Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley Earnhardt-owned JR Motorsports team’s latest announcement has caused a stir among the fans, especially following news that Kurt Busch is medically cleared to race and set to appear in the upcoming Race of Champions.
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The Xfinity Racing team announced a Zoom press conference, scheduled for January 15, 2025, at 4:00 PM ET. Two special guests will join Dale Jr. and Kelley Miller at that conference to announce the 2025 Daytona event.
Fans are understandably excited about this news, as speculation is rife within the NASCAR community. “Kurt’s last ride is my wild prediction. He wouldn’t have been cleared if he didn’t have the intention of racing,” one fan said, while another echoed this sentiment, suggesting, “Fielding a Cup car with Kurt at the helm.”
Another fan simply hinted, “Kurt Busch,” tying all speculations directly to the veteran driver’s potential return.
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) January 14, 2025
Busch‘s stock car racing career was abruptly interrupted after he sustained a concussion at Pocono in 2022. Now, he is ready to return to the racetrack, joining forces with Travis Pastrana to represent Team USA at the Race of Champions.
The event, which is scheduled for March 7-8, 2025, at Accor Stadium in Sydney, Australia, has fueled speculation that Busch might be gearing up for another stint in NASCAR as well.
Additionally, there is burgeoning speculation about another driver possibly taking the reins of a JR Motorsports car at the Daytona 500.
Could Martin Truex Jr. be the mystery guest Dale Jr. mentioned?
Last year, Truex Jr. retired from full-time NASCAR Cup Series competition but remained open to part-time driving opportunities. Initially, there was talk of Truex Jr. taking the wheel of 23XI Racing’s third car at Daytona, a victory that has eluded him throughout his career.
But, due to the team’s ongoing legal complexities with NASCAR, that possibility seems to have faded. JR Motorsports could also be a possible landing spot for the former JGR driver. That would require Rick Hendrick, who holds an ownership stake in the team, to divulge his interest.
This is due to a rule put in by the promotion that does not allow any team/owner to field more than four cars, and Hendrick Motorsports already has a four-car lineup. However, with the increased interest from investment groups in the sport, the interpretation of the rule could be at NASCAR’s perusal.
Alternatively, Truex Jr. might also find a seat with Tricon Garage. With Joe Gibbs Racing already fielding four full-time drivers and at capacity, Tricon Garage could potentially collaborate with them in a technical alliance to provide Truex Jr. with a Daytona entry.
