CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR team, JR Motorsports, is poised to make its Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 next month, featuring champion driver Justin Allgaier alongside support from Grammy Award-winning artist Chris Stapleton.


Allgaier, the current Xfinity Series champion, has been entered in the prestigious “Great American Race” driving a Chevrolet that will showcase Traveller Whiskey, a brand developed in partnership with the celebrated musician. The whiskey is a collaborative blend produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery and Stapleton, who has won ten Grammy awards.


To secure a spot in the Daytona 500, Allgaier will need to qualify through either time trials or one of the preliminary qualifying races. This will be a significant milestone for JR Motorsports, marking their first entry into the Cup Series. Earnhardt has mentioned that the team is relying heavily on the power of a Hendrick Motorsports engine to enhance their chances during the qualification rounds.


The collaboration emerged when Stapleton, who shares a friendship with Rick Hendrick, expressed his desire to venture into NASCAR with Traveller Whiskey. Hendrick facilitated the introduction to Earnhardt, who is also an owner of JR Motorsports. Stapleton shared his excitement, saying he always had whimsical aspirations, and he found it fascinating to see whiskey represented on a race car. When the idea of collaborating with Dale Jr. came up, he saw it as a perfect opportunity to connect with both the whiskey and auto racing audiences he has.


Now, with Earnhardt and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt-Miller, at the helm, they are working towards fulfilling a long-held dream. Earnhardt reminisced about his aspiration to compete in the Daytona 500 as an owner, a goal that became attainable with the new partnership. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with Stapleton, aligning their mutual interests in NASCAR.


JR Motorsports enjoys a successful history in the Xfinity Series, with a total of 88 victories achieved by notable drivers including Chase Elliott, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, and Justin Allgaier. The team is entering its 24th year of competition, currently running four cars in the second-tier Xfinity Series. Despite previous considerations, JRM has never attempted to enter a Cup race until now.


While the Earnhardt family has shown interest in competing at the Cup level, they have hesitated to invest in an expensive charter necessary for entry. Earnhardt noted that there are no plans beyond attempting the Daytona 500 this time. The situation adds significant pressure, as he and Kelley will be closely monitoring the progress of the team throughout the experience.


Stapleton is also looking forward to this being his first Daytona 500, revealing that he played a significant role in the car’s design. He first saw the vehicle on Wednesday and expressed his love for retro styles, aiming to incorporate a blend of JR Motorsports and Traveller Whiskey aesthetics into the design.


In addition to promoting his whiskey, Stapleton views the Daytona 500 as an opportunity to create lasting memories in his illustrious career. “I wanted to witness the car in action and experience that moment for myself,” Stapleton commented. “It’s akin to going to the Super Bowl and having the chance to be on the sidelines; that’s the experience I cherish.”


Allgaier, as the defending Xfinity Series champion, has previous Cup Series experience, having participated in the Daytona 500 in 2014 and 2015. He recently drove a Cup car as a substitute for Kyle Larson at the Coca-Cola 600 last May, finishing 13th after rain affected the race outcome.


“This is an incredible honor to be driving JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series,” Allgaier stated. “Competing in the Daytona 500 has been a longstanding goal for this team, and I am confident that we have everything necessary to be competitive. This will certainly be a memorable moment.”