Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Team Confirms Daytona 500 Entry With Grammy Award-Winning Artist Sponsor

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports has announced that Justin Allgaier will make his debut in the iconic Daytona 500.

The 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, Allgaier has had a remarkable racing career. Allgaier has been a consistent force in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with an impressive 25 victories to his name. But the Cup Series presents a new set of hurdles, despite his previous 82 short stints there.

His latest appearance was as a fill-in for Kyle Larson during the Coca-Cola 600 in 2023, where he secured a commendable 13th place.

To attain a spot in the Daytona 500 grid, Allgaier will face intense competition. The lineup includes 36 Chartered entries with guaranteed spots, leaving the “Open” entries, including Allgaier, to vie for just four coveted slots.

NASCAR Hall of Famer and JR Motorsports owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reacts to Justin Allgaier, driver of the #7 BRANDT Chevrolet, winning the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race…

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

JR Motorsports is the brainchild of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and this development marks their entrance into the Cup Series. Dale Jr., who has won the Daytona 500 twice, has been pivotal in building the success of JRM in the Xfinity Series.

This move represents his goal to position JRM as a power player in the broader NASCAR framework, with the Daytona 500 as its proving ground.

Justin Allgaier’s No. 40 Chevrolet will sport the dual branding of JR Motorsports and Traveller Whiskey, its primary sponsor.

This partnership brings together Buffalo Trace Distillery and Chris Stapleton, the Grammy Award-winning artist. Stapleton’s foray into motorsports via Traveller Whiskey echoes a personal mission, catalyzed by his friendship with Rick Hendrick, who bridged the connection to Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Stapleton commented on the new sponsorship to The Associated Press:

“We had this whiskey and I always have ‘pie in the sky’ dreams of things to do and we knocked on the door a little bit.

“If I’m being 100% honest, I just thought it would be cool to see whiskey on a car. And he brought up Dale Jr. and I was like ‘Why wouldn’t we do that if we can?’ This is a lot of my audience, for both whiskey and country music, and what (Earnhardt) does in auto racing.”

Earnhardt Jr also commented:

“I shared with Rick that for a very long time that I had a dream, at one time in my life, of entering the Daytona 500 as a car owner.

“Rick presented the opportunity to connect with Chris and his team, they were interested in marketing in our sport, and Rick knew that I was wanting to fulfill this opportunity. It was like two people that wanted the same thing.”

Greg Ives, known for his previous association with JR Motorsports, will lead Allgaier’s crew efforts.