In the past few years of NASCAR racing, it feels like the sport is growing away from its roots and core essence. It is indeed hard to see up-and-coming talents from the grassroots and short-track racing circuits make a breakthrough in the national series. This is where Dale Earnhardt Jr, with his JR Motorsports, is trying to bridge the gap, and his team’s recent efforts in the Xfinity Series are an example of that.

Ever since the turn of the 2024 season, JR Motorsports has handed several drivers their first shot at racing in the Xfinity Series. It’s not just young budding talent, but also seasoned drivers who just couldn’t get a breakthrough. Dale Earnhardt Jr on his podcast show revealed how his team is pushing the boundaries by allowing the drivers to get their shot at racing in the premier series. Even if it stretches them thin in running five cars during the races.

Dale Earnhardt Jr and Junior Motorsports will go the extra mile to promote drivers in the Xfinity Series

The No. 88 car from JR Motorsports has seen new faces make their debut in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The late model veteran star Bubba Pollard made his maiden start at Richmond, while Carson Kvapil from the CARS Tour competed in his first Xfinity race at Martinsville. Moreover, teenage sensation Connor Zilisch is also lined up in the ranks as the next driver to feature under the JR Motorsports banner.

In return, the drivers have shown real potential with their racecraft, which has further caused Dale Jr and his team to bet on these talents for more racing opportunities. “We got a lot going on, it’s stressing this office, this building to do five cars but I told them after Carson’s race, I told everybody here, if we get these opportunities, we gotta do em.”

Jr further emphasized why he and his racing organization are willing to go the extra mile with these talented race car drivers. “We got to do everything we can that changes their lives, right? What happened for Carson for past weekend and what may happen going forward is life-changing for that man. We got to take the risks here as a company because of what that could do for them.”

It is indeed a tough ask for the drivers from Late Model and CARS Tour to make a living from racing cars. And this is why such opportunities indeed make a huge difference in their lives.

Bubba Pollard shares the dark realities of the majority of grassroots-level race car drivers

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Late-model racing or other grassroots-level racing series is just not enough for the drivers to have a financially stable lifestyle. Even if they are having the best performing weekends, they barely break even with the prize money, which is often recycled into racing operations for the next event. Speaking on the DJD, Bubba Pollard, who recently made his debut in the Xfinity Series, revealed the harsh realities of competing in a local racing series.

“That’s what everybody thinks that I do this for a living. I can’t do it for a living. I don’t know why people think, he races all the time… I have never gotten paid to drive any race car I’ve ever driven. Everything I win goes back into the race team,” Pollard shared while speaking to Dale Jr.

Given how fruitful this partnership between the drivers and JR Motorsports has been, we can only hope more teams follow suit.

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