Latest news with #Earnhardt
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals Worst Part About Being NASCAR Owner
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals Worst Part About Being NASCAR Owner originally appeared on The Spun. "We kind of stepped on our you know what." There's no denying that Dale Earnhardt Jr. loves the perks of being a NASCAR team owner. But there are some downsides that he felt like addressing this week. On the latest episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Earnhardt lamented how "boring" the recent Xfinity Race. He attributed it to his cars running into each other and ultimately costing them the race. 'Xfinity race was kind of boring for the Junior Motorsports guys,' Earnhardt said. 'We had a shot at winning it. We kind of stepped on our you know what. 'This is the sucky part about being an owner is your cars running into each other. Connor (Zilisch) went down in the corner three-wide, missed the bottom, got loose and hit (Ross) Chastain, and Chastain got shoved up into (Justin) Allgaier, and Allgaier got spun out. It feels like Allgaier gets run over by his teammates at least once or twice a year.' But while he may have been upset, he acknowledged that it's part of the territory with being an owner. He said that there are always young drivers that make mistakes and "get it wrong every now and then." 'This is just the circumstances that happen when you got these young kids coming up through the program,' Earnhardt said. 'It's just like the Cars Tour. They are going to make mistakes, they are going to race hard, they are going to do things, they are going to get it wrong every now and then.' Results in Iowa Dale Jr's JR Motorsports team saw five drivers finishing in the top 16 in Iowa this past weekend. Ross Chastain finished third, Connor Zilisch was fourth, Carson Kvapil was ninth, Sammy Smith finished 15th and Justin Allgaier finished 16th. The results keep Dale Jr. firmly in first place in the Owners' championship standings with 821. He's nearly 50 points clear of his sister Kelley and a full 65 points ahead of Gene Haas. As for his drivers, Zilisch and Allgaier are currently tied for the lead with 772 points apiece. Can Dale Jr's drivers overcome their hurdles in Iowa and claim the title for him? Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals Worst Part About Being NASCAR Owner first appeared on The Spun on Aug 6, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Aug 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Addresses His Future as a Crew Chief
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped up as the crew chief for JR Motorsports and led Connor Zilisch to a race win at Pocono Raceway. Earnhardt is a co-owner of the racing team, but when Zilisch's crew chief, Mardy Lindley, was banned from participating in the race, the NASCAR Hall of Famer stepped up and took on the responsibility. Lindley proposed the idea to the co-owner after finding out he was suspended due to loose lug nuts. Earnhardt was hesitant at first, but eventually came around to the idea. Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, and JR Motorsports team owner, and fill-in crew chief Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250... Connor Zilisch, driver of the #88 Registix Chevrolet, and JR Motorsports team owner, and fill-in crew chief Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrate in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 at Pocono Raceway on June 21, 2025 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. More Photo byAs a driver, he won several races, and as an analyst, he has seen other drivers do the same, but this time, as a crew chief, he got a different look at what goes on during a race. After the race, Earnhardt said he had fun in the role and enjoyed competing again, albeit in a different position. "I love owning race cars, and I love racking up statistics and championships, but it does not have the competitive sort of skin in the game, if you will, that (today) does," Earnhardt said at the post-race press conference. "If you're in the car, it's on you to make sure you're doing everything right. And when you're the crew chief, you're under a ton of pressure. I understand that I did not come in here and handle all of the layers that Mardy usually handles or any given crew chief manages. "They certainly were putting me in a position to do some light lifting, but as the race went on, we got more comfortable and more aggressive. "It was fun. I felt like I really had some involvement, some input in the energy that the crew and team had. Keeping them pumped up, everybody executing, and keeping Connor aware of what are goals were and what our expectations were on the restarts. He wanted to deliver." Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves the door open to be an interim crew chief again. But only if the absent crew chief wants him to do it (as Mardy Lindley did today). — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 22, 2025 Zilisch showed impressive driving chops at the age of 18, keeping his cool and adjusting to hearing a new voice in his ear. Earnhardt wasn't the reason he won the race, but the racing legend did play a part, and he would do it again if the situation arose. "I would not ever walk in the shop and say I'd be up for doing but if we find ourselves unfortunately where somebody gets suspended, if they want me to do it, I would happily do it," Earnhardt added.
22-06-2025
- Automotive
Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR national series debut as crew chief at Pocono
LONG POND, Pa. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,' Earnhardt said. 'And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.' Earnhardt — who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. 'I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,' Earnhardt said. 'I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.' The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. 'Midway through the race man, I was feeling it,' Earnhardt said. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt. 'I don't know that I see myself doing it again,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
22-06-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins another race — as a first-time crew chief in Xfinity Series
LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,' Earnhardt said. 'And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.' Earnhardt, who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times, made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug-nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Older daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while younger Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. 'I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,' Earnhardt said. 'I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.' The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Famer — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 — after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. 'Midway through the race, man, I was feeling it,' Earnhardt said. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt. 'I don't know that I see myself doing it again,' he said.
Toronto Sun
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Sun
Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins NASCAR national series debut as crew chief at Pocono
Published Jun 21, 2025 • 2 minute read Hall of Fame driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. looks on prior to a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Darlington Raceway, Sept. 3, 2023, in Darlington, S.C. Photo by Matt Kelley / AP LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. might already be NASCAR's most popular crew chief. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. 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Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account He's certainly an undefeated one. Pressed into unexpected service, Earnhardt called the shots for 18-year-old prospect Connor Zilisch in the No. 88 Chevrolet and they landed in victory lane Saturday in the second-tier Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. 'It felt good to have some input and decision-making power,' Earnhardt said. 'And then helping Connor understand what our plan was so he knew when to push and what he was expected to do.' Earnhardt — who won NASCAR's most-popular driver award 15 times — made a pit stop from his day job as team owner at JR Motorsports with normal crew chief Mardy Lindley suspended one race because of a lug nut infraction this month at Nashville. Aside from his duties as team owner, Earnhardt also was at Pocono for his role on the Prime broadcast for the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Lot of fun for me today,' Earnhardt said. 'I missed the thrill of competition. I love broadcast, don't get me wrong. But nothing compares to driving or just being part of the team. Being an owner doesn't really deliver like this. This is a lot of fun.' Earnhardt had his wife and two young daughters in tow with him as he made the celebratory walk to victory lane. Oldest daughter Isla Rose clutched the checkered flag while youngest Nicole Lorraine soaked in the scene from her dad's arms. 'I love that they just get to experience things about NASCAR,' Earnhardt said. 'I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport, just running around here. I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The win continued a banner season for the NASCAR Hall of Fame driver — who swept two races at Pocono as a driver in 2014 _ after JR Motorsports and reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier qualified for the season-opening Daytona 500 and secured their Cup Series debut. Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s, in 2004 and 2014, and 26 races overall. His side hustle Saturday was made a bit easier with Zilisch behind the wheel. Zilisch, who turns 19 in July, raced to his second Xfinity victory of the season and third of his young career. He won his Xfinity debut last year at Watkins Glen International. Earnhardt even pitched in during the race and tossed tires over the wall during pit stops. 'Midway through the race man, I was feeling it,' Earnhardt said. Zilisch took the win down to the wire and finally passed Jesse Love with five laps left in the race. Love finished second. 'Dale Junior, not too bad on the box,' Zilisch said. 'Pretty cool to have him up there. Getting him a 1-for-1 win as crew chief is pretty awesome.' Even with the victory, it just might be one-and-done on the pit box for Earnhardt. 'I don't know that I see myself doing it again,' he said. Check out our sports section for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section for news and odds. Columnists Columnists Toronto & GTA World Toronto & GTA
