IN CAR CAMERA - DALE EARNHARDT JR DRIVING MAZDA MX-5 AT MARTINSVILLE

[@masonhoeper9347]

I never thought I'd watch a video of Dale Jr on a short track oval driving a Miata, but here we are..

[@MotorsportJunkie15]

Bobby Labonte as well. Two absolute legends driving MX-5s

[@MrChaosmar]

Exactly what I was thinking I can’t believe I’m watching this

[@joshuak8335]

Dale Jr is really supporting the racing community across all series, and I love it.

[@hotlavaaaa]

"Hey man, I think this thing is down like 4 cylinders." - Dale Jr, probably

[@dchawk81]

Also Dale: "Needs more grip."

[@chris8video]

@@dchawk81I wish I had gotten a picture of the tires...literally 8 inches wide!

[@robertbragg1469]

That was badass, you can tell when he starts to figure it out

[@imaPirate420]

Like turn ...1

[@onethumbks]

For those who haven’t had the privilege to see this series, you owe it to yourself. Races are streamed live on KZbin. It’s the best racing series in the world.

[@wpflesh6510]

Already has better short track package than the cup cars

[@powersteer]

Mx 5 iracing is so fun!

[@pepsibottleq]

No shit

[@racegrubb2152]

​@@powersteerI saw them at the Daytona road course and it was awesome racing

[@sergeantmasson3669]

@wpflesh6510, according to who, you? You're an expert, how? FYI, no automaker builds any NASCAR race cars/trucks. Not even the engines.

[@onethumbks]

And all you have to do is look at the car for the answer. No front splitter and all ends of the car are off the ground. People have been saying that only for a decade or more.

[@patrickbreeze9500]

Looks like fun! Have a Miata and have driven at a bunch of road courses, but never thought about what it would be like at a short track. Dale Jr is driving the wheels off the thing!

[@TheRespectful1]

Faster and faster every lap he sunk into that seat as soon as he figured the car out ! 😊

[@DaleCarterDrives]

Around Lap 4 :-) Quick hands at 1:46... Lap 3?

[@rcr640]

This is what I call watching a symphony…he’s so natural on the shifts. Through the corner. Getting speed off the corner and through the straight-aways. Love dale and his ability to drive short tracks.

[@TEC_Stuff]

As someone who has done a handful of Mazda MX-5 race weekends with Skip Barber racing in the past, I would recognize that engine sound anywhere. Great to see a pro enjoying the limits of tire adhesion at such a great track. It’s even better when you are able to stalk someone’s rear bumper!

[@e2motorsports257]

It would be great to see a all star racing series in these cars

[@lowcountryantiques3696]

The Sun-drop suit and helmet makes it that much cooler

[@Chirp_Fest]

Confirms that iRacing is bringing the mx-5 over to ovals for official racing

[@rbhoward9123]

Enjoyed watching Dale Jr. Behind the wheel at a track he's known to love driving at. Makes him the right guy to test another type of race car. Never thought it'd be a Mazda ! Cool footage.. especially that pass after coming out of that turn.. AWESOME !!!

[@jeffreyrose7823]

Awesome 👍 Dale Jr Driving a MX-5, I Owned a "90" with 150000mi. When I bought it, put a Street/Strip Clutch in it, and 50's all round with light weight Wheels, What a Blast to Drive, Go Dale! Drive One in MX-5 Cup Race!

[@TR2zR]

Man seeing him drive a natural wheel without his original hand to wheel technique makes me wonder if it’s OG Dale or the new Dale🧐

[@warrenself]

More stock than any Cup Car in decades. I’d watch this series at Martinsville.

[@DLRacing]

I heard about this "test" on the Dale jr download, actually pretty cool to see it..

[@cindyscott54]

When he gave up driving the American LeMans Corvette, I never... in my wildest... imagined him in an MX5 Cup Mazda.... NEVER MIND AT MARTINSVILLE!! I hope they race there & I hope he can run some of the other MX5 races in the series. Thanks, this was FUN!

[@FOSTERSFARMGARAGETV]

If i was Dale jr this is exactly what i would be doing ! HAVE FUN MY MAN! Thanks for sharing the Vlogs!

[@geofframsey9193]

Tbh, knowing how competitive this class is… these cars and track are a good match watching this.

[@pamelamaloy9778]

What a blast that was, just like riding Shotgun ❣️ Dale yeah❣️🥰

[@NCFREEMAN]

He was getting it. Had to be fun driving such a different car.

[@DC322]

Dale Jr. in a MX-5 Cup Car. Twice as nice. Jeff Gordon did the Porsche Cup last year. Jimmie Johnson indycar racing. Always step out of the box.

