Fresh off his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, Justin Allgaier will attempt to make the Daytona 500 at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway in February with JR Motorsports and a special partnership.
On Wednesday afternoon, JRM announced that Allgaier will pilot the team’s first NASCAR Cup Series entry with backing from Traveller Whisky, a label created by country music star, Chris Stapleton.
The whisky is blended and bottled at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Ky.
“We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” said co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series championship and Chris Stapleton’s undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to enter this year’s Daytona 500.”
Allgaier will compete as a non-chartered entry, meaning he’ll have to qualify his way into the field or race his way into a starting spot through the Daytona Duels aboard the No. 40 Chevrolet.
Greg Ives will serve as Allgaier’s crew chief for the event.
“Traveller Whiskey joining JR Motorsports for their inaugural entry into the Cup Series at the Daytona 500 feels like a very natural partnership,” said Stapleton. “I’m honored to be a part of this historic moment with Dale and Kelley (Earnhardt Miller), and excited to see Justin race the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet in Daytona.”
The 38-year-old has two previous starts in the Great American Race with a best result of 27th in 2014 while competing for HScott Motorsports.
“This is an incredible honor to be driving JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series, and to do it with not only Dale and Kelley, but Chris Stapleton and Traveller Whiskey makes this even more special,” said Allgaier. “Entering into the Daytona 500 has been a goal of this company for a long time and I know that we are going to have everything we need to go out and contend for the win.
“This is going to be special for sure.”
Allgaier has one previous victory at Daytona in the Xfinity Series during the summer event in 2023.
