wins and four championships, placing it among the most successful operations in the series. So, his stance is not going to be ignored by NASCAR. But Junior is not alone in his stance.
Mark Martin is not happy with the proposal either
Another Hall of Famer, Mark Martin, also weighed in after reports surfaced about the potential shift. While the plan remains under discussion and far from confirmed, the mere suggestion from Probst has raised eyebrows across the garage and among fans.
Martin, known for speaking his mind, offered a brief but telling response on social media. “They say hope is not a strategy but that’s really all I’ve got for now.”
Fans have mirrored that sentiment. For many, the appeal of NASCAR has long been tied to the sound and feel of combustion engines. With the Cup Series moving into the Next Gen era, the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series now stands as the closest link to what the sport once was. Any move away from that, in their eyes, risks cutting the cord that still connects past and present.
