Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Justin Allgaier ignoring pit order from crew chief at Charlotte

In one of the more stunning moves in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte over the weekend, Justin Allgaier essentially ignored advice from his pit crew to make a late pit stop. He stayed out on the track in a move that would ultimately prove costly.

Allgaier explained that he was hoping to take advantage of staying out while most of the field headed in. It didn’t play out that way.

That left others critical of his decision post-race. Including Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“A little disappointing,” Earnhardt said on the Dale Jr. Download. “The leader’s in a tough spot at the end of the race, that’s what Justin Allgaier said as he decided not to come to pit road and take tires at the end of the race on the late yellow. He stayed out and a lot of guys came down pit road and got tires, and that’s what ended up winning the race.”

In the end, William Byron passed Justin Allgaier for the lead and would hold on to win the race. So the scrutiny for Allgaier following his unconventional decision intensified after the race.

After all, it’s not often you see a driver ignore his pit crew. Crew chief Jim Pohlman couldn’t have been happy.

“Justin, I think, is a veteran and a champion now, has earned that opportunity to make those type of decisions,” Earnhardt said, offering some small defense. “Every decision you make is not always going to be the right one or the correct one. He took a gamble. I’m fine with him doing that. If we don’t get a couple of those yellows late maybe he pulls it off. But William Byron was able to take the tire advantage in a fast racecar and get the win. I was just thankful that our guys crossed the finish line and didn’t self destruct on those last couple of corners because of how difficult it was to see somebody go by.”

As for Justin Allgaier ignoring his pit crew, Earnhardt put that into context. It was stunning at the time.

“It doesn’t happen often,” Earnhardt said. “And I’m sure Jim will tell him don’t ever do it again, I don’t know. Next time, from here on out, let me handle it.”

But all in all it was just a decision that didn’t work out. Had it played out differently, maybe Justin Allgaier is being hailed as a genius.

“I think, again, like Justin’s earned the right to do that but yeah there might need to be a… there will be a conversation,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t even have to guess that him and Jim will talk about what do we do going forward.”