In NASCAR, where the stakes are high and rivalries bitter, Dale Earnhardt Jr. famously chose to stay away from the drama and made his stance clear over beef with Brad Keselowski during the 2012 Michigan race.
Earnhardt, who is very respected within NASCAR circles and is known for his professionalism, chose to rise above his rivalry with Keselowski and made it clear that he had no interest in dragging things out. In 2012, he addressed the tensions between him and Keselowski and said, “I don’t want any drama.”
Earnhardt made the statement following Keselowski’s remarks, in which he suggested that teams were making modifications to their cars’ rear suspension after the inspections had been completed during the Michigan race, which he claimed resulted in certain cars having an unfair competitive advantage.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chose Friendship With Brad Keselowski Over Conflict
Keselowski did not specifically accuse anyone, but the remarks were viewed by some (including Earnhardt) as implying that he and his team had been involved in some underhand activities. It was a suggestion that did not sit well with Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports, the team he raced for at the time.
However, rather than dragging out the matter and causing a full-blown conflict between the two drivers, Earnhardt chose to let the matter go and maintain professionalism.
In a statement released by the NASCAR Wire Service during the Michigan race, he said, “I don’t particularly like the things he says lately about the company I work for. I take offense at the claims and accusations. It’s just natural for me to do that, but we’re friends, and I don’t want any drama between (us).”
The entire controversy arose because of NASCAR’s new rules regarding the rear suspension. Keselowski implied that some teams were working in a grey area with their suspension adjustments, and the team he was racing for at the time, Penske Racing, was reluctant to tread in that area for fear of penalties.
Following the controversy that broke out after Keselowski’s statements, Roush Fenway Racing and the other teams involved clarified that they had received NASCAR’s approval for their modifications and everything they did was well within the rules.
NASCAR later confirmed that all the rear suspension work was within the rules at that time. Since then, NASCAR has maintained specific regulations about rear suspension modifications to ensure fair competition.
Teams are now allowed to make adjustments but only within defined parameters, provided these modifications comply with NASCAR’s technical standards.
