“Thought I Was Being Called to the Principal’s Office”: Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Cup Series Weapon Divulges Feelings on Landmark Opportunity

Justin Allgaier, a NASCAR driver with over 15 years of experience, has ventured back into the Cup Series spotlight this year, teaming up with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team. After initial stints in 2014 and 2015 resulted in less-than-stellar results, Allgaier returned to dominate the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports. His consistent performances culminated in winning the 2024 Xfinity championship, earning him another shot at the prestigious Daytona 500—a race he will start for only the third time.

Reflecting on this opportunity, Allgaier shared, “It’s an amazing opportunity to win the championship last year and to kind of finally check a box that we’ve tried to check at JR Motorsports for so long with myself and with the team. When I got brought into the office to discuss this, I thought I was being called to the principal’s office, to be honest with you at first, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.”

He admitted that during the meeting, as the team laid out their plans, he didn’t initially see himself in the driver’s seat for the upcoming event. He thought they were just bringing Allgaier up to speed on JR Motorsports’ broader strategies.

“When the opportunity was presented to obviously drive the car and to be a part of the foray for JR Motorsports in the Cup Series – I mean, that’s a big opportunity. I take a lot of pressure on myself in that moment to see this organization compete on the grand scale of the Cup Series,” Allgaier expressed.

With a tally of 25 victories across 471 starts in the junior series, this would mark Allgaier’s first Cup start under the banner of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team. However, since the racing outfit has not scheduled any additional Cup races beyond their Daytona 500 debut, this might stand as Allgaier’s only chance this year to demonstrate his abilities in the Next Gen car.

The last time he competed in a Cup race was when Allgaier filled in for Kyle Larson during the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Larson was delayed by a weather setback at the Indy 500, hence delaying his travel to the famed NASCAR race. Consequently, Allgaier took the helm of Larson’s #5 Chevrolet, navigating it to a P13 finish before the event was curtailed by rain.

Is Allgaier nervous?

Traveller Whiskey is the brand that is sponsoring the #40 JRM entry in the Daytona 500 this year. The collaboration between Dale Jr. and Chris Stapleton, owner of the brand was sparked by a mutual connection through Rick Hendrick. It stemmed from Stapleton’s friendship with Hendrick and their shared enthusiasm for NASCAR.

Hendrick’s introduction set the stage for Stapleton’s collaboration with JR Motorsports, which Allgaier will represent since he would be behind the wheel. Allgaier, bearing the weight of the team’s inaugural Cup race endeavor, expressed the gravity of this responsibility:

He continued, “As somebody that’s been a part of the Cup Series, it’s great to get back. But this is a lot bigger than that for me. This is about seeing JR Motorsports make this transition for this race. And, you know, who knows if there will ever be another JR Motorsports Cup Series entry.”

While Allgaier successfully maintained a competitive position for Larson’s car last year, Dale Jr. would hope to steer the #40 Chevrolet with equal determination in the upcoming event.