A team started by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt in 2002, kicked off their Xfinity Series campaign nearly two decades ago. In a short while, JR Motorsports (JRM) has become one of the winningest teams in NASCAR’s second-tier series, recently getting its 100th win. This had Junior share a heartfelt message for Kelley Earnhardt.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Credits Kelley Earnhardt for All the Success of JR Motorsports
The two have had a tight bond ever since they were kids. Dale Earnhardt Sr. wasn’t around much, thanks to his racing commitments, and a house fire separated the two from their birth mother. So, growing up, they two mostly only had each other. Little did they know that the brother-sister relationship would one day turn into business partners and that they would run one of NASCAR’s most successful teams.
JRM’s 100th came when Connor Zilisch took the checkered flag at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The win did not come easily; it was a rollercoaster ride that kept Junior literally on the edge of his seat.
Well, Zilisch and Justin Allgaier had fast cars. The two JRM drivers even had an intense battle at the end of stage two, with the veteran winning it eventually. But in the last restart of the race, Allgaier, while leading, got spun by Kyle Larson. However, Zilisch then took the lead from P3, losing it to Taylor Gray later, who initially got pushed by Sam Mayer.
But when that didn’t work out and the combined force kept Zilisch head-on for the lead, Mayer decided to back the right horse to victory! That push put Zilisch back in the lead while Mayer took second place and into the victory lane.
As soon as this drama ended, Earnhardt jumped on the track to hug Zilisch for getting JRM to this milestone. The 19-year-old might be a rookie, but he’s still got a six-win contribution to that hundred.
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Post this, Junior got emotional sharing the journey JRM has been through. He said, “There’s been some tough times and some hard times, but it’s what you’re willing to go through to have the great moments and protect the livelihood of your employees, too. It’s been awesome, special place to win at Indy. Connor did an incredible job to get the lead back and to be able to win the race. It’s a special day.”
Even through those tough times, Junior and Kelley Earnhardt stayed strong. Recently, Dale Jr shared an adorable post for his sister and JRM CEO. He wrote, “Congrats for being the incredible business mind that she is. A great sister too. Built a really great race team that has provided opportunity and success to many. @EarnhardtKelley.”
Congrats for being the incredible business mind that she is. A great sister too. Built a really great race team that has provided opportunity and success to many. @EarnhardtKelley pic.twitter.com/nHfE12L2V5
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) July 27, 2025
Also, Kelley felt grateful to everyone who contributed to this milestone. She wrote, “Unbelievable. For two people that didn’t really have a plan, it’s worked out pretty well! Congrats to EVERY SINGLE PERSON that has come through our doors, drivers, sponsors, and our employees!”
Well, JRM still has a long way to go in NASCAR. They debuted in the Cup Series earlier this season, when Allgaier raced in the Daytona 500. Let’s hope they soon announce some full-time plans for the Cup Series.