“I woke up every day trying to beat him, probably more than myself.” The fever-pitch level of motivation in Jesse Love’s voice determined this year’s Xfinity Series championship outcome. The Richard Childress Racing driver was in the Championship 4, facing an almost impossible situation with three rivals from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fold. And he ended up defeating all of them, including his topmost target, Connor Zilisch, who won ten trophies this season.

While Jesse Love came away with an emotional victory, JR Motorsports left with strong lessons. And Dale Earnhardt Jr., while offering words of comfort to his drivers, is hoping to inculcate those lessons. After all, the 2026 season is only a few months away, and the veteran is putting his foot down.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ready to buckle up

As motivated as Jesse Love was, it was enough to win the championship. But it was not enough to topple Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s morale for 2026, as the JRM co-owner told SiriusXM NASCAR. “I’m ready for next year to get started. We’ve got a lot of things going that we’re really excited about, just ready to get back to the racetrack and redeem ourselves. You know, anytime you don’t get the result you need, you can’t wait to go back and try again. So, I know we’ll have an off-season of hard work and dedication to try to position ourselves where we come back here and get it done next year.” 

Justin Allgaier and Connor Zilisch were well-positioned for a potential Phoenix win. Yet during the final 42-lap green-flag run, Zilisch’s dream of a rookie championship fell apart. On lap 176, Love skillfully passed Zilisch and moved to the inside of Turn 2. That led Love to the win and the title, while Zilisch ended up third. Allgaier, who won the second stage, faded after a slower-than-usual pit stop on Lap 153. He finished fifth behind pole winner Brandon Jones in fourth.

Meanwhile, the other JR Motorsports driver, Carson Kvapil, could not be a winning factor in Phoenix. Nevertheless, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has his eyes on him due to Kvapil’s skills. Despite winning no race trophy, Kvapil pulled off a Championship 4 entry due to consistently good results. Dale Jr. said, “This was a tough year for Carson. I think it matured him; he had to deal with a lot of frustrating moments, stressful moments. And he got himself all the way to finish with a shot at. Couldn’t ask more. He’s handled it like a pro.”

And recently, Dale Jr. offered Carson Kvapil a full-time ride for the 2026 season. The veteran is excited about that. “Well, I just enjoy racing with Carson. Also getting to know his family better, Travis and Caden. We’re going to race him with Caden next year, full-time in the Cars Tour. So a lot of great things we’ll be excited about,” he said. “We’ve made some things that we think can give him a better experience next year.” Zilisch will enter the Cup Series, while Allgaier, Kvapil, and Sammy Smith will remain in JRM in Xfinity.

Evidently, JR Motorsports is on a mission for 2026. While Dale Jr. plans for his Xfinity team, a Cup Series champion looks up to him.

Seeking a similar future

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. hung up his firesuit in 2017, it was hardly the end of his racing legacy. After concussions and injuries nudged him out of the racetrack, he continued his NASCAR passion differently. He moved to the commentary booth, bringing his perspective to the audience in real time. His microphone duties, JRM managerial responsibilities, and podcast, as well as social media work, kept him fully occupied. And that is what Joey Logano, a three-time Cup Series champion, aspires to do after retirement.

The Team Penske star’s aims align with Dale Jr.’s, as in they both wish a brighter future for the sport. Joey Logano said recently, “I definitely want to leave it better than it was when I got here. I can do a lot of that now while I’m still active, and we do that through the driver advisory council a lot. But post-racing, I’ll be involved. I’ll be around in some way because the people before me did that for me, and I should do that for the next generation.”

Joey Logano achieved his third championship in 2024 and was close to cracking the Championship 4 in 2025. However, he emphasized how his value for the sport ranges beyond the glittering titles. “There are so many different phases of my career, just like anybody else in the sport. There’s the driving and active piece, and then there’s gonna be at some point when I don’t drive anymore, and what does that look like? I don’t know exactly what that will be…But I do know the definition of a true champion is giving back more than you take.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is inspiring drivers in both the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. And we cannot wait to see how the next season unfolds under his guidance!