Things are clicking perfectly for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports yet again this week. For the second straight race, his team locked down the top two spots thanks in large part to standout performances from Connor Zilisch and Shane van Gisbergen, two road course specialists who continue to shine.
At Sonoma, JR Motorsports pulled off an impressive feat, placing all five of its cars inside the top ten. It was a dominant team performance, led once again by Zilisch and van Gisbergen. After the race, Earnhardt spoke to The CW and was clearly pleased with how things turned out.
“I just hoped we’d finish 1-2, and honestly, it didn’t really matter who won it’s all about racing hard and clean,” Earnhardt said. “SVG wanted that win, but he’s also got to look out for Connor. They’re probably going to be teammates for a long time, so this is just the beginning of something special. What we’re seeing now is a preview of the battles to come between those two. They even shared a laugh in Victory Lane after the race.”
As always, Earnhardt was quick to spread the credit beyond himself. He highlighted the efforts of his entire organization, plus key support from outside partners.
“Honestly, it’s amazing. Bummy, LW, our crew chiefs, everyone in the organization plus, we’ve got help from Hendrick Motorsports, Chad Knaus, Jeff Gordon, and others,” he explained. “Trackhouse and Justin Marks have also played a big role. We handle a lot internally, but we’re also supported by some great allies that elevate our performance.”
Earnhardt also acknowledged the ups and downs of racing success: “Right now, everything’s in place. That doesn’t last forever someone’s always coming for your spot. But while we’re up here, we want to make it count. Hopefully we can carry this momentum through the playoffs and bring home a championship.”
Last week, SVG took the win. This time, it was Zilisch’s turn. The growing rivalry between these two is setting the stage for an epic showdown at Watkins Glen and it’s only going to get better once they’re both battling it out in the Cup Series. With four to six races potentially featuring the duo head-to-head, race fans are in for a treat.
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