Apart from being the host of one of the most successful NASCAR podcasts in the world today, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is also the owner of a racing team, JR Motorsports. The team primarily races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. They have four full-time drivers in their ranks, Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Josh Berry, and Brandon Jones. The team has faced its share of issues, but Junior draws inspiration from one of the newer teams in the Cup Series, Kaulig Racing.
Kaulig Racing made its Cup Series debut in 2020 at Daytona. Over three years, they have won one race in the competition. But their greatest exploits have been in the Xfinity Series where they have notched up 23 wins so far. Registering numerous wins while competing against the likes of Dale Jr.’s JR Motorsports has put a bounty on their heads.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. outlines what JRM can learn from Kaulig
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On a recent episode of The Dale Jr Download podcast, Junior invited Kaulig Racing’s full-time Cup Series driver, Justin Haley. Junior lavished praise on how the team had functioned since its inception. Despite being one of the newer entities in NASCAR, Kaulig has a clear chain of communication. To attain that in the fast-paced world of NASCAR is seriously impressive.
“Y’all’s ability to really like, control the races, and not be selfish, that was really impressive because it was a relatively young, inexperienced team, you hadn’t been around forever like a Hendrick Motorsports has but still there was enough communication and preparation,” he said.
Junior was also impressed with how Kaulig Racing’s drivers have always kept the team ahead of personal goals, which is crucial for any team in its initial years in the sport. That is also one issue that Junior felt, as a team owner, that JR Motorsports sometimes has trouble with.
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“All of y’all were willing to kind of lay your egos aside so to speak in those races and work together and y’all would control the field the entire night…until the very last corner, and still figure out a way to get all three cars across the finish line,” he said.
“Our team struggles with that sometimes, trying to figure out who’s supposed to lead, whether you’re supposed to race your teammate or not race your teammate when that’s okay and when that’s not okay,” the former Cup Series driver added.
Junior was not just full of praise for Kaulig Racing. As it turned out, he is a big fan of the young up-and-comer Justin Haley. According to Junior, the 24-year-old got unfairly disqualified from what would have been his biggest moment five years ago.
Junior backs Kaulig star over controversial decision five years ago
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The 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Daytona ended with controversy. In the closing stages of the race, Justin Haley had overtaken a young Kyle Larson on the inside and held on to the lead until the end of the race.
Unfortunately, Haley got disqualified as, according to NASCAR, he had overtaken Larson outside the yellow line on the inside of the track which signified track limits. Dale Jr. did not shy away from making his feelings known from the incident.
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“Well, so the thing is, the way I felt about in the moment was like man that was his moment to thrust himself onto the main stage of the industry and be like. And it was just taken from you…I think everybody in that moment was sitting there going, “Man that’s some bull****,” he said.
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Justin Haley might not be a heavyweight on the Cup Series grid today, but the 24-year-old seems to have a bright future ahead, and he also has gotten Dale Jr.’s endorsement. Will he be able to win the Cup Series in the future? What do you make of Earnhardt’s claims? Let us know your thoughts below.
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