Throughout his lifetime around NASCAR racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has done just about everything there is to do in America's most prominent motorsport.
He's had success as a driver, a team owner, and a broadcaster. He's taken on an ambassadorial position as powerful as anyone else involved in the garage, and he's even dabbled in series ownership as a co-owner of the regional CARS Tour.
But in the Xfinity Series at Pocono Raceway this weekend, he'll be playing a role he's never played before: crew chief.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. can join a short list of NASCAR legends this weekend
After the Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway, Connor Zilisch's team was penalized for loose lug nuts and his crew chief Mardy Lindley was suspended for a race. That suspension will be served at Pocono Raceway, and it turns out his replacement will be the boss man himself.
I did not have this on my bingo card and just looked at the roster page to make sure this is true and it does list Ralph "Dale" Earnhardt as the crew chief for Connor Zilisch this weekend at Pocono: https://t.co/oMwFbCmx3X
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 18, 2025
This came up last year before the Charlotte race. Dale said something along the lines of “man why don’t they let me do it” and I was like “dude your name is on the building you can do whatever you want”
— Aedan McHugh (@AedanMcHugh) June 18, 2025
So cool to see it actually happening https://t.co/0rC7kjFcZV
There's no doubt that Earnhardt is doing this in large part for no reason other than because he can. But make no mistake: this is more than just some stunt for attention.
Zilisch, though yet to win on an oval in the Xfinity Series, has shown considerable improvement in recent weeks with back-to-back runner-up finishes at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Nashville, and given his road racing background, Pocono is a track that should suit him well.
This is a car that can win the race on Saturday, and if Zilisch does so, Earnhardt will join a select group of names to win at one of NASCAR's top three levels as a driver, owner, and crew chief. Some other drivers on the list include Junior Johnson, Lee Petty, and Wendell Scott.
Based on research I did last year, only 7 people have earned wins as a driver, as a team owner, & as a crew chief.
— Seth Eggert (@SethEggert91) June 18, 2025
If @ConnorZilisch were to win in the @NASCAR_Xfinity race at @PoconoRaceway, @DaleJr would join a fairly exclusive list.#NASCAR | #ExplorePocono250 | @jeff_gluck https://t.co/luqJAVztrS pic.twitter.com/LdMUOm2xm0
Of course, being a crew chief is no easy job, and it could prove to be a rather steep learning curve for "Little E". But in his interim role, it seems like a manageable risk for the two-time Daytona 500 winner to take for just one weekend. If it doesn't go well, then it's back to business as usual next week. If Zilisch can pull off the win, or even just contend for it, then it's one of the coolest stories in NASCAR.
All in all, for everything Earnhardt has brought to the sport over the years, there's no one who has earned an opportunity like this more than he has. When the cars take the green flag in the Explore the Pocono Mountains 250, all of NASCAR will be pulling for the No. 88 machine as its voice atop the pit box looks to add yet one more distinction to his legendary name.