JR Motorsports (JRM) is set to make history with its first-ever NASCAR Cup Series attempt, announcing plans to compete in the 2025 Daytona 500. The team has tapped their reigning Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier to pilot the No. 40 Chevrolet in NASCAR’s most prestigious race.

The entry marks a significant milestone for the organization, which has been a mainstay in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for nearly two decades. The effort comes through a unique collaboration with 10-time Grammy Award winner Chris Stapleton and will feature Traveller Whiskey as the primary sponsor. Veteran crew chief Greg Ives will lead the team’s inaugural Cup Series effort.

For Allgaier, who clinched his first Xfinity Series championship with JRM in 2023, the opportunity carries special significance. “To be at an organization like this and to be able to make a team debut at the Daytona 500, that’s special,” said Allgaier. The 38-year-old veteran brings valuable experience to the effort, having previously competed in the Great American Race in 2014 and 2015.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., JRM co-owner, described the venture as the perfect alignment of circumstances. “We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” Earnhardt explained. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series Championship and Chris Stapleton’s undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity.”

The partnership originated through conversations between Stapleton and NASCAR legend Rick Hendrick, who then connected the opportunity with JRM. Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who co-owns the team with her brother Dale Jr., emphasized Allgaier’s unique qualification for the role, citing his deep understanding of the organization and ability to deliver for partners.

As an non-chartered entry, the team will need to qualify their way into the race field. Allgaier acknowledges the challenge ahead but maintains high aspirations. “The first goal is to make the race,” he said. “Then you switch your focus to, ‘If we make the race, how do we go win the race?'”

The 2025 Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 16, where JR Motorsports will attempt to write the next chapter in its racing legacy.