Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports finally broke into the NASCAR Cup Series this season with its debut at the Daytona 500, marking a milestone 25 years after the team’s founding.
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While Earnhardt Jr. had previously hinted at such a move as early as 2008, stating in a press conference that a transition to the Cup Series could materialise by 2009 if the right opportunity came along with the right sponsorship and driver, that opportunity never arose.
The primary roadblock likely stemmed from NASCAR’s four-car limit per team owner. Given that Rick Hendrick, who holds an ownership stake in JR Motorsports, already fielded the maximum four entries under Hendrick Motorsports, the team was boxed out of top-tier competition unless Hendrick relinquished his stake.
Yet, as fate would have it, when JR Motorsports finally took the plunge this year, it was Rick Hendrick who helped pave the way. During his appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Dale Jr. revealed that Traveller Whiskey initially approached Hendrick Motorsports with hopes of entering the Daytona 500.
However, Rick Hendrick informed them that his roster was already at full capacity, with no openings to accommodate another entry. Earnhardt Jr. recounted, “But my buddy Rick Hendrick, he’s like ‘I know my friend Dale Jr. wants to enter the Daytona 500.”
For Earnhardt Jr., fielding a car in the famed race as an owner had long been a dream — one he envisioned from start to finish: walking onto the grid, pushing the car out, and proudly watching it take the green flag.
When Hendrick made the connection with Traveller Whiskey, the pieces finally fell into place. “So, they hooked us up with Traveller, and we took Traveller to Daytona, and it was really emotional,” he added.
Chris Stapleton, co-owner of Traveller Whiskey, echoed a similar sentiment. “I happen to know Rick Hendrick, and he kind of hooked us up. We built it from there,” Stapleton said, crediting Hendrick as the bridge that brought both the brand and Earnhardt Jr. together.
Kelley Earnhardt credited the HMS boss for JR Motorsports’ Cup debut
In January, even before JR Motorsports turned a single lap in the Cup Series, co-owner Kelley Earnhardt extended heartfelt appreciation to her longtime ally and partner, Rick Hendrick, for opening the door and standing by their side throughout the process. Speaking on Dale Jr.’s podcast, Kelley recalled,
“Like, ‘Mr. Hendrick, is this something that you think we can pull off?’ He’s like, ‘Of course, you know, I’ll advise and assist on however you guys need.” With complete transparency, Kelley admitted to asking what she called “all the stupid questions” — from where to source parts to what exactly those parts should look like, and so on.
As for JR Motorsports’ next outing in the Cup Series, the plan remains up in the air. However, judging by Dale Jr.’s recent remarks, it’s clear he has his sights set on making at least one more Cup start this season.
