In a significant turnaround, Dale Earnhardt Jr. secured a win in his debut as a crew chief, steering Connor Zilisch to victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway. This race was an exceptional one-off session for Earnhardt, who filled in for Mardy Lindley, currently suspended due to an incident involving improperly secured lug nuts found during inspections at Nashville Superspeedway.

Starting from ninth, Zilisch climbed to the front with significant assistance from Earnhardt’s strategic decisions, and by the end of stage 2, the No. 88 car topped the leaderboard. Utilizing a well-timed caution, Zilisch regained the lead thanks to a perfectly executed pit strategy, and held off competitors including Chase Elliott to claim his second victory of the season and third of his Xfinity Series career.

“I’ve missed the thrill of competition,” Earnhardt remarked after the victory, highlighting his appreciation for returning to the racing world. The win further adds to Earnhardt’s impressive NASCAR legacy, which includes substantial achievements as both a driver and now a crew chief.