Drivers’ Council Offers In-Car Perspective

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson talk during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 5, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson talk during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta "We Paint Winners" 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 5, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson talk during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 5, 2015 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

LONG POND, Pa. – Jimmie Johnson said the NASCAR’s rules package remains the “hot topic” for the Drivers’ Council that met with NASCAR officials for the first time last weekend at Dover.

He says that although NASCAR has “lots of simulation and technology” to determine how cars will respond and compete on track, “we (the drivers) are living it inside the car. We just want to make sure our voice is heard and that the people that make the decisions know what is really going on in the car.”

Although Johnson is not one of the eight driver representative, Earnhardt is.

“I think it’s awesome because you’ve got all the NASCAR guys (together) that you want five minutes with,” Earnhardt said. “Everybody’s in the room to work together and everybody wants the same things – a healthy sport, racing as good as it can be and as safe as it can be.”

One thing Earnhardt doesn’t think will be left up to the drivers is changes to the race schedule. He sees that as a matter left to NASCAR’s governing body, teams owners and tracks. “I don’t expect to be in that conversation,” he said.

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.