Motorsports is a business, but it’s always cool to see a very human moment, and we got one courtesy of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Cup Series and the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series are both at Indy this weekend, while the Craftsmen Truck Series raced at nearby Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
On Saturday, it was the O’Reilly Series’ turn to hit the 2.5-mile oval for the Pennzoil 250, and there were a few Cup Series regulars in the field, including Ross Chastain and Chase Elliott, both of whom wound up finishing in the top 5.
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Chastain led 31 of the race’s 100 laps, more than any other driver, but it was Carson Kvapil, driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro, who had the most important lap.
Kvapil led 23 laps total to claim his first-ever win after coming in second five times, including at the previous race in Atlanta.
Everyone knew he was due, and it was time to put one in the win column, and where better to do it than at one of the most iconic tracks in all of motorsports?
Carson Kvapil celebrates his win in the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
The win certainly hit the JR Motorsports owner in the feels. Earnhardt’s team is the most successful in the series’ history, but there was something special about Kvapil’s maiden win.
“Oh, man; It’s been a long time coming,” Earnhardt said as he was getting choked up. “He’s like a son almost. Y’know, you work with these guys for so long, and you work so hard… you just want them to have success.”
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It’s awesome to see how much Earnhardt cares about his drivers’ success, and not just because wins are good for the team as a whole.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carson Kvapil celebrate on the Yard of Bricks after winning the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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“He’s got to win to keep going,” Earnhardt said. “You’ve got to win if you want to stay in this deal, and, man, he came close (before).”
Congrats to Kvapil, JR Motorsports, and Earnhardt, the latter of which continues to show why he’s one of the good guys in the world of racing.