“He’s very much like his dad in that regard”: Justin Allgaier commends $300M worth Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s understanding of NASCAR

Justin Allgaier, the seasoned #7 JR Motorsports Xfinity driver, recently shared high praise for his boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr., noting the latter's deep understanding of NASCAR. He highlighted the similarities between Earnhardt Jr. and his legendary father, Dale Earnhardt, in their intuitive grasp of the sport.

Having been a part of the NASCAR Xfinity series for fifteen years and with JR Motorsports for nine, Justin Allgaier has become a staple of the team's success. This season, he clinched his place in the playoffs early by winning the Crown Royal Purple Bag Project 200 at Darlington, marking his 24th career victory that tied him with Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 10th on the all-time Xfinity win list.

In a conversation with Davey Segal, Justin Allgaier reflected on his initial talks with Dale Jr. before joining JR Motorsports in 2016, sharing insights into their early interactions and mutual expectations. He said:

"I think he understands the racing world probably is good or better than anybody around, right? I think he's very in tune. He's very much like his dad in that regard. Him and Kelly both- they understand the sport from the inside out really, really well."

Justin Allgaier mentioned that Dale Earnhardt Jr. apologized for a deal with HScott Motorsports that fell through, even though he wasn't directly involved.

And the feelings are mutual from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s side as well. Following Allgaier's victory at Darlington in May 2024, the 49-year-old didn't hold back his praise for the seasoned driver, recognizing his significant role at JR Motorsports. He shared on his podcast, The Dale Jr. Download:

"Justin has been such a great asset to JR Motorsports. We ebb and flow in terms of getting our cars to perform. I'll say that there's one thing that has always been a constant and that's been his attitude. His professional attitude, his effort on the racetrack, he is so dependable. He has been a great mentor for a lot of the drivers that come through here."

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When Justin Allgaier was kicked out of the garage by the NASCAR chairperson

Sharing a tale from his racing fan days on Davey Segal's podcast Justin Allgaier told that growing up, heier was a regular at the racetrack, often spending his weekends at ARCA races, which frequently coincided with the Cup Series events.

An incident from 1998 at Talladega Speedway stuck with him. There, young Justin Allgaier managed to get a T-shirt signed by several racing legends, including Dale Earnhardt Sr., Neil Bonnet, and Ken Schrader. Yet, his adventure took a turn when NASCAR's current vice chairman, Michael Helton, noticed him. Allgaier recounted:

"I remember Mike Helton got me by the back of my shirt. I was probably just 8, 9, or 10 years old getting kicked out of the garage because I chose not to walk with my dad and hold my dad’s hand." [at 1:16]

Today, Allgaier competes in the #7 Chevrolet Camaro and is one of the strongest contenders in the Xfinity Series, currently holding the second position in the driver standings with 705 points, trailing leader Cole Custer by 56 points.