Kyle Petty Explains Why Dale Earnhardt’s Name on Merchandise Sales List Is a 'Sad Statement' for NASCAR

Originally posted on The SportsRush
By Gowtham Ramalingam | Last updated Jun 4, 2025 7:50 AM ET

Sports Business Journal recently revealed which drivers lead the NASCAR merchandise sales in 2025. Kyle Larson was at the top of the list, followed by Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and others. Discussing this on Fast Talk, former driver Kyle Petty explained why the list made him concerned about the state of the sport.

As always, the Earnhardts were among the top sellers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was seventh, and Dale Earnhardt Sr. was ninth. Petty said of this, “Earnhardt always sold, right? But Bill Elliott was always the most popular driver. So, the guy that didn’t sell the most was the most popular driver. That’s what we are going to see here. It’s the same thing.”

His point is that since there are no big heroes in the active field, fans still go back to the Earnhardts. “That’s why I say I look at the merch list with sadness. Because you’re telling me these guys aren’t relevant. Because their souvenir sales aren’t making them relevant. That’s a sad statement to where the sport is,” he noted.

.@KyleLarsonRacin is the leading @NASCAR driver in merchandise sales halfway through the 2025 regular season.

@ChaseElliott has been No. 1 in recent prior years. https://t.co/PYsxBcmv5K

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) May 30, 2025

The opinion that there aren’t many stars worth following in the active field has been floating around for a long time. NASCAR’s unspoken code of conduct prevents individuals from expressing their thoughts openly without fear of consequence. Seldom do drivers walk past the line of what’s right and wrong to earn the admiration of fans.

Will Kyle Larson defeat his teammate Chase Elliott?

Elliott has been named NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver for the last seven seasons consecutively. Even when his performance on the track dipped to an all-time low in 2023 and 2024, he did not lose traction with fans. But without him picking up his results, this could soon change — particularly now that Larson is breathing down his neck, closer than ever.

Larson’s popularity has been steadily increasing across the world in recent years. He has become the biggest performer of the Cup Series and made headlines by competing in the Indianapolis 500. After years of playing second fiddle to Elliott in this battle of fame, 2025 could be when he finally pulls ahead of his teammate.

But, of course, the released list only reflects sales status at the halfway mark of the regular season. There is still a long road ahead and the numbers at the end of the year will largely be dictated by how these drivers perform on the track.

This article first appeared on The SportsRush and was syndicated with permission.

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