Dale Earnhardt Jr. once famously declared, “We’re going to burn this (expletive) down!” after his last Daytona International Speedway win in 2014. Over a decade later, that same fire still burns within him. As the 2025 Daytona 500 approaches, the final Duel qualifier saw drivers battling for their spots, including a driver mentored by Dale Jr., who delivered a performance that made him proud.
For the first time, JR Motorsports has entered the Cup Series, fielding the No. 40 Chevrolet with Justin Allgaier behind the wheel. After narrowly missing a direct qualification spot in the single-car session, Allgaier had a chance to redeem himself in the Duel race. He made the most of it, leaving Dale Jr. emotional.
Since its founding in 2007, JR Motorsports has focused solely on the Xfinity Series. While there were occasional rumors of a Cup entry, financial constraints always stood in the way. This year, however, the team finally took the leap, entering the Daytona 500. Their entry was no easy task, with nine open cars competing for limited spots. While Helio Castroneves secured his place through NASCAR’s Open Exemption Provisional, and Jimmie Johnson and Martin Truex Jr. had already clinched their spots, Allgaier had to fight for his.
Rising to the occasion, Allgaier secured the ninth position in the 60-lap qualifier, making him the highest-finishing open driver and earning JRM a place in the Daytona 500. The moment was deeply emotional for Dale Jr., who reflected on the journey. “Racing is hard, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. It was emotionally rough, but when it works out, it’s incredible,” he said. “We have an Xfinity race to run, but we finally get to push a Cup car on the grid Sunday.”
Justin Allgaier understood how much this meant to Dale Jr. and the entire JRM team. Before the race, he noticed Dale Jr.’s rare nerves. “His hands were shaking. His lip was quivering. I’ve never seen that before,” Allgaier said. “This meant the world to him and our whole shop.”
Despite fierce competition, Allgaier remained confident. His past Cup experience included a top-10 finish and a Rookie of the Year title in 2009, but he had never won at Daytona. Yet, he knew this was his moment.
Allgaier’s last-lap three-wide move secured his spot, earning high praise from Dale Jr. Now, with JRM officially in the Daytona 500, the next challenge is even bigger—can they go all the way and claim the Harley J. Earl Trophy?
