Without a doubt, the Earnhardt name is one of the most famous and recognizable names in NASCAR. It started with Ralph Earnhardt and then his son Dale Earnhardt really put his family name on the map. He built himself a strong legacy with seven Cup Series titles to his name. After his time in the sport, which was cruelly cut short, his son Dale Earnhardt Jr emerged onto the scene. Admittedly, Dale Jr did not quite reach the on-track success as his father. Although, he does have 2 driver titles and three owner’s titles in the Xfinity Series to his credit. So, to say the least, he did live up to the ‘Earnhardt’ name.

Since retiring, he has since established himself as a top NASCAR team owner with JR Motorsports. Just recently, his team triumphed in the Xfinity race at Homestead-Miami. In the process, Chevrolet clinched the Bill France Performance Cup for the 25th time in its career.

Who had the honor of delivering that 25th title for Chevrolet?

As it happened, Sam Mayer was the one to reach the chequered flag first, ahead of Ford’s Riley Herbst. This locks Mayer into the championship 4 battle and gives him a shot at winning the 2023 Xfinity Series title. If he somehow manages to win the title, it would not only be his maiden title but JR Motorsports’ fourth championship.

Speaking about Mayer’s feat, General Motors U.S. Vice President of Performance and Motorsports, Jim Campbell said, “It is a tremendous honor earning the Bill France Performance Cup in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the seventh consecutive year. Thank you to the Chevrolet drivers, crew chiefs and teams for all of their hard work to contribute valuable points toward this special championship.”

The other JR Motorsports titles came at the hands of Chase Elliott in 2014, William Byron in 2017, and Tyler Reddick in 2018. Elliott and Byron have since gone on to drive for Hendrick Motorsports, which is a Chevy-run team. Reddick also competed in Chevrolet machinery for most of his career before switching to Toyota and 23XI Racing in 2023. Now, Mayer sits comfortably in fourth place in the standing and will be eager to snatch a potential maiden Xfinity Series title.

READ MORE: Why Did Dale Earnhardt Jr Not Achieve the Same Level of Success as his Father?

Dale Earnhardt Jr was a stepping stone for many NASCAR Cup drivers

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Since its inception in 2005, JR Motorsports has been a hotbed for top NASCAR drivers. The likes of Austin Dillon, Josh Berry, and Chase Elliott once piloted the #1 JR Motorsports car. Meanwhile, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr, Kevin Harvick and many more, had a handful of stints in the #5 machine. Finally, the #7 JRM car boasted drivers like Danica Patrick, Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne, Jamie McMurray, and Regan Smith, among others. Most of the current Hendrick Motorsports drivers had competed for JR Motorsports.

Safe to say, Dale Earnhardt Jr really had an eye for talent. Another driver who also rose through the ranks at JR Motorsports is Brad Keselowski. He was the first to run a full-time season with the organization and even completed two full seasons. During that tenure, he took six wins for the organization. Aside from the three titles from Elliott, Byron and Reddick, JRM is also the proud owner of 80 Xfinity Series wins.

What does this mean for Chevrolet in the NASCAR arena?

As one of the oldest manufacturers in NASCAR, it was fairly obvious that Chevy would rack up several achievements. Mayer’s feat is incredibly impressive and will be a massive boost for Chevrolet. For the 2024 Xfinity Series campaign, Mayer will stick with JR Motorsports, as will Justin Allgaier and Brandon Jones. However, there will be a new face, in the form of Sammy Smith, who replaces the Cup Series-bound Josh Berry.

It wasn’t just Sam Mayer who contributed to the achievement. Other Chevy-backed drivers threw their hats in the ring. Mayer is one of seven drivers with a combined 16 wins in the Chevrolet Camaro SS. The JR Motorsports driver’s fourth win of the season ties him with Richard Childress Racing driver and championship rival Austin Hill. Mayer’s teammate Justin Allgaier also has three wins under his belt.

Furthermore, Kaulig Racing racked up four wins with three different drivers. This includes rookie Chandler Smith, AJ Allmendinger, and Kyle Larson. Jeb Burton took his first win for Jordan Anderson Racing, which was the team’s first and his second career win.

How goes the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship battle?

As mentioned before, Sam Mayer is in contention for the Xfinity Series title. Along with him are John Hunter Nemechek, Cole Custer, Austin Hill, Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Chandler Smith, and Sammy Smith. With just two races left, the pressure will be on to fill up the Championship 4 spots. Mayer has already locked in his berth, but others are yet to join him, meaning that there are three vacant spots.

Now, there are just two races remaining, at Martinsville and Phoenix. This could be a chance for Sam Mayer or another Chevrolet driver to increase their tally. What made things even sweeter for JR Motorsports was that team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr was competing as well and finished 5th. This was just his second appearance during the season, and his first race behind the wheel saw Dale Jr finish 30th at Bristol.

The JR Motorsports drivers had a mixed day in the office, with Brandon Jones also finishing in the Top 10. However, Justin Allgaier could only muster 15th, while Josh Berry was all the way down in 32nd place. Allgaier will really need to get his head down and charge for the upcoming race at Martinsville. This is to ensure that he still has a fighting chance for the 2023 Xfinity Series title. It would also mean that there are two JR Motorsports drivers in the Championship 4.

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