[@flyingfortressrc1794]

Jr can drive anything. 😁

[@cliff4695]

Would have to disagree with you on this one

[@edruggiero1648]

With all the light coming in from the open roof and this camera angle you get a much better view of the track. If NASCAR could figure out how to replicate it during a race it would be so sick

[@DRBarber88]

Martinsville looks so much bigger from this perspective than it does on TV. Get it Dale Jr! Looks like a blast

[@izzdin6228]

From this POV the track looks mighty intimidating. Pretty deceptive for a half mile bullring.

[@dchawk81]

That's because he's in a Miata instead of the family trucksters of Cup. 😃

[@rjai4890]

Because it takes 11 seconds to go down 1 straight 😂

[@jeffreyrose7823]

He faster as went along, I know He was Digging it!

[@TheWildChildJr]

i remember running a 24 hour race in iracing with these things at martinsville, it was the stupidest, most tormented fun ive ever had.

[@DizzyD850]

Moonhead does that race every year around Thanksgiving on Twitch. Raises money for Toys for Tots. I have donated the last 2 years and will again this year.

[@johngallagher-h7s]

A typical MX5 Cup race has 35 plus cars in the starting grid. Imagine that at Martinsville.

[@jbeachley18]

An MX-5 Cup race here would be chaos. I'd love it

[@miichaelneri4687]

One of the best handily cars you can drive on the track. Never saw an MX-5 race that was boring.

[@DaleCarterDrives]

This video shows one of the main differences between elite drivers and the rest of us. Around 1:46 (Lap3?), Dale finds the traction limit and corrects with quick hands. In about two more laps, he has the car figured out. The rest of us need more laps... a LOT more.

[@jeffe1779]

This looks fun as heck! It’s awesome to see him go from driving one hand to using both once the tires went away

[@JordanCasagrande]

That Mazda sounds fucking awesome❤😊

[@trickster6831]

Sequential transmissions are so bad ass... And Jr. Drove the SHIT out of it!!

[@SW-fu4jj]

MAN! That looks so much fun!

[@rcwbud52]

That is too cool!

[@evenjon17]

Dale Jr. was rolling into the corner smooth and got up off the corner like a bullet!

[@Devil3R]

So cool. I have him doing 22s..wonder what the trucks do?

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

pole was 19.79 this year

[@Manny4.6]

22s still pretty quick

[@skiinian3314]

Not bad for ~160bhp…

[@Devil3R]

@@skiinian3314 Think they're a bit more.

[@alexflores5020]

They’re sealed 181hp (crank) engines. The exact same engine that comes in an MX-5 right from the showroom floor. Special little cars with legitimate MotorSports engineering from inception with things like double wishbone front, advanced multilink rear, heavy use of aluminum construction underneath and even an engine oiling system capable of maintaining steady state oil pressure up to 1.4G cornering. In another video regarding this testing Dale mentioned the MX-5 Cup was one second behind the Next Gen cars. THAT is amazing. Also worth noting this is with him behind the wheel. He admitted there was time left on the table but that it would be hard for him to find it that day. An avid MX-5 Cup driver with some seat time to learn an oval will be able to get the car moving faster as would Dale with more seat time in an MX-5 Cup.

[@jacobhollenbeck6816]

You can't see that grin through that helmet, except you kinda can.

[@sightsandsouthingsounds]

Dale Jr working with the guy who played him in the movie (Chad McCumbee). Pretty cool to see this

[@teresagoodwin7458]

Dale you're so much like your Daddy and Granddaddy Ralph!! You can drive the wheels off of anything you get in to drive!! That looked like a fun ride!! I know you loved every minute of it!!👍😁💞🤗💞 You will excel behind the wheel of any race car🎉🏁🏆🏁💞🤗💞 It comes so naturally to you because you inherited the best of the best genetics from Granddaddy Ralph and your Dad THE INTIMIDATOR 🏁🏆🏁💞🤗💞👍🌟🌟🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@teresagoodwin7458]

What a NATURAL GOD GIVEN TALENT 🙏🏻🙏🏻🏁🏆🏁💞🤗💞🏁🏆🏁🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@Carlovingbozo8]

Dale sr. Given talent lol

[@timothykirkman7097]

need this class on the cars tour dale

[@lateApexGraphics]

Could tell he was getting thru the corners better when he did his downshift prior to entry.

[@glenmallory9982]

That sounds so nice.

[@austinhenry069]

PLEASE, PLEASE do an mx5 oval race..

[@ncphotos]

Great video!

[@ZPaul_]

Ngl Mx-5’s on Martinsville would be kinda dope.

[@mattanderson9375]

I will be trying this immediately, in I racing....

[@chris8video]

find me on iracing when there's a good hosted race!!!!

[@markhatcher4325]

Junior was wedged all up in there🤘😜🤘🏁🏁

[@Sinflux420]

Dale Jr’s the man!!

[@keeginlablance859]

Thing a a fucking beast my guy! Good build! 🤘🏻.

[@DilynHorton]

i wonder how much of a staggered "oval setup" they tried on it, or still on a road configuration?

