After Pocono success, Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses possibility of more crew chief gigs: "I'm not going to seek it out"

Dale Earnhardt Jr. guided his JR Motorsports' No. 88 Chevrolet to Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway on Saturday (June 21). But the NASCAR Hall of Famer is not planning to lobby for the role in the future.

Calling the shots as crew chief in a one-off appearance, Dale Jr. helped Connor Zilisch to his second Xfinity Series win of the season in a chaotic afternoon at the Tricky Triangle. Subbing in for suspended crew chief Mardy Lindley, his first-ever pit box experience turned into a strategic masterclass.

But when asked post-race if he'd consider doing it again, the two-time Daytona 500 winner was cautious.

"I mean it's really up to the crew chiefs, the teams individually. I think I would not ever walk in the shop and go 'Hey, I'd be up for doing it'. I'm not going to do that. But if we find ourselves unfortunately where Jim (Pohlman) or somebody gets suspended—or even Mardy again—if they want me to do it, I would absolutely happily do it," Dale Jr. said during the post-race press conference via NASCAR (7:22 onwards).

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wasn't scheduled for crew chief duty at Pocono. But NASCAR’s post-race inspection after the Tennessee Lottery 250 in Nashville changed that. Zilisch had two unsecured lug nuts on his Chevrolet, violating NASCAR Rule Book's tire and wheel guidelines (Sections 8.8.10.4a).

The infraction earned a $10,000 fine and a one-race suspension for 88 crew chief Lindley, prompting the JR Motorsports co-owner to step in. At Pocono, he leaned on familiar support, most notably his former Cup crew chief and current Prime Video broadcast partner Steve Letarte.

"I would feel confident that we could go out and get a good result, if we needed to do this again. But I'm not going to seek it out. It was a lot of fun, a lot of pressure, definitely out of my wheelhouse for sure, and I had tons of support," Earnhardt added. (7:52 onwards)

Earnhardt was also joined in Pocono's Victory Lane by his wife Amy and daughters Isla and Nicole. He was visibly emotional about sharing the moment, later writing on X:

"So glad our girls can experience this great sport. Core memory. 🟡"

Though his impromptu role brought results, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is unlikely to lobby for more. However, he won't rule it out.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports shines as Connor Zilisch leads team sweep into top 10

Connor Zilisch and JR Motorsports team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr., after winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono. Source: Getty

The 100-lap Explore the Pocono Mountains 250 underlined the strength of the entire JR Motorsports operation. Connor Zilisch led 34 laps and executed a flawless late restart to pass his friend, Jesse Love, holding him off by 0.437 seconds to seal his first oval victory.

It was a testament not only to the 18-year-old rookie's talent but also to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s bold decision to keep the No. 88 out at the end of Stage 2, sacrificing stage points in favor of track position. But it was a milestone day for the entire JR Motorsports team. The three other JR Motorsports entries also made the top 10.

Carson Kvapil finished sixth, Sammy Smith came home eighth, while Justin Allgaier landed P10, extending his points lead. With Zilisch, Smith, and Allgaier already race winners in 2025, Kvapil remains the only JR Motorsports driver yet to lock in a postseason berth via victory. However, he holds sixth place with 442 points.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl