Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a fan favorite, although he has never won a Cup Series championship. The 49-year-old is the son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and is a legendary name in NASCAR garages. Despite this reputation, the future of the NASCAR Hall of Famer remains uncertain, as JRM recently announced Connor Zilisch to become his successor. His sister, Kelley EarnhardtCo-owner of JRM, gave important insights into his brother’s crisis in the championship.
The Chevy No. 88 is known to be driven by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the NASCAR field. In recent years, however, he has only made small guest appearances as his appearances have drastically decreased. His last Xfinity Series race was last year in Miami and he has not won a single race in eight years. This slump prompted the team to look for new talent, which led to the signing of Connor Zilisch to take his place in the team.
He absolutely loves the racing. He just ebbs and flows, he's having a ton of fun in the Late Models, and trying to run as much of that as he can. He wants to do that 4-6 times a year.Kelley Earnhardt said in an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
On the other hand, Kelley Earnhardt explained that despite the fact that his No. 88 charter now passes to the 18-year-old, his brother is very happy to drive the newer models. She also revealed that the 49-year-old’s reign in the championship is not over yet and they will be looking for a schedule in the coming month.
I don't want to say he's done Xfinity racing, but we don't have anything on the map right now for him. It could just change, we've got a lot of balls falling and rising right now. Over the next month or so, hopefully it'll all come together and and we'll have an exact plan.Kelley Earnhardt said
Connor Zilisch makes fun of Dale Earnhardt Jr.
While Dale Earnhardt would lose his spot in Xfinity for the time being, his replacement driver had previously been criticized by the Hall of Famer. However, after taking his place, the teenager wasted no time in poking fun at the former Cup Series racer.
Zilisch was referring to a tweet he had previously made when announcing his partnership with Trackhouse Racing. The 49-year-old then sarcastically replied to the post, claiming that the driver needed to improve his arm fold technique. However, when he signed with JRM, he tweeted the same post, tagging his boss and claiming that he had considered his advice and taken it seriously.
I take my arm crossing seriously now @DaleJr(Dale Earnhardt Jr.)Connor Zilisch wrote on X
That being said, Earnhardt is expected to make one more appearance at Bristol this year, so before he potentially retires from the Xfinity Series, you could see him at least a few more times in the No. 88 Chevrolet.
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