NASCAR Xfinity Collection rookie Connor Zilisch may have a brand new voice calling the photographs on the pit field this weekend at Pocono Raceway, but it surely’s not a reputation you’d count on to see on the roster as crew chief.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Corridor of Famer and proprietor of JR Motorsports, will function crew chief for the 18-year-old driver throughout Saturday’s Discover The Pocono Mountains 250 at Pocono Raceway in Lengthy Pond, Pennsylvania.
Earnhardt Jr. will make his debut as a NASCAR crew chief following the one-race suspension of crew chief Mardy Lindley. He earned the sitdown after NASCAR found Zilisch’s No. 88 Chevrolet had two free lug nuts at a post-race inspection at Nashville Superspeedway on Could 31.
It is just one race, however it will likely be enjoyable to see Earnhardt Jr., who is probably the very best advocate for NASCAR of anybody within the business, tackle a brand new problem.
Earnhardt Jr. would be the voice guiding Zilisch across the 2.5-mile “Difficult Triangle” of Pocono for the primary time within the younger driver’s profession. If the primary 15 races of his rookie season are any indication, Zilisch — who’s fifth within the collection standings — will not have any points determining one in all NASCAR’s most uncommon tracks.
Earnhardt Jr. received 26 Cup Collection races, together with two Daytona 500s, and in addition carved out a legendary profession within the Xfinity Collection, successful 24 races in 147 begins and the 1998 and 1999 titles. It’s unknown whether or not or not Earnhardt Jr. will make one other Xfinity Collection begin in his profession, however Saturday offers him the possibility to earn a victory in a special function.
