Dale Earnhardt Jr. debuts as team boss and wins at Pocono with Zilisch

Dale Earnhardt Jr., recognized for his popularity in NASCAR, proved his worth off the track by serving as crew chief in a recent Xfinity series race. Earnhardt, who has been awarded NASCAR’s most popular driver on multiple occasions, assumed the role of crew chief for young driver Connor Zilisch in the number 88 Chevrolet. Earnhardt’s unexpected participation was due to the suspension of the usual crew chief, Mardy Lindley. The result was a victory for Zilisch at Pocono Raceway, marking a successful debut for Earnhardt as team principal.

We had a lot of things going for us.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

In addition to his responsibilities as the owner of the JR Motorsports team, Earnhardt was also present at Pocono for his work on Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series broadcast.

Lots of fun for me today. I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcasting, don’t get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Owning really doesn’t offer this. This is so much fun.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The victory continued a standout season for the NASCAR Hall of Famer. Zilisch, who will turn 19 in July, achieved his second Xfinity series win of the season and the third of his young career. Zilisch overtook Jesse Love in the final laps to secure the victory.

Dale Jr., he’s not bad in the box. It’s great to have him there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as a crew chief is incredible.

Connor Zilisch