NASCAR Hall of Famer and JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his debut as crew chief for the team‘s No. 88 Chevrolet and driver Connor Zilisch in Saturday‘s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway, JR Motorsports confirmed Wednesday on its X account.
Veteran Mardy Lindley is typically atop the pit box calling the shots for Zilisch. However, the No. 88 Chevrolet had two lug nuts left unsecured after finishing second in the May 31 race at Nashville Superspeedway, resulting in a $10,000 fine and one-race suspension for Lindley. NASCAR officials indicated that suspension was deferred one race, permitting Lindley to perform his normal duties at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City and sidelining him for Pocono.
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A two-time Xfinity Series champion and 24-time series winner behind the wheel, Earnhardt has never called a race as crew chief in any of NASCAR‘s three national series and saw this weekend‘s circumstances as the right opportunity to team with Zilisch. Now broadcasting for Prime Video and TNT Sports‘ Cup Series television coverage, Earnhardt made at least one Xfinity Series start per year from 2001-2024. Although he has no plans to step behind the wheel this season, Earnhardt will maintain his streak of appearances in a competitive role.
Zilisch, the 18-year-old rookie, will make his first appearance at the “Tricky Triangle” on Saturday. The Mooresville, North Carolina native won at Circuit of The Americas in March to secure his spot in the 2025 Xfinity Series Playoffs, collecting one win, four top fives and six top 10s through 14 starts this season. Zilisch missed the May 3 race at Texas Motor Speedway due to a lingering back injury after a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Kyle Larson substituted for Zilisch and scored the victory with Lindley as crew chief.
Earnhardt won two NASCAR Cup Series races at Pocono, sweeping the track‘s two events in 2014, totaling 11 top fives and 15 top 10s across 35 Cup starts at the 2.5-mile triangular track.
Zilisch enters the weekend fifth in the regular-season standings with a three-race streak of top-five finishes intact, placing second at both Charlotte Motor Speedway and Nashville before finishing fifth in Mexico City.
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