Dale Earnhardt Jr retired from full-time racing in 2017, venturing into the broadcasting world with full force. He hosts his podcast and fields newbie drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and zMAX CARS Tour under JR Motorsports. Yet the veteran still craves the smell of burning rubber.

Dale Jr has participated in Xfinity events as well as a variety of Late Model Stock Car shows. The 26-time Cup winner is now back on the track for another high-speed showdown.

Dale Earnhardt Jr is gearing up for a new race

Just when you thought the NASCAR Hall of Famer’s schedule looked a bit bland, Dale Earnhardt Jr is back for a new event. The JR Motorsports owner announced on Monday that he will take part in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car event. This race will be held at New River All-American Speedway on Saturday, April 13.

This will mark the third time that Dale Earnhardt Jr has competed in the zMAX CARS Tour presented by Soundgear. He co-owns this series along with Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Justin Marks. He will be fielding Dale Sr’s legendary No. 3 car at this event.

Besides his two CARS Tour starts, Dale Earnhardt Jr has dabbled in Florence Motor Speedway’s major Late Model Stock Car events. These include the Icebreaker and South Carolina 400 races. In recent events, Dale Jr left a mark at the Florence Icebreaker in February. He showcased a brilliant race and finished in fourth place.

Coming right after Dale Jr’s young prodigy driver Connor Zilisch clinched a CARS victory, this event will be important for the veteran. “I’m a huge fan of the CARS Tour and local short-track racing,” Earnhardt said. “The competition, the tracks, and the drivers are some of the best around. These regional series are vital to the quality of racing you see at the top level – it’s the heartbeat of motorsports in North America.”

Under Dale Earnhardt Jr’s guidance, Connor Zilisch will be competing in Xfinity races this year. Until now, he has been excelling with flying colors on any race track he goes to, including his most recent CARS outing.

Zilisch dissects the race after CARS win

Connor Zilisch is achieving glory which is pretty commendable for a teenage racer like himself. After his 2024 victories in Rolex 24, Sebring 12, and a pole at his debut NASCAR Truck race, Zilisch snagged a win in his first CARS Tour Late Model Stock race. Being showered with confetti at the Hickory Motor Speedway, Zilisch carefully analyzed the race.

“The driver has to know exactly what he wants out of the car,” Zilisch said. “Throughout the race, you have to think a lot about keeping the tires under you and I just love that the driver has to make such a big difference. It’s so much different than what I grew up doing but I love the challenge.”

As Zilisch carves out a bright career in motorsports, rest assured he will have a shining beacon for a mentor in Dale Earnhardt Jr.

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