Kelley Earnhardt gives a major update on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s racing future as JRM signs Connor Zilisch for No:88 Chevy

JRM recently announced the signing of Connor Zilisch in place of veteran Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Kelley Earnhardt gives a major update on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s racing future as JRM signs Connor Zilisch for No:88 Chevy

Kelly Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a fan favorite despite never being able to win a Cup Series championship. The 49-year-old is the son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt and is a fabled name within NASCAR garages. Despite such a reputation, the NASCAR Hall of Famer’s future remains in uncertainty as JRM recently announced Connor Zilisch to be replacing him. However, his sister, Kelley Earnhardt, who is the co-owner of JRM revealed crucial insights regarding his brother’s rut in the championship.

The No.88 Chevy is known to be driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NASCAR field. However, he has made small cameos in recent years as his appearances have decreased drastically. His last Xfinity Series race was at Miami last year and he has not won a single race in eight years. This slump caused the team to look for new talent which led to the signing of Connor Zilisch to take up his place within the team.

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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 at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

On the other hand, Kelley Earnhardt explained that despite his No.88 charter now going to the 18-year-old, she asserted that his brother loves to run the late models. She further revealed that the 49-year-old’s tenure in the championship is not over and they would look for a roadmap in the coming month.

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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
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Connor Zilisch takes a jibe at Dale Earnhardt Jr.

While Dale Earnhardt would be losing his drive in Xfinity for now, his replacement driver had been at the receiving end of the Hall of Famer’s criticism earlier. However, after taking his seat the teenager did not waste any time and took a dig at the former Cup Series racer.

Conor Zilisch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Conor Zilisch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Via IMAGO)

Zilisch referred to a tweet he made earlier when he announced his partnership with Trackhouse Racing, then the 49-year-old had made a sarcastic reply on the post as he claimed that the former required to improve his arm folding technique. On the contrary, when he signed with JRM, he tweeted the same post while tagging his boss and claiming that he considered his advice and took it seriously.

I take my arm crossing seriously now @DaleJr[Dale Earnhardt Jr.]
Connor Zilisch wrote on X

Apart from this, Earnhardt is anticipated to make another appearance at Bristol this year. Thus, before potentially ending his Xfinity Series career, he would be spotted driving the No.88 Chevy a few more times at least.

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