On March 1, 2008, NASCAR icon Mark Martin piloted the #5 Chevrolet to victory lane for JR Motorsports at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. 3 years after joining the Busch (Xfinity) series, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team finally made it to victory lane. At the same time, a barely 2-year-old Connor Zilisch had no idea that 17 years later he would be the one to notch up #100.

JR Motorsports’ rise in the Xfinity Series warms the heart of die-hard NASCAR fans. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team has housed generational Cup Series talents such as Chase Elliott and William Byron, while also giving Xfinity Series legend Justin Allgaier his first-ever championship last year. Now, 18-year-old Connor Zilisch is bearing the JRM torch, and after he notched up the team’s milestone 100th win at the hallowed Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Dale Jr. was visibly choked with emotion.

A historic 100th victory amid high stakes and tireless team effort

“For two people that didn’t really have a plan, it’s worked out pretty well!” wrote JR Motorsports co-owner and Dale Jr.’s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, on Instagram. The Pennzoil 250 was the crowning moment for a sibling duo that started this team initially as a marketing division, eventually growing it to the juggernaut it is today. And the manner of the win did not let their hearts rest either.

#88 Connor Zilisch started 5th on the grid, steadily holding his position and waiting for the moment to strike. 5th in stage 1, 2nd in stage 2. However, for most of the race, the attention wasn’t even on him for JR Motorsports. JRM #7 Justin Allgaier led the most laps and had the lead with 14 laps to go; however, a tussle with Kyle Larson on a late restart derailed their chances, and in swooped Connor Zilisch to take the lead. Just like that, the potential winner changed, but the team didn’t.

After an egregious incident involving Austin Hill and Aric Almirola, the field restarted with 5 laps to go, and Taylor Gray got an incredible jump on the restart to take the lead from Zilisch. However, the 18-year-old phenom was not about to let this chance at win #100 slip. With 2 laps to go, Zilisch made a move on the inside, and a crucial shove from Sam Mayer gave the #88 the lead, and he rode it to the checkered flag and kissed the bricks.

Experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after the race, “Yeah, I got a lot of people to thank, but he [Connor Zilisch] did a good job, man, just awesome drive at the end. We got some help from Sam [Mayer] on the back straightaway, but uh, just a good little driver. And, man, these races are tough on your heart, up and down, up and down,”

Then, when asked about how he felt when Zilisch lost the lead on the final restart, Junior just smiled and took a deep breath before saying, “Oh man… He’s a hell of a driver. He just went up there and got it back. We got great racecars… I wanna thank the engine shop. Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, that’s what wins races in places like this and Dover… thank you all for all the hard work they worked hard this year.” 

This win not only marked JRM’s 100th but also their 12th this season alone! From Cup drivers like Kyle Larson, Daniel Suarez, and Shane van Gisbergen to veteran Justin Allgaier with three wins and Connor Zilisch holding the bulk with five, JRM has been dominant every time they pulled up to the racetrack. However, this 100th win could have gone to an entirely different JRM driver, as aforementioned, and Junior was also a bit distraught that the team’s all-time leader in wins missed out on a chance to take #100.

Dale Jr. reacts to the incident with Justin Allgaier at Indy

The high stakes and emotional intensity of the Brickyard were further highlighted by a dramatic incident mid-race involving Kyle Larson and veteran JRM driver Justin Allgaier, an event that visibly affected Dale Earnhardt Jr. Larson, the defending Brickyard 400 champion in the Cup Series and fierce competitor, collided with Allgaier with 14 laps to go in a wreck that ended the veteran’s strong run prematurely. Allgaier’s 25 wins for JRM are nearly double the next on the list, which is Noah Gragson with 13. And understandably, Junior was rueing what would have been a fairytale victory for Allgaier.

Justin Allgaier had finished in the top two in both stages and looked unstoppable after taking the lead on a restart with 16 laps to go, but has fate had it, the new generation of JRM got to kick off #100. Reacting to the incident, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, as reported by PRNlive on X: “Hate to see Justin wrecked out like that, but racing hard for the win, I really feel for Justin. We just had this cell pop up on top of us, but hopefully it’s out of here and we get back to racing.” Unfortunately, the damage was too much for Allgaier, as that incident ended his day, having to settle for a 36th-place finish.

Moments like this emphasize that the Brickyard, while a stage for historic wins, is also a place where split-second decisions have lasting consequences. It highlights the human element in racing, filled with frustration, empathy, and resilience. However, this historic night at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was just meant to be in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s favor, even as much as the odds tried to swing against him.