Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads No. 88 to victory at Pocono

Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped into the role of temporary crew chief for the No. 88 team at Pocono Raceway — an opportunity that arose when Mardy Lindley was suspended due to loose lug nuts.

The connection between the Earnhardt and Lindley families has deep roots — their fathers competed against each other in the 1970s, and both lost their fathers to racing.

“I love owning race cars and racking up statistics and championships, but it doesn’t have the competitive pressure that today does,” expressed Earnhardt during the press conference.

Connor Zilisch, the 18-year-old rising star, secured his first oval track victory under Earnhardt’s guidance. While the technical team handled car setup, Earnhardt focused on race strategy and driver coaching.

“I’m not a fool to think I had control of all the buttons and levers, but mid-way through the race, I was feeling it. We were in great conversations with the engineers about what we should do,” added Earnhardt.

Earnhardt expressed willingness to return as crew chief if needed, though he won’t actively seek the position.