Dale Earnhardt Jr. typically makes just one Xfinity start each year. But in 2023, he’s making two. After winning twice at Bristol in 2004, he hasn’t secured a victory there since his retirement. This return of Dale Jr. in his #88 Chevrolet has stirred immense excitement among fans.

Beyond Dale Jr.’s comeback, JR Motorsports had three cars in the playoffs. However, the race took a dramatic turn with a major crash on lap 167, involving Josh Berry, Sam Mayer, and Brandon Jones, ending their races in a single incident. Remarkably, Justin Allgaier emerged as the victor, giving Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team a reason to celebrate.

Dale Jr.’s presence didn’t just impact the fans. One of the JRM drivers expressed how his participation in the field influenced their performance.

JRM star opens up about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s influence on his racing journey

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been a mentor to many NASCAR drivers who have come through his team, JRM. His respected status is well-earned, but what’s it like for drivers when the team owner is also on the same race track?

Justin Allgaier shared his perspective after his victory. He revealed the mix of emotions he experienced. He wanted to win the race, but he also felt the pressure to make a clean pass when racing against Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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During the pot race interview, as per Frontstretch, Allgaier explained: “It was cool having Dale Jr on race tonight but it obviously ramps up the pressure, right? And I think that’s where when Dale was out front, man, it was hard. I am like I don’t want Dale to win uh I want to beat him, right? But when I got beside him, we were racing on the same side. You’re like, okay, I can’t run into him right? I want to make sure if I pass, I gotta pass him clean.”

“It was really a lot of fun to be able to race with Dale and all my teammates really to battle it on for a win,” Allgaier concluded.

Despite unexpected problems affecting Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s day, his interaction with Justin Allgaier on the pit road drew significant attention.

Pit road camaraderie of Earnhardt Jr.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team experienced a day filled with unexpected twists and turns, with three of their drivers ending as DNFs. Junior himself was involved in an early exit despite leading for an impressive 47 laps due to a car fire.

Dale revealed he felt more nervous on Friday than he did when attempting to make his first Cup start in 1999. The day didn’t end as well as he had hoped, even though he gained the lead after starting 15th. His disappointment was evident in the outcome.

After the race, as per NBC, Dale Jr. expressed, “I was just so disappointed we didn’t get to finish where we wanted to. At the same time, I was happy about our car winning. I couldn’t wait to see Justin. Couldn’t wait to tell him how proud and happy I was.”

Looking ahead, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to make his second entry at Homestead-Miami in October. The question remains: will he secure a win there?

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