Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back the Daytona 500.
This time, as a team owner. And he has a marquee partnership lined up to help fund that effort.
Earnhardt Jr., twice Daytona 500 Champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer, will field a car for Justin Allgaier, one of his Xfinity Series drivers and reigning champion of that circuit.
The 67th edition of Great American Race is scheduled for February 16.
VROOM: Daytona 500, Rolex 24 headline next NASCAR, IMSA noise. New Smyrna, Barberville too
The JR Motorsports car will feature sponsorship from Traveler Whiskey, a collaboration between Buffalo Trace Distillery and Grammy-winning singer Chris Stapleton.
As is the case with the Earnhardt Xfinity team, this one-time effort will include a level of partnership with Rick Hendrick Motorsports. Stapleton and Hendrick are friends.
The JR Motorsports team completed its 20th season of Xfinity Series racing last year. The team is co-owned by Dale Jr. and his sister, Kelly Earnhardt Miller. If Allgaier qualifies for the Daytona 500, it will be the first Cup Series race for JR Motorsports.
Allgaier will have the chance to compete in the Daytona 500 through pole qualifying on February 12 and/or a 150-mile qualifying race on February 13.
This article originally appeared in the Daytona Beach News-Journal: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chris Stapleton team up for the Daytona 500
