Connor Zilisch was hunting his first oval win at the Pocono Mountains 250, bringing his road course pedigree into a tricky triangle. Heading into the weekend, Zilisch was already set to be on the back foot, as his crew chief, Mardy Lindley, was serving a one-race suspension after their Nashville run, leaving the team with a substitute crew chief midweek. That’s when Dale Earnhardt Jr. decided to slide into the pit box as the No. 88 driver’s crew chief.
The NASCAR Hall of Famer, Amazon Prime broadcaster, turned crew chief, and two-time Xfinity series champion stepped up alongside his former crew chief, Steve Letarte. They were plotting a daring strategy that helped steer Zilisch through a night of restarts, cautions, and tight window fuel calls. Dale Junior ended up delivering under pressure as a crew chief and transformed shared uncertainty into a historic, emotional victory.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. steps up for his team
When Mardy Lindley was handed a one-race suspension after Nashville due to a lug nut violation, the decision hit a little closer to home for Dale Earnhardt Jr. than most realized. Lindley, one of the most respected crew chiefs in the garage, isn’t just another name on the payroll; he’s a long-time racer and winner and a trusted employee of Dale Junior’s JR Motorsports. But he’s also part of the Earnhardt circle in a way that goes deeper than job titles.
Lindley worked alongside Dale Earnhardt Sr. In the early ‘90s and over the decades, he carved out a reputation as the type of leader Dale Jr. values: methodical, intense, and deeply invested in young talent. That’s exactly why Mardy was tapped to guide 18-year-old Connor Zilisch through his rookie Xfinity season. So when Mardy was sidelined, this wasn’t just a logistical hurdle; it was personal.
In a recent interview as crew chief with Frontstretch, Dale Jr. broke down his dynamic with the No. 88 driver, who basked in his oval conquest. He said, “I don’t know. You know, I think you have to ask some other people about that. But I felt like, um, coaching Connor a little bit on restarts—he was asking some questions about what he should do—and I was thankful that he wanted to know those answers because I definitely didn’t want him doing what he thought he should do. But I know he’s the kind of guy that’s like, ‘Hey, tell me everything. There’s not enough information.’”
Filling in for Mardy wasn’t about ego or nostalgia for Dale Earnhardt Jr.; it was about honoring the system Mardy had built. He was stepping into a position that was usually filled by someone he trusted implicitly, and he knew better than to mess with the chemistry. Dale Jr. added, “I wasn’t going to make a decision about an adjustment. I did have some influence on our strategy—when we were going to pit, if we would flip a stage, or anything like that.”
Jr. wasn’t exaggerating. Top teams spend days, sometimes weeks, on simulations, setup sheets, and if-then contingency plans before a car even rolls off the hauler. Whether it’s tire pressure, wedge, or shock settings, each adjustment is mapped out, not guessed. So when Zilisch keyed up the mic and said loose off, the crew wasn’t scrambling for ideas; they were executing a blueprint. Junior had help from familiar faces, former crew chief and Prime Video broadcaster, Steve Letarte. Dale Jr. also gained some advice from the director of competition for JR Motorsports and longtime crew chief Mike Bumgarner, who has been on the side of champions like Josh Berry.
It all clicked beautifully, and when Junior played down his role, he was far more involved than he let on. He goes on to say, “But again, I’m not a fool to think that—I didn’t have control of all the levers and the buttons and stuff. But midway through the race, man, I was feeling it. And me and the engineers on the box were in a great conversation around what we should do, how far we could make it, whether we were going to have enough for the green-white-checker, how aggressive we could get to lap 69, 68, all those things.”
But perhaps the most human moment came during a pit stop where Dale Junior revealed his anxiety over one aspect. “And then you get down—I think the one thing that I was most nervous about was actually setting that left front tire. Because it’s easy to set the tire—the guy grabs it, right?” The Hall of Famer even went on to Trackhouse racing earlier in the week to practice those tire rolls, something no one had asked him to do, but he did it anyway.
Because he wasn’t just holding the headset for sure, he was protecting a team that Mardy had built and trusted him with. He says, “So those guys are great. It’s a Trackhouse crew, and I went over there this week and tried out or practiced with them for about three rounds, and they were like, ‘You got it, man. I think it’s gonna be fine.’ They were awesome to work with—great group of guys.”
While Dale Jr. and Connor Zilisch will be getting all the plaudits for their race win, there’s one man without whom Junior would probably not be in the position as crew chief, Steve Letarte. Junior said after the race, “We had a lot of things go our way. A lot of good luck, great strategy. Had a little help from [Steve] Letarte up here.”
Steve Letarte guides Dale Jr.’s new position as crew chief
When Dale Earnhardt Jr. jumped in as temporary crew chief at Pocono, he wasn’t flying solo; he brought along Steve Letarte, his former full-time crew chief and longtime broadcast partner. Their friendship runs deeper than shared victories; it’s rooted in open communication and mutual respect. Letarte once explained, “We close the door and he can say anything he wants to me and I can say anything I want to him.” That candid trust carried seamlessly over the team radio, even after a decade apart professionally.
Their chemistry was forged back in 2011 when Dale Jr. asked Letarte to “keep pushing me.” Letarte was known for demanding more of Dale Junior, and he happily obliged. By the end of their four-year partnership, they not only ended winless droughts but also collected five victories, including the Daytona 500, and reestablished the No. 88 as a title contender. Off track, their friendship flourishes too. Steve reflected on a Vegas dinner, the stoplight, the moment he realized Junior’s ability to stay calm under pressure, and how they influenced him as a leader and friend. Their bond wasn’t just about racing; it was built on real moments and genuine connection.
Back in the pit box at Pocono this week, years of their understanding translated into precise execution. That trust was what helped them make quick, confident calls, putting Zilisch in a prime position to win. In short, what we saw at Pocono wasn’t just Junior filling in; it was a mini-reunion of a championship-level partnership.
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