$50M-worth Kelley Earnhardt's team battles NASCAR as Sam Mayer's disqualification threatens playoff ambitions

JR Motorsports announced via social media on Monday its intention to appeal NASCAR's disqualification of driver Sam Mayer following Saturday's Xfinity Series race at Talladega. The driver of the #1 Chevrolet is scored with a last-place finish in Saturday's race after initially placing 16th.

In a statement posted to its X account, the team co-owned by Kelley Earnhardt Miller, who is worth $50 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, and her younger brother, retired NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr., wrote:

"JR Motorsports will appeal the disqualification of Sam Mayer and the No. 1 team following last weekend's event at Talladega Superspeedway."

The penalty currently standing is crucial for Mayer. The two-time winner this season sits 13 points below the cut-line to advance to the Round of 8 with only one Round-of-12 race remaining. Had the penalty not been handed down, the 21-year-old would have a nine-point cushion above the cut-line following his original finish of 16th.

The six-time Xfinity Series winner started the race 12th and couldn't accumulate any stage points. Meanwhile, his teammate Sammy Smith won Saturday's United Rentals 250 at the 2.66-mile track for his second career victory, guaranteeing him a spot in the next round.

It was a tough day for JR Motorsports. Its other three drivers, Brandon Jones, Carson Kvapil, and Justin Allgaier, were caught up in a late-race wreck finishing outside the top 20. Like Mayer, Allgaier sits below the playoff cut-line, behind by seven points.

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A look at Sam Mayer's performance this season

While the 2024 campaign didn't start great for Sam Mayer, he's put a quality season together in his final year with JR Motorsports. The Wisconsin native is amid his third straight Xfinity Series playoff appearance.

Mayer saw a poor first few results as he finished outside the top 30 in three of the season's first four races. However, his fortunes turned around when he picked up his first win of the season at Texas in April, edging out Ryan Sieg by 0.002 seconds, which sits as a three-way tie for the closest finish in series history.

Mayer grabbed his second win of the season at Iowa in June after fending off Riley Herbst on a late restart to secure the victory. Mayer has posted seven top-five finishes this season but seven DNFs with an 18.9 average finish.

It was also announced this year that Sam Mayer will leave JR Motorsports to drive the No. 41 Ford for Haas Factory Team in 2025. He'll be teammates with Sheldon Creed. Mayer has spent three full-time seasons with JR Motorsports which saw him reach the Championship 4 last year.