Hall Fifth, Dale Jr. Rallies to 10th in zMAX CARS Tour Blast at Anderson Motor Speedway

August 18, 2025

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 18, 2025) – At a jam-packed Anderson Motor Speedway on Saturday night, Dale Earnhardt Jr. woke up the echoes with a classic paint scheme before finishing 10th in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car Series feature, while championship contender Connor Hall raced to a solid fifth-place finish amid a tight points battle with race winner Landen Lewis.

Hall, who entered the event up 12 points over Lewis after the annual Throwback race on Aug. 2 at Hickory Motor Speedway, started his No. 88 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet from the sixth position on the abrasive Anderson oval and drove up to third before evening out in the top five for much of the event.

As the laps wore away, Hall began to push and was running fourth when the competition caution waved with just 13 laps remaining. On the restart, his Chevrolet started trending to the loose side and he dropped a position to fifth, which he held until the checkered flag.

Starting 21st, Earnhardt Jr. settled into a groove and was running 17th with 73 laps remaining in the 125-lap main when contact off Turn 4 with Lanie Buice sent him into a spin down the front straight. There was no other contact, and he got the white-and-red throwback Budweiser All-Star Game No. 8 pointed straight and rejoined the field.

From there, Earnhardt Jr. battled back into the top 10 by the latter stages, finishing 10th in the order.

Lewis, Hall’s main competitor for the series championship, won the race over Landon Huffman, Jared Fryar, Chase Burrow and Hall. Mini Tyrrell was sixth, with Tristan McKee, Kade Brown, Parker Eatmon and Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top 10.

Next action for Hall, Earnhardt Jr. and the JRM Late Model squad will be Aug. 29 at South Carolina’s Florence Motor Speedway.

Connor Hall, driver, No. 88 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Chevrolet:

“Overall, it was a good weekend for me and the Johnny Morris Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats/Roto-Rooter Chevrolet. I drove up to third and then we lost a little forward drive and fell back to fifth. We were a top-five car all night and that’s good, especially with Florence and South Boston coming up. I know that Bryan (JRM team manager Bryan Shaffer) and Slim and the guys will have a great car for me and we’re building for the stretch run coming up. As always, it was awesome to have Dale racing with us as well. I am looking forward to Florence in a couple of weeks.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver, No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet:

“I had enough speed to pass a few guys, and there are a few tire marks down the right side, so I can’t complain too much. I knew starting 22nd we were going to have to dodge some things. Every time I drive this car we end up having to put a bumper bar on it because I run over something or into somebody. I don’t know what shape it’s in but it looks OK. I spun. Me and Lanie (Buice) were racing. She’s a great racer. I got into her left rear and [it] jerked the steering wheel out of my hand. Our wheels just grabbed, or jumped her tire or something. Luckily, they threw the yellow so I didn’t get lapped. We didn’t even lose a spot. The car was pretty good the rest of the night. I got to the top side and made up some time late in the race, but with about 25 to go, I burned the rear tires off. Really loose in and really loose off.”