Dale Earnhardt Jr. addresses Parker Retzlaff controversy by reflecting on his own HMS racing days

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recently addressed the controversy surrounding Parker Retzlaff's last lap in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Retzlaff pushed #21 Ford driver Harrison Burton which helped the latter to win his maiden Cup Series triumph past a struggling Kyle Busch.

Speaking in an episode of "Dale Jr. Download", NASCAR legend Dale Jr. discussed the final moments when Retzlaff, a part-time Chevy driver for Beard Motorsports, decided to push the #21 Ford instead of helping the RCR driver Busch to the start-finish line. It is also worth mentioning that Beard Motorsports is in a technical alliance with Richard Childress' organization.

As a result, the 21-year-old Retzlaff has found himself under the controversy in his second Cup Series start for helping a Ford to win.

"In his [Parker Retzlaff] mind he ain't pushing at #21 to the win, he's trying to get himself in position to be pushed to the win," Dale Jr. said. [33:06]

Furthermore, Dale Jr. recalled his full-time Cup Series racing days with Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Hendrick Motorsports while discussing Parker Retzlaff's last lap and said:

"We would get in these meetings, I mean back in the DEI days, even in the HMS days, and all there were were long conversations... Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, everybody in the room, everybody talked about what their expectations of others were. We could all share with each other, here's how I'm going to race, but what really needed to be said is this is what I expect from you now if I'm hanging out here and you're over here."

"'I would expect you to do this for me,' and so that helps you when you get in the race and you're in the moments and you're like, 'All right. this guy, my teammate, we talked about this and he probably wants my help right here.' That gets a better result in that situation."

Dale Jr. believes that #62 Retzlaff, who is in his second full-time season in the Xfinity Series, was aiming for a better position to win the race and get a row ahead.

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"I wanted to put myself on the map" - Parker Retzlaff on his recent Daytona finish

Parker Retzlaff - Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

In a recent conversation with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Retzlaff shared his take on the final lap of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona. He believes it was his only opportunity and for everyone who supported him.

"I don't know where I went wrong, what the right decision truly was, but when I could see that we had a run down the back stretch, and I kind of felt like I had a shot, I just wanted to put myself on the map and felt like it was a good opportunity to just show that I could compete," Parker Retzlaff said. "So, when I knew that my only chance was to get Harrison [Burton] clear and get myself some line and have a chance when the race was really my only shot." [00:56]

"So, like I said, don't know the right decision, what the right decision truly was, but it was a decision that I felt like was the best for me and everyone who supports me," he added.

The NASCAR Cup Series will be next in action for the Cook Out Southern 400, the regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway on September 1.