Connor Zilisch gives Dale Earnhardt jr. His first Nascar victory as a crew head

Long Pound, Dad. – Dale Earnhardt jr. Took the role seriously. He attended meetings. He made notes. He was at a pit exercise.

When the Xfinity Series Garage opened at Pocono Raceway on Friday afternoon, he was there.

It was not a publicity stunt or a chance to add another line to his Hall of Fame CV. Earnhardt was committed to fulfilling the role that Mardy Lindley evacuated, which served a suspension of one race after Connor Zilisch’s car had several air nuts that were not secured in Nashville earlier this month.

It was Lindley who suggested that Earnhardt, co-owner of the JR Motorsports car, take the role of the crew head for Saturday’s race. Earnhardt has accepted, after he has never served in the role of a Nascar National Series race.

Zilisch took the lead with five laps to achieve his third career XFinity victory (first on an oval) and gave Earnhardt the victory as crew head.

“Certainly more of an adrenaline rush than being an owner,” Earnhardt said after becoming one of the few in Nascar to win a win as manager, owner and crew head. ‘I love owning race cars, and likes statistics and championships, but it doesn’t have the competitive type of skin in the game, if you want, this particular day does.

“If you are the head of crew, you are under a large amount of pressure. I understand that I didn’t come in here and all the layers Mardy usually handles or handle any given crew head, they certainly enabled me to do some light lifting. As the race went on, we became more comfortable and more aggressive and it was nice.

“I felt that I really had some involvement and input in the energy the crew had … to pump them and perform everyone, and to keep Connor aware of what our goals were, how our expectations were on these restarts. He wanted to fulfill all expectations. I felt in the aspect it was a good day. “

The hardest part of the day for Earnhardt?

Get in the pit box to stand behind the pit wall and roll a tire to the carrier during a pit stop.

“I think the one thing I was most nervous about was actually the leading leading band. … There is a tenth (of a second) or two or even half a second between how far you can take it out (the tire carrier). You need the line so he knows where the boxes are fast and can place the tape quickly.

Jesse Love finished second and was followed by Christian Eckes, Chase Elliott and Ryan Sieg.

Phase 1 winner: Brandon Jones

Phase 2 winner: Connor Zilisch

Following: The series chases at 7:30 pm on Friday, June 27 in Atlanta.