Former driver bluntly states Dale Jr.’s move as what NASCAR “desperately needs”

Former NASCAR driver Rick Mast has given a blunt take on Dale Jr. and Kelley’s call to field a JR Motorsports entry in the 2025 Daytona 500. During a conversation with Kenny Wallace’s podcast’s host, Charlie Marlow, Mast claimed the historic move is something NASCAR “desperately” needed.

JR Motorsports recently announced its debut in the Cup Series for a one-off effort at the season-opener Daytona 500. The brother-sister duo’s organization has been a dominant force in the Xfinity Series, raking in four championships. However, it never knocked on the doors of premier-level racing.

Amid the much-awaited NASCAR debut, former driver Rick Mast, who comes from Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s era and holds nine Xfinity Series wins, bluntly expressed that NASCAR desperately needs Kelley and Dale Jr.'s influence in the sport.

“The sport needs Junior, the sport needs Chris Stapletons (American country music singer who has teamed up with JRM) of the world. The sport just needs those things at this time and that’s the part that I like about it, I mean, everybody’s been waiting on JRM to do Cup car. And honestly, Kelley, Dale Jr., y’all know this, our sport needs a JRM Cup team or multiple teams,” Mast said (8:11).

“The big number one thing is that it’s a cool deal, it’s a thing our sport desperately needs at this point, because JRM and Dale Jr., that name, whether you love him or hate him or whatever…he’s a big part of our sport, he’s a big part of the future of our sport,” he added (8:58).

JRM’s star driver and 2024 Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier will register his team’s first Cup Series race and his third Daytona 500.

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Dale Jr. makes his feelings known following the unprecedented NASCAR move for JR Motorsports

Dale Jr.’s championship-winning driver, Justin Allgaier, will pilot the #40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet Camaro for the 500-miler on the 2.5-mile oval. Interestingly, the #40 symbolizes the sponsor’s 40-proof whiskey.

The Daytona International Speedway holds a special place in the Earnhardt household. Dale Sr., the seven-time Cup Series champion is a Daytona 500 winner, and his son carried his father’s legacy by acing two Daytona 500 battles.

Thus, amid the auspicious occasion, Junior. expressed his feelings about the "right moment" with Justin Allgaier.

“We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” said 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,” Junior said via JRM.

It’s worth mentioning that with JRM’s debut Cup Series effort, the odds of Dale Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt venturing into NASCAR’s Premier Level racing are high. Moreover, sister Earnhardt revealed she has already been observing how things fare in the Cup Series.