When Justin Allgaier rolled out for JR Motorsports at this year’s Daytona 500 and secured a top-10 finish on their Cup debut, it reignited the perennial question: Why isn’t Allgaier in a top-tier Cup ride? What many newer fans may not realize is that Allgaier already had a stint in the Cup Series.
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Those more familiar with his path often point to his earlier tenure as underwhelming, citing his inability to retain a full-time seat. Despite the criticism and hindsight analysis, Allgaier carries no bitterness about the past.
While speaking with Jeff Gluck, he addressed the misconceptions surrounding his Cup career, saying, “A lot of people assume when I was in Cup, I had equal equipment to what the guys up front were running.”
He added, “I see a lot of comments where somebody will say, ‘Oh, I wish he would go back to Cup racing’ and then you’ll see 100 comments that say, ‘He had a shot in Cup and didn’t make it last.'”
Yet, Allgaier stood firm, stating, “I don’t regret that time and I wouldn’t change it. Would I love an opportunity on the Cup side in good equipment? Yeah, absolutely. But if I look back at my career, I wouldn’t have changed anything I’ve done from then to now.”
The JRM driver pointed to motorists like Alex Bowman, who endured a tough stretch with BK Racing, and Clint Bowyer, who piloted an underfunded HScott Motorsports entry following Allgaier, as examples of talents who thrived once given proper machinery. In his view, the tools he was handed during his Cup tenure simply weren’t capable of running up front.
Allgaier’s full-time Cup opportunity came via the No. 51 Chevrolet with HScott Motorsports in 2014 and 2015. Over those two seasons, he bagged just one top-10 finish and routinely found himself outside the top 25. He closed out those years 29th and 30th in the standings, respectively.
In contrast, his Xfinity Series stint tells a different story. Since debuting in the division in 2009, Allgaier has become a perennial contender. After years of knocking on the door, he finally sealed the deal with an Xfinity championship title last season.
The most challenging time of Allgaier’s life
Allgaier’s attitude today reflects a life of earned perspective. When Jeff Gluck pressed Justin Allgaier about a time he felt truly tested, the 38-year-old quipped, “Can I just put my whole career in there? (Laughs)”
Allgaier even shared an inside joke that’s become something of a motto within the No. 7 team’s hauler: whenever someone utters the line, “If you want it easy, don’t come to the 7 car,” it draws knowing laughs. As he put it, any driver expecting a smooth ride would do well to steer clear of that path.
Furthermore, he candidly admitted he didn’t navigate his Cup tenure with the grace he wished he had. He struggled with the adversity, with the lack of performance, and with the weight of unmet expectations. But that outlook has shifted in the years since. Even on the rough days now, he carries a deeper appreciation for the opportunity — no longer consumed by the sting of a subpar result.
