Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the JR Motorsports crew could almost taste victory in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series feature at Indianapolis. With just a handful of laps left, Justin Allgaier was closing in on JRM’s 100th win.
Instead, it all came undone when Kyle Larson got into Allgaier in the closing laps of the 100-lap showdown, turning what could have been a historic day into one filled with frustration and tough decisions.
So, how did Earnhardt play it after the checkered flag? And what does his approach reveal about handling heated moments inside the pressure cooker of the 2024-25 season?
Why Did Dale Earnhardt Jr. Keep Justin Allgaier Away From Kyle Larson?
Saturday’s Pennzoil 250 started with Allgaier in control, leading a race-high 37 laps and taking the Stage 2 checkered flag. The reigning defending Xfinity Series champion looked primed for his fourth win of 2024-25. But it all changed on lap 86.
With a late-race restart, Larson gave the No. 7 driver the door, ending Allgaier’s hopes and leaving JRM’s historic win on the table.
The 39-year-old was crushed, but at least one highlight was seeing teammate Connor Zilisch step up and deliver on his behalf. Still, the emotions were raw on pit road. On the latest “Dale Jr. Download” episode, Earnhardt explained why he stepped in when Allgaier looked ready to let his frustration boil over with Larson after the race.
Earnhardt remembered telling his driver, “When I saw Justin, he was on the pit road, I said, ‘Hey, you did a good job, kicked a** on those restarts. This sucks; let’s try to put it behind us.'” He saw Allgaier heading down pit road and felt it was the moment to step in.
The JRM co-owner added, “He was walking down pit road like he might go up to that pit box and climb up on it and I wasn’t sure if he was going to do that, maybe he wasn’t but I’m like, that’s probably not the optics that we need because the cameras are going to get that.”
How Did Earnhardt’s Decision Affect JRM and Hendrick Motorsports?
Even though a heated moment might have delivered a bigger headline, Earnhardt knew there was more at stake than the last-lap drama. As he put it, “I’m like, ‘We don’t need this sort of rift between the No. 17 bunch that’s at Hendrick (Motorsports) and us over here.'”
Hendrick Motorsports is more than a rival. They’re JRM’s primary engine supplier, creating a business relationship that extends far beyond the track. Earnhardt wasn’t willing to take the risk of getting into a public spat with the Cup Series ace, especially when their teams are tied at such a crucial level.
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After the checkered flag, Earnhardt shared that HMS boss Rick Hendrick texted him about Allgaier’s incident with Larson. However, Earnhardt didn’t want to control everything about the situation. When asked if Allgaier should have confronted Larson, he clarified, “He can do anything he wants. I don’t care. If he wants to talk to him, talk to him.”
This isn’t the first time emotions have boiled over between Allgaier and Larson. In fact, this marked the second time the Cup Series star has dashed the No. 7 driver’s shot at a big moment, the first coming earlier in 2024-25 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
With the season heating up and both drivers crossing paths so often, it’s fair to wonder how frequently they’ll go head-to-head before the playoffs roll around.