LONG POND, Pa. — Dale Earnhardt Jr., a Hall of Fame driver and two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, continued his undefeated streak as a crew chief by leading rookie Connor Zilisch to victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway on Saturday. Stepping in for suspended crew chief Mardy Lindley, Earnhardt’s guidance was instrumental in securing the win for the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet.

Earnhardt, who also co-owns JR Motorsports, took charge of strategy and pit road decisions alongside his former crew chief and Prime Video broadcast partner Steve Letarte, with support from team members Mike Bumgarner and Patrick Martin. Their combined expertise helped maximize the car’s performance and navigate key moments during the race weekend.

Strategic Support from Experienced Team Fuels Successful Outcome

Earnhardt entered the weekend without prior crew chief experience but quickly embraced his leadership role. He credited early weekly meetings with the entire team for setting a solid foundation and praised everyone’s collaborative approach.

I felt like I really did have a role today that was probably even more than I anticipated,

Earnhardt said.

But I did get a big assist from out of the gate. Mardy, Pat and all the guys on this team, we all sat down at meetings early in the week, understood what we needed to accomplish, had an idea in a game plan, right? We’d come off the trailer fast, car’s comfortable. That was helpful. So we were ready for the race.

—Dale Earnhardt Jr., JR Motorsports Team Co-Owner

Letarte’s presence was key as well. Having served as Earnhardt’s crew chief during two Cup Series wins at Pocono in 2014, Letarte offered valuable insight from the pit box, advising on strategic gambles that ultimately made the difference.

As the race is playing out, Letarte’s sitting up there with us and he’s like, ‘Here’s an opportunity to kind of do what we didn’t do back in 2014,’

Earnhardt explained.

So we went for it, made the gamble. I’m glad Steve was up here to kind of help us understand what possibilities were on the table. We’ll have to have him come to the beer toast.

—Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Victory Lane Celebration Highlights Earnhardt’s Continuing Legacy

The celebration in Victory Lane at Pocono Raceway was memorable, held close to the Cup Series garage and allowing fans to join the festivities. The crowd enthusiastically cheered Earnhardt, Zilisch, and the team, underscoring Earnhardt’s lasting popularity following his 15 consecutive Most Popular Driver Awards.

Joining Earnhardt were his wife Amy and their daughters Isla and Nicole, who were able to experience a special family moment in Victory Lane, something Earnhardt values deeply.

I don’t think I’ll ever get to take them to Victory Lane as a driver, so I love that they get to experience just things about NASCAR,

Earnhardt shared.

I had such a great time growing up as a kid in this sport just running around here and and I want them to have that opportunity and understand that this is a place where they could create opportunities for themselves down the road. I’ll let them do what they want to do with their lives, and steer themselves where they want to go and support everything they want to do. But I certainly want them to want them to know that NASCAR is an option and exists and there’s so many possibilities.

And if they’re enjoying being around it, they can find ways to make a living at it. So we’ll see. These are core memories, that they make, I believe, walking down pit road and going to Victory Lane.

—Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Key Race Decisions Propel Zilisch to Breakthrough Win

Neither Earnhardt as a crew chief nor Zilisch as a winner on an oval track had anticipated this success going into the weekend. Zilisch’s previous wins had come only on road courses. Earnhardt’s choice to keep Zilisch out during the concluding laps of Stage 2 rather than pitting for fresh tires secured important regular-season and playoff points, strongly influencing their late-race position.

Earnhardt admitted that strategy calls kept him on edge without full confidence in fuel mileage information, which his usual crew chief Mardy Lindley typically manages. However, the ongoing communication among the team and Letarte’s guidance helped them find a confident plan.

Steve was definitely all about that strategy,

Earnhardt said.

That’s really right up his alley. But I was nervous because I don’t have Mardy there to really tell me confidently, ‘This is the fuel mileage we’re getting.’ We were in traffic when we were measuring our fuel all day, and then when we get to the lead, the fuel mileage changes a little bit. So you’ve got to adhere to those changes and understand you really can’t push the car and run him out of gas. That’s really one of the last things I wanted to do today.

So there’s a lot of conversation up there to figure it out and finally land on something we can feel confident about. And so I felt it felt good to have some input and decision-making power, if you will.

—Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt’s Guidance Helps Zilisch Navigate Final Race Moments

Beyond strategy, Earnhardt also offered tactical advice on restarts and driving techniques, continuing a mentorship that began earlier in the week. He appreciated Zilisch’s eagerness to absorb this knowledge, preventing the rookie from relying solely on instinct.

He was asking some questions about what he should do,

Earnhardt noted,

and I was thankful that he wanted to know those answers because I definitely didn’t want him doing what he thought he should do. But I know he’s the kind of guy that’s like, ‘Hey, tell me everything. There’s not enough information.’

—Dale Earnhardt Jr.

On the final restart, Zilisch executed a decisive move by charging left of competitor Jesse Love exiting Turn 3, seizing the lead with just four laps remaining to clinch the victory.

Perfect Crew Chief Record Adds to Earnhardt’s Storied Career

With this win, Dale Earnhardt Jr. maintains a flawless 100% record as a NASCAR crew chief—a remarkable feat considering it was his first time in that role. This achievement not only highlights his versatility within the sport but also sets a promising tone for more leadership roles and mentoring opportunities in the future.

This victory marks a significant milestone for Zilisch’s career and demonstrates the potent combination of veteran experience and rookie talent within JR Motorsports. As the series progresses, fans and teams alike will watch closely to see if Earnhardt continues this perfect streak and how Zilisch builds on this breakthrough success.