Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Dale Earnhardt Jr. smiles for a photo with NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Connor Zilisch (88) on Saturday, July 26, 2025, after winning the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The next time that Dale Earnhardt Jr. retweets something on X, he might want to be a little bit more clear about what he’s sharing to his 2.3 million followers.
The Hall of Famer recently sparked a massive conspiracy in the NASCAR world when he retweeted a post from Trackhouse Racing announcing a long-term contract with driver Zane Smith.
There was just one major issue that Earnhardt Jr. failed to consider before sharing the post on his page.
Dale accidentally created a NASCAR conspiracy theory. https://t.co/YcaK26UlHc pic.twitter.com/kO29sS3JYa
— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) September 18, 2026
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Causing Chaos By Retweeting 3-Year-Old Post
Trackhouse is home to superstar young driver Connor Zilisch, who, despite his struggles as a rookie, is considered one of the sport’s top young prospects.
However, Zilisch won’t be there for long.
Perennial powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports recently announced that it signed Zilisch to an agreement to join the team for the 2028 season following the retirement of driver Alex Bowman.
So, what does that mean for Trackhouse? That’s a good question!
On Wednesday, Earnhardt Jr. retweeted a post from Trackhouse announcing that it had signed driver Zane Smith to a multi-year agreement. Smith, 27, currently drives for Front Row Motorsports, and while he’s had up-and-down results, he is genuinely well regarded.
It would be widely considered a good move by Trackhouse to bring him into the fold as Zilisch’s replacement.
There’s just one problem. The post that Earnhardt Jr. retweeted was from 2023, and Smith’s deal with the team never actually came to fruition. One year later, the two sides parted ways, and Trackhouse instead signed driver Shane van Gisbergen.
But Earnhardt Jr.’s retweet launched a massive discussion on Reddit about Smith returning to Trackhouse, especially since all three Trackhouse drivers have driven in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for Earnhardt Jr.’s team, JR Motorsports.
So, surely he must know some, right?
As it turns out, it was just a mistake. Earnhardt Jr. was duped by the date on the post. Trackhouse is not re-signing Smith. At least, not as of now. And there is no grand conspiracy. But you can see why people got caught up.