TALLADEGA, Ala. — Call it storybook, call it anything you want.
Jeffrey Earnhardt won the pole for Saturday’s AG-Pro 300 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.
The grandson of legendary Dale Earnhardt drove the famed Richard Childress Racing No. 3 to the fastest lap during qualifying on Friday at the 2.66-mile superspeedway in his first ride aboard the RCR entry, adorned with the same car number his grandfather made famous.
“I’m taking the moment in, man,” Earnhardt said. “I’d be lying if I said there was no pressure, honestly. What the black No. 3 means to me is, you know, the champion, the man himself, my grandpa. He was my superhero.
“So, there’s definitely pressure. But I’m just honored to even have this opportunity to be out here in this car.”
Racing in a one-off opportunity for the team his grandfather helped put on the map on his way to seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, the fourth-generation driver earned his first Xfinity Series pole in 135 career starts.
Not only did Jeffrey Earnhardt win the pole for Richard Childress, but his crew chief for this unique opportunity was Larry McReynolds, the popular FOX broadcaster, who returned to the top of a pit box for the first time in nearly 22 years.
Making the story even more unbelievable was the fact that Earnhardt’s unlikely pole run came at Talladega where Dale Earnhardt Jr. gained legendary status on the track and with the throng of fans that cheered for him there.
“It’s been pretty amazing,” Childress said. “Just to see the black 3 car back on the track with an Earnhardt in it, it’s just kind of touching to me anyway because I was always a big Earnhardt fan. And this is Earnhardt country.”
Jeffrey Earnhardt’s best career Xfinity Series finish was a third-place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2019 and his best Talladega finish was a 12th-place effort in 2015.
“It’s incredible,” Jeffrey said. “It just really has me speechless. I didn’t… This is what we hoped to happen, but I didn’t know for sure that I would be capable of it. Obviously. Richard brings fast cars and I feel like I’m a good driver, but you never know until you’re given the opportunity. I think we were able to put it all together today and hopefully we can do the same tomorrow.”
Austin Hill, driving a second Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, qualified second, while Ty Gibbs was third aboard his No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
Another RCR pilot, Sheldon Creed was fourth, while Kaulig Racing Chevrolet drivers Daniel Hemric and Landon Cassill rounded out the top five.
Seven of the top-eight qualifiers drove Chevrolets.