With three drivers running the Round of 8, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s team is a force to reckon with in the Xfinity Series. Among them, Justin Allgaier is a dazzling veteran. Ever since the Xfinity playoff system started in 2016, he has been the only driver to crack the postseason every year. With the 2024 Championship race looming ahead just two races away, Allgaier occupies the first rank with two wins, 17 top-tens, and 8 top-fives. Nevertheless, Dale Earnhardt Jr is concerned.

Allgaier’s teammates – Sam Mayer and Sammy Smith – are also in the playoffs. However, they occupy the lowermost rungs in the playoff grid. Additionally, certain setbacks may befall them in the upcoming race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Race mishaps have already plagued these drivers, so Dale Earnhardt Jr is worried about their championship prospects.

Dale Earnhardt Jr alerts his team

The 2024 year has been as prosperous as it has been tumultuous for JR Motorsports. For instance, the Talladega playoff race spelled wildly polar results for the team’s drivers. 20-year-old Sammy Smith clinched his second career win in a high-stakes, clutch performance. He started 27th and sliced his way through a 38-car field, avoiding multiple wrecks. But his teammates encountered trouble – Justin Allgaier’s No. 7 Chevy incurred heavy damage in a 12-car accident with 3 laps to go. Then Sam Mayer’s 16th-place finish was nullified as his vehicle was ruled too low in the rear following post-race inspection.

Following these mishaps, Dale Earnhardt Jr is biting his nails regarding the next race. Although Sam Mayer is the defending champ at Homestead holding a three-race glorious streak, tackling the 1.5-mile oval is concerning Dale Jr. He thinks Mayer might be too eager: “Homestead’s been a good track for JR Motorsports. I’m hoping our guys can go in there and stay off the wall…You can knock the side wall out of the tire, it’s easy to do. So having that discipline to stay off of the wall, and just kind of dial it back just a notch…Sam is not going to do that. Sam’s going to go all in. Sammy will as well, as they should.” 

Dale Earnhardt Jr is equally worried about Justin Allgaier. Ever since the postseason started, Allgaier posted four finishes outside the top 25, mainly because of his muck-up in the final stages. Dale Jr expanded on this: “Justin…needs to make sure when he gets to stage 3, he does not hit the fence…and not bring himself down pit road changing a tire.” He also explained one Xfinity flaw might get to him. “The worst part about it isn’t having to come to pit road to put the tire on, ’cause you can get the lap back through the field. But you are now down a set of tires. And the Xfinity Series does not have excess sets of tires. You’re behind on tires, you’re done.”

Allgaier’s crew chief also harbors the same opinion as Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Jr’s team knows the prerequisite

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Justin Allgaier may be at the top of the ranks now, but his season was far from perfect. In the postseason, his troubles were multifold, as Bristol marked the third race in a five-race stretch where he posted finishes worse than the top 25. Allgaier ran the first 51 laps at the Last Great Colosseum smoothly, but chaos began on lap 52. Austin Green’s No. 32 caught the rear of his car, nearly shaving the bumper cover off and forcing Allgaier to pit. In Kansas, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s stud ran three-wide with Connor Zilisch and Sheldon Creed. He lost control of the No. 7 on a tight squeeze and barreled into the inside wall.

So Allgaier’s crew chief, Jim Pohlman, emphasized the need of the hour. While admitting to the strength, he said Allgaier needs to hold steady even during the latter laps. “The consistency of the car is there, as is the speed and the driver. We’ve shown each week that we are plenty capable of winning or be up front and leading laps. The consistency in finishes, I completely understand why the worry is there, and obviously it’s there for all of us. Some things are circumstantial when we have issues, and some of them are of our own doing. It’s hard to not be aggressive, but at the same time, positioning our car at the right time to capitalize is going to be important.”

Hence, the JR Motorsports team has some work to do in its quest for the championship. Dale Earnhardt Jr’s guidance may go a long way in accomplishing that.