Menu
Dale Earnhardt Jr. faces a tough task tonight at Bristol Motorspeedway in his first NASCAR race in almost a year. However, Earnhardt faced the media prior to practice Friday morning. Here are three important things we learned from that press conference.
With all the news on Charters, be it the agreement or SHR’s fire sale, A major topic of conversation has been whether or not JR Motorsports will finally take the step into NASCAR’s top level.
Of course, Earnhardt was asked this question and, once again, walked around with a defined answer. However, we know that they are interested in taking that step. But, as he later added, JRM is more or less waiting for the right opportunity rather than making it a goal of theirs.
While it may not happen, it’s still fun to imagine JRM’s future in the Cup Series.
Connor Zilisch may be the hottest topic in all of NASCAR right now. The 18-year-old phenom won in his Xfinity Series debut at Watkins Glen last week and, earlier this year, signed to drive that same ride full-time in 2025.
That ride is Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 Chevrolet Camaro at JR Motorsports. For the first time since fielding Cole Custer’s truck series entry for SHR in 2015 and 2016, JR Motorsports is fielding a non-Hendrick Motorsports developmental driver.
However, many fans and insiders are wondering if it will be for just one season or if it is a planned long-term deal. At the press conference, Earnhart told the media that Zilisch would be there for one to two years. Most assumed this was the case as his Cup Series will more than likely be performance-based.
Furthermore, it sounds like Carson Kvapil is a realistic candidate to replace Brandon Jones at JRM in 2025. Carson is the other stand-out part-time driver of the No. 88 this season, with solid runs at multiple tracks. Earnhardt said that he hopes to get the Late-Model champion at JRM full-time in the near future.
It’s been a yearly tradition or holiday in some households when Dale Jr competes in his one NASCAR race each season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. However, we reported earlier this year that this could be his last.
Earnhardt has expressed that Bristol could be his final race. Optimistically, most fans claim that this is how he acts every year. However, in his press conference at Bristol, Earnhardt confirmed there is no plan in place as of right now.
However, in his typical way, he very clearly left the door open to race again should the sponsorship or scenario come into place. While it seems like this could be the final NASCAR race for the Hall-of-Famer, he is just as honest about the difficulty of that decision as ever.
What do you think about all this? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is, and don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
