“Coolest shit ever if this car wins”: Fans react as Dale Earnhardt Jr. gears up for NASCAR comeback in never seen before role

This weekend, NASCAR Hall of Famer and JR Motorsports co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. will step in as the crew chief for the #88 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series at Pocono Raceway. Fans online have reacted with excitement and a generally positive outlook to Dale Jr.’s debut in a new role.

The #88 car is driven by one of his developmental prodigies, Connor Zilisch, giving the two a chance at collaboration between mentor and mentee. Dale Jr. is filling in for Mardy Lindley, who is serving a one-race ban.

Lindley was suspended for one race after a post-race inspection at Nashville Superspeedway revealed that the #88 car had two unsecured lug nuts. This infraction resulted in a $10,000 fine for the team and Lindley’s suspension, which was deferred to allow him to fulfil his role at Mexico City, will be served at Pocono.

This will mark Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s debut as crew chief in any level of NASCAR competition. Earnhardt Jr. will bring extensive experience as a driver and will guide Connor Zilisch, who is currently ranked fifth in the 2025 Xfinity Series standings. JR Motorsports announced the news on X, writing:

"This weekend, @DaleJr will be filling in for Mardy Lindley as crew chief of the No. 88 as Lindley serves his one race suspension for loose lugnuts following the NXS race in Nashville two weeks ago."

Fans online have reacted to Dale Jr.’s upcoming debut as a crew chief. One fan called it the “coolest” move by Dale Jr. if the #88 ends up winning the race. He wrote:

"Coolest shit ever if this car wins."

Kevin Zabloudil

@zabmoto

LINK

Coolest shit ever if this car wins.

One called it a good strategic and financial move. He added:

"Not a bad idea the 88s already locked into the playoffs and instead of finding a replacement for one week maybe Dale just wanted to give it a try for himself. Hope Dale has a good time doing it."

Colby Evans

@StartAndParkCar

LINK

Not a bad idea the 88s already locked into the playoffs and instead of finding a replacement for one week maybe Dale just wanted to give it a try for himself

Hope Dale has a good time doing it

Another fan called it a “cool thing” and expressed excitement about the next episode of Dale Jr. Download, Junior’s podcast.

"Man Dale just out there doing everything he can in NASCAR .. this is a really cool thing .. I’m excited to hear how it goes after he does it. Will be a fun download next week hearing his recap of it all," one fan wrote.

"THIS IS AWESOME," another fan penned.

"Dale out here doing every job in the sport like he’s catching Pokémon," another fan jokingly said.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a third-generation NASCAR driver and one of its most visible and impactful personalities. Dale is the son of the legendary 7-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Dale Earnhardt, and made a name for himself as a two-time Xfinity Series champion before moving to the Cup Series. Jr. quickly became a fan-favorite in the Cup Series, winning the Most Popular Driver award an astounding 15 times in a row.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacted to Daniel Suarez's comeback NASCAR Xfinity Series Mexico City win

Daniel Suarez achieved a memorable milestone by winning his first-ever NASCAR home race at the Chilango 150, held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City on June 14, 2025.

Driving the #9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, Suarez overcame a challenging qualifying session and a crash in Turn 11 that forced him to start from the back of the pack in a backup car. Talking about his driver's comeback win, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said via The Athletic:

“Unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Daniel is so beloved here and he has a lot of pride, a lot of national pride, so good to see him have success."

“There’s a lot of pressure on him. I can’t imagine him coming here and feeling the pressure to perform and succeed in front of his fans. I’m so thankful that he’s able to enjoy this moment," he added.

Despite the setbacks, Suarez navigated through the field and seized the lead with 19 laps remaining, capitalizing on a major 13-car pile-up triggered by Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs, ultimately finishing 0.598 seconds ahead of Taylor Gray.