Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s driver voices “the only negative” with NASCAR’s championship ring 

Justin Allgaier, the driver of the No. 7 Chevy for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s NASCAR Xfinity team, recently voiced his thoughts about NASCAR’s championship ring at the NASCAR Awards ceremony. The gala ceremony, which was held yesterday at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, marks the first time the Red Carpet show has been hosted in Charlotte.

Every year, NASCAR ordains its champions with customized rings. Allgaier was also given one in the victory lane at Phoenix Raceway after he won this year’s series title. However, he had an issue with the otherwise “really, really cool” keepsake.

“It's really really cool,” Allgaier said during an interview. “It's got my number on one side of it (and) it's got my actual race car on the other side of it. The only negative is it doesn't come on and off my finger. We actually got the ring sizer stuck on my finger in Victory Lane in Phoenix.”

The reporter suggested that perhaps Allgaier was swelled up from all that celebration and thus, the misfit. After all, he became the champion after 14 years of grinding in the series. But that’s not what Allgaier thought.

“I had shoulder surgery a week ago… maybe I’m just still a little swollen from the surgery,” Allgaier explained.

Holding on to the steering wheel under extensive G-force can put a lot of strain on the tendons in the wrists, elbows, neck, and not to mention, shoulders. Notably, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin, too, got similar surgeries during the 2023 offseason.

“Number 7 is number 1”- Justin Allgaier poses with boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning major NASCAR award for the fifth time

Justin Allgaier received the 2024 National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver Award for the fifth time. Following this, Dale Earnhardt Jr. got a photo clicked with the 38-year-old JR Motorsports driver.

“Number 7 is number 1,” the team captioned the photo posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

JR Motorsports is co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. alongside his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Rick Hendrick of Hendrick Motorsports. Founded in 2002 as a local three-car team, the North Carolina-based outfit made its NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 2005 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Today, JR Motorsports flaunts 88 victories and four championships at the Xfinity level.

Chase Elliott, who drives for Hendrick Motorsport in the Cup Series, won his seventh straight Most Popular Driver Award. With his father Bill Elliott previously bagging the honor 16 times, it is safe to say that this coveted award and the Elliott family have become synonymous.

With that said, Allgaier is expected to return behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevy Camaro next season with BRANDT Professional Agriculture as his primary sponsor. The Springfield native will continue through 2026 under the banner of JR Motorsports. The contract extension was announced during the official press conference at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October.