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Justin Allgaier, JRM Running Daytona 500: ‘I Don’t Want To Let JR Nation Down’

JR Motorsports will attempt its NASCAR Cup Series debut this February by looking to qualify into this year’s Daytona 500 with team veteran Justin Allgaier behind the wheel, JRM announced Jan. 15.

Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Allgaier will pilot the maiden effort in the No. 40 Chris Stapleton Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet with Greg Ives atop the pit box. It will be his first attempt at qualifying for the event since joining JR Motorsports in 2016.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Allgaier told Frontstretch. “Not even for getting the opportunity to go back and be a part of the Cup Series or the Daytona 500, but to do it in the capacity that we have, to have the relationship that I’ve had with Dale [Earnhardt Jr.], Kelley [Earnhardt Miller] and LW [Miller] and, really, everybody at JR Motorsports. You don’t get the opportunity to stay in one place as long as I’ve been able to.

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“JR Motorsports has been such an iconic part of the Xfinity Series for so long that I feel like this is a big moment for the sport as much as it is a big moment for myself. It’s not going to be easy, but, at the same time, I wouldn’t want to tackle this with any other team.”

It was only days after he had finally won his long-awaited first career Xfinity championship when the 38-year-old received the news after an unexpected yet concerning summons to team co-owner Earnhardt’s office.

Upon his arrival, the Illinois native was suddenly overcome with nervous emotion as standing in the room were a number of JRM personnel with deadpan looks on their faces. He didn’t know what was going on.

“I walked in, and I felt like I was getting called into the principal’s office for some reason.” Allgaier said. “Everybody’s faces were kind of mute. They didn’t have emotion on their face. I’m like, ‘Oh man, what did I miss?'”

However, Allgaier’s worry soon became his delight, and indifferent faces soon became smiles when details of the Cup entry were revealed. All of it culminated to the offering of the ride to the team’s latest champion and elder statesmen. Yet Allgaier, a wise racing veteran and family man, didn’t respond with an immediate “yes”. Instead, he gave an intelligent response — the same he gave to Roger Penske when he was offered his first Xfinity ride in 2008.

“‘I would love to talk about it with my wife before I give you an answer,'” Allgaier remembered telling his JRM employers. “This was a family decision. I think the easy answer is, ‘yes,’ right? But, at the same time, I felt like I owed it to her to have that conversation first.”

Upon receiving spousal approval, Allgaier immediately called Earnhardt and accepted the offer along with all the emotional pressure that comes with making a first start for a team that is owned by one of the most popular drivers in the sport’s history.

“I don’t want to let JR Nation down,” Allgaier said. “There is an unbelievable number of fans that support JR Motorsports and JR Nation. I want to see this happen as a JR Nation fan myself.

“I was a Chance 2 Motorsports fan back in the day whenever Dale Jr. had his Busch Series team with Martin Truex Jr. I was a big [Dale Earnhardt Inc.] fan. The Earnhardt name has been something I’ve been a fan of for a number of years. To know the gravity of that, and to know that we’re trying to attempt to make the Daytona 500, that’s a big moment.”

A big moment, indeed. For the last several years there has been speculation on if or when JRM would attempt a Cup debut from multiple sources within the racing industry. However, high costs and lack of available charters kept the four-time Xfinity championship team from breaking into the next tier of NASCAR.

“In the last couple of years, [Earnhardt] talked about it more and more about maybe having that opportunity,” Allgaier said. “Let’s be honest, it is extremely expensive. They also understand the time and energy and personnel it takes to run at a high level.”

So what changed? Enter country music star Stapleton and the team’s new partner, Traveller Whiskey.

“From the Traveller side of things, they want to be a part of the Daytona 500,” Allgaier said. “That’s how this whole opportunity even started. That was their goal. They feel so strongly about the Daytona 500 and what it means to them.

“You have a very influential person like Chris Stapleton that is a part of this. That ramps up the pressure for somebody like myself that knows that not qualifying for the Daytona 500 would be a big deal. We have our work cut out for us, but at the same time, I think that’s what’s going to make this all the more fun.”

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There is already a certain amount of pressure for the brand-new Cup entry to have to qualify or race its way into the Daytona 500 on its own. However, the 2025 edition of the race already has six confirmed open cars on the entry list, with others possible, including former champions in Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr.

In short? There will be stiff competition for the JRM entry, and that fact isn’t lost on its driver.

“You’ve got a stacked field if I’m looking at it objectively,” Allgaier said. “When I look at the open field, I think it’s going to be very difficult to qualify on time if I’m thinking about who’s there. You have Jimmie and Martin, both of which are extremely accomplished, very successful racecar drivers. They’re going to be very difficult.

“From a speed standpoint, the Project 91 with Helio [Castroneves] has all the makings of having a lot of speed. The No. 62 car with [Anthony] Alfredo has typically qualified pretty well in the past. I mean, the list goes on and on.”

But the 15-year Xfinity veteran doesn’t want to focus on the pressure of the challenge that lies ahead. He’s seen plenty of other drivers go through the same mindset in Daytona 500s for years. Instead, he simply wants to enjoy the milestone of what is a long-awaited inaugural JRM Cup start, and relish the opportunity to be a part of it.

“When I watched last year and I saw the pressure and the stress of [qualifying for the Daytona 500], I was like, ‘You know what? If I’m ever in that position, I’m going to value the opportunity and just go for it,'” he said.

According to Allgaier, there aren’t any additional races scheduled for the JRM Cup effort, meaning its Daytona 500 bid could well be his only chance to race for the team at the sport’s highest level.

So he’s going to try and enjoy every second he possibly can.

“It’s a special moment for me,” Allgaier said. “I haven’t and am not going to take it for granted. Not today, and regardless of the outcome of the race, not then.”

Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loudcolumn, co-host of the Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.

Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT


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TiminPayson

Justin deserves a spot. Helio not so much

Echo

I agree. Justin is just a good person, always has been.

Jeremy

I like Helio, but have to agree. If he can race / earn his way in just like everyone else has always had to do, then fine. But I don’t agree with allowing a car to start the race as a non-points, non-prize money earning entry solely for what is essentially marketing purposes. I get it, sponsors bring money in, but there still needs to be some level of integrity maintained on the competition side of the show.

Bobby K

Let’s call it what it really is. This is just all about selling diecasts. NASCAR media will whoop it up: After all, how exciting because this will be Juniors first foray in to Cup racing!! Junior nation will buy up 100,000 of those @$100. a pop. That’s 10 million profit! Split it with the manufacturer 50/50 and Junior and Kelley put 5 million in their pockets for doing nothing! I don’t begrudge them. I like them!