[@trenawawrzyniak4397]

I want to know who was driving the car that pulled in front of him ? And what were the numbers for his lap times?

[@thachuck5123]

I thought that bikes were racing around the shop all day

[@RobRoane]

Surely those things don’t come stock with the sequential shifter?

[@battlestar7779]

What we all wanna know Jr., is, did your Dad teach you how to accelerate and brake appropriately, or, was it self-taught/instinctual ? . Thanks for sharing!

[@oldschoolgamesstories]

I’ll bet that was fun!

[@MarkMeadows90]

I wouldn't mind seeing those Miatas race like, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, North Wilkesboro, or even Darlington.

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

THIS IS GOING TO BE EPIC

[@kevemmert]

Gawd that reminds of my Legends Car

[@JD_Spencer]

Whoa deep into the corner, there's a big diff in driving this and driving a stock car.

[@DJDouglasWarden]

That sounds badass

[@outdoormatt5188]

💥💪💯

[@nathanstebenne3784]

When mooncar meets the real world😊

[@Ghostmotorfinger]

Totally Badass!.

[@EarlUpton-fv8nq]

cell phone holder on the dash so cool

[@eeeeee8565]

Jr is playing with his powerwheel

[@stoopid_roofer6447]

Lol! What the hell??! We have to be living in some sort of alternate universe, and I'm not a conspiracy theorist!... this is weird! ... Dale Earnhardt Jr... making laps in a Mazda Miata...at Martinsville. Lol!!! Okay then!

[@dirtberger4533]

SICK 🏁🏁🏁🏁👍😀.

[@crcracing7409]

Gotta get away from shifting on all ovals regardless of the car. Looks like he is having a blast though.

[@haberbo]

Who'd he pass?

[@gavinvalentino1313]

Yee haw.

[@purplecow5150]

awesome

[@codyC423]

This is hilarious, he's driving this Spec Miata like its a late model

[@xavierdiaz4622]

Why isn’t this a race on iracing yet?

[@chris8video]

It would be a great official race!!! There's been some one-off hosted ones though!

[@kentwright5346]

Never saw a downshift mid-corner.

[@bhp2488]

Oh look, no aero-push or dirty air causing Dale's car to shove up the track.

[@evannuh-koo-la4054]

Yea, because there's no other cars on the track

[@warrenself]

@@evannuh-koo-la4054Less aero dependency = less dirt air complaints.

[@nicolassanchez8318]

Lap times please. That thing was fast and loose in middle

[@brianbiggs3484]

Cool 👍👍🇨🇦✌️🇨🇦✌️👍

[@mrwest5552]

Dale, what are you doing with your racing helmet ? I'm going to a test babe. You're what !?

[@DustyPeppers-ct1kq]

Left handed short track drivers have a natural advantage. 😂

[@chrisdadigger1018]

Doesn’t look like he has a lot of legroom

[@Chargen69]

06:55 looks like those guys need to learn how not to touch the brake petal, jr could definitely give them a lesson on that

[@Samanosuke1138]

Shit got me chubbin’

[@pizzeria188]

Woop that was cool... jr... Bring a Mazda to NASCAR...

[@sergeantmasson3669]

@pizzeria188, Mazda MX-5 is not USA made.

[@sergeantmasson3669]

NOT USA built. Mazda MX-5 cars are all built in Hiroshima Japan.

[@josephhradil86]

And…?

[@tmklunk]

What’s this about? Why is he doing this?

[@jeremysimpson1432]

It’s called having fun. You should try it

[@tmklunk]

@@jeremysimpson1432 went right over your head

[@wormymachine6386]

Dale I would watch you race a bicycle.

[@blakebrewer1308]

Can I try ? Pretty plz. I won't let ya down! Promise!

[@marktucker208]

Something is rattling and it’s pissing me off

[@blakewheeler7066]

Cup engines sound sooooooooooo much better

[@chrisdadigger1018]

Too bad they weren’t s2000s instead.

[@harryfatcat]

Sounds like a chainsaw but it looks like fun!

[@ralphwatten2426]

The shifter should be up on the steering column like other real race cars. I like the idea of the Mazda as a race car on an oval track but it shouldn't be just Mazdas on the course at the same time. I hope NASCAR is looking at this so that car manufacturers can get back into racing. P.S. I like the idea of brake lights on the cars too so that the car behind can plan ahead and that race officials can see when a driver is brake checking.

[@dillonpierce7869]

Proper race cars still have h pattern manuals...... Like all the spec Miatas. Which used to be the street Miatas that's where they all went. 🙈

[@BlueCJ]

For the brakes I think they have SMT data for that so they know when a driver does something intentionally

[@MrMakemyday3]

why in the world would you waste half a day to drive to mville only to drive a handful of laps in a damned upholstered rollerskate

[@donaldtolbert7804]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jameshart7236]

MX5 Cup cars on an oval - how consummately boring...