Initially, it was one of those “what if” stories that promised to spark excitement among fans of NASCAR’s elite Cup Series. On January 15, a potential idea in the works became a reality.
JR Motorsports announced in a press release that NASCAR Hall of Famer and two-time DAYTONA 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and 10-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton , will feature JRM’s inaugural entry into the 2025 DAYTONA 500 Race.
The driver for this one-race adventure is 2024 Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier, longtime driver for Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller. In partnership with Buffalo Trace Distillery, JRM will field a Chevrolet Traveler Whiskey No. 40, inspired by its Blend No. 40.
“We have been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” said Earnhardt Jr. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series championship and the undeniable power of Chris Stapleton, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to compete in this year’s DAYTONA 500. “
Stapleton added his thoughts in a company release, saying in part: “I am honored to be a part of this historic moment with Dale and Kelley, and I am excited to see Justin pilot the No. 40 Traveler Whiskey Chevrolet at Daytona.
Allgaier is a five-time most popular driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, as voted by fans of the series. Allgaier is the NXS Series’ all-time leader in top 10 finishes and JRM’s all-time leader in wins. Additionally, he is a former competitor in NASCAR’s prestigious Cup Series, having raced there full-time in 2014 and 2015. Allgaier’s most recent departure at the Cup level came during the 2024 season when he drove for Hendrick Motorsports and 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson. at Charlotte Motor Speedway, finishing 13thth in the 600 mile event.
“It’s an incredible honor to drive JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series, and to do so not only with Dale and Kelley, but also with Chris Stapleton and Traveler, which makes it even more special,” said declared Allgaier. “Competing in the DAYTONA 500 has been a goal of this company for a long time, and I know we will have everything we need to fight for victory. It’s going to be special, that’s for sure.
The 2025 Daytona 500 will be the first time Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller will compete in a Cup Series race as team owners. Under his leadership in NXS, JRM collected 88 victories and four championships with drivers Chase Elliott, William Byron, Tyler Reddick and most recently with Allgaier.
Allgaier and JR Motorsports will attempt to qualify for the 500 beginning Wednesday, February 12 at 8 p.m. Allgaier is also scheduled to compete in one of two 150-mile qualifying races scheduled for Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., followed by NASCAR’s most prestigious race. Sunday February 15 at 2:30 p.m.
The Illinois native will need to qualify for the Daytona 500 through speed in time trials. A pole position win or front row start would seal his starting spot or he could feature in the field by posting a good result in one of the qualifying races. The Chevrolet Camaro entered will be equipped with Hendrick Motorsports engines for the practice sessions, qualifying efforts and the 500.
“It’s an incredible honor to drive JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series, and to do so not only with Dale and Kelley, but also with Chris Stapleton and Traveler Whiskey, which makes this even more special,” Allgaier said. “Competing in the DAYTONA 500 has been a goal of this company for a long time and I know we will have everything we need to fight for victory. It’s going to be special, that’s for sure.
Earnhardt Miller has worked hard to help set up a potential Cup Series entry dating back to last season. When Stapleton contacted Rick Hendrick, a close friend who shares a deep love of music and guitars, about possible participation in the Cup Series, the pieces of the puzzle fell into place and the Earnhardts saw their dream come true.
“It was a conversation that Chris and Mr. (Rick) Hendrick were having,” Earnhardt-Miller said. NASCAR.com regarding the partnership with Stapleton. “And of course Mr. Hendrick knows what we’ve talked about over the last few years about potentially wanting to make a run at the Cup. So he handed us the opportunity and told us to take the reins and see what we could do with it. So we were able to land it and put it up.
“There’s no one like Justin who knows our organization, who knows our needs, who can meet those needs and really meet the expectations of that partner throughout the year. It truly was the perfect storm. You know, you had a partner who was interested and enthusiastic and wanted to be at the Daytona 500 and you had a team at JRM with a driver like Justin who wants to be there.
This article was originally published on The Fayetteville Observer: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chris Stapleton team up to compete in the Daytona 500
