The Pocono Raceway this weekend will harbor many iconic moments in NASCAR history. Among them, Dale Earnhardt Jr. springing back to action is on top of that list! The NASCAR veteran is a man who wears many hats. From glorious days behind the wheel, to a successful podcast, to now a debut crew chief, his journey fascinates his followers.

But that was not a premeditated strategy that Jr. was going to call the shots for Connor Zilisch and help him win the race at Pocono. Regular crew chief, Marty Lindley, was suspended for one race due to the loose lug nut on the #88 Chevy in Nashville. Committing not to race in the Xfinity Series this year, this was the closest feeling of being a competitor on the raceday, and he will have a fond memory of his crew chiefing duty. But before he even took the command of the pit box, Kyle Busch stirred up a controversy with his comments, “It’s all publicity, but spin it how you want it. He’s just going to be a warm body sitting on top of the box.”

Although the #88 Chevy ended in the victory lane, handing Zilisch his first oval win of 2025, this became a hot topic of discussion. And the star-studded line-up on the Door Bumper Clear podcast shared their takes.

Kyle Busch Takes A Jab At Dale Earnhardt Jr. for His Decision

DBC brought some of the best NASCAR insiders for their take on the controversy, hosted by Freddie Kraft. Tommy Baldwin Jr. explained how the crew chief dynamics work in the case of suspension. “Any other crew chief that gets suspended, that crew chief is either on the premises or back in the war room, still calling the race. I did find it interesting on the one important call, how that went down. Because that was the most pivotal call, staying out when everyone felt they should’ve pitted.”

Even Dale Jr. admitted that he wasn’t the one who prepared the car, “I’m not a fool to think — I didn’t have control of all the buttons and levers and stuff.” However, Kelly Crandall found herself in hot water after she unknowingly backed Busch’s initial comments while sharing her take on Jr.’s Pocono win.

“We don’t know how involved he was, but Dale’s not a guy that’s just going to show up and sit there. He’s not going to be just a face, right? So I loved how involved and seriously he took it. Now, as for what Kyle said, I mean he’s not wrong. I think we’re all well educated enough, even the race fans to understand Kyle’s point, when crew chiefs gets suspended, it really means nothing,” Crandall added.

Although she was only adding to the points made by Baldwin Jr., Freddie Kraft was quick to point at her, jokingly stating that Kelly was the one who once again sparked controversy. “She said it’s not. Whoever’s listening.” But Jr. was focused on his job, and he even rolled out tires to help out his pit crew. What followed next was a wholesome moment as Dale Jr. walked with his daughters, Isla and Nicole, to the victory lane, and he had a big smile on his face, similar to that of the days when he won the races as a driver.

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Dale Jr. won’t mind getting back in the pit box

After a glorious win for Dale Earnhardt Jr., debuting as a crew chief for the 18-year-old rookie, bagging the first position on the Pocono, the NASCAR veteran proves how well he knows the track both in and out. His last-minute calls and overall management were seamless and garnered praise from the fans, calling for him to come back to NASCAR as a crew chief.

In a post-race conference, he says: “I mean, it’s really up to the crew chiefs’ teams individually, you know. I think I would not ever walk into the shop and go, ‘Hey, you know I’d be up for doing it.’ I’m not gonna do that, but if, you know, if we find ourselves unfortunately where Jim or somebody gets suspended or even Mardy again, if they want me to do it, I would happily, happily do it.”

Dale Jr. not only won the race with Zilisch, but he also made history. Seth Eggert shared a post on X stating that Jr. became just the 9th person to win as a crew chief, a driver, and a team owner. The list included heavyweights like Junior Johnson, Lee Petty, Wendell Scott, and Bob Keselowski. Given the experience Junior has had over the year, it won’t be a surprise to see him call the shots on one of the JRM cars if need be.