“I got a big smile on my face”: Justin Allgaier opens up on how JRM’s Daytona 500 entry came to fruition on a ‘random afternoon’

NASCAR Xfinity champion Justin Allgaier recently shared his thoughts on how the owners of JR Motorsports approached him to take the reins of the No. 40 car for the team's debut in the upcoming Daytona 500 race.

Co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, JRM, announced its historic Cup Series debut with its Xfinity driver and champion Allgaier for a one-off race in the season-opener race at Daytona International Speedway. JRM will also partner with famed musician Chris Stapleton's whisky brand for the historic feat.

Speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the 38-year-old Allgaier said:

"So on a random afternoon, I get a phone call like, 'Hey, can you come up to Kelley's office?'. And so again, and it was Kelly and L. W. and Dale and a few of the management folks from Junior Motorsports. And they all had this like somber look on their face and I'm like, 'Oh, man, like, what did I do wrong? Did I say something wrong?'

Furthermore, Allgaier claimed that he didn't expect until the last moment when the JRM executives asked him for this monumental opportunity. He added:

"At the very end, they're like, 'Well, we'd love for you to drive it. We feel like, you know, you obviously have been a great part of our organization and, you know, we feel like you'd be the perfect fit.' And I got a big smile on my face and, obviously, they got a big smile on their faces and it was a really, really cool moment."

Justin Allgaier has been a part of the NASCAR touring series for almost 15 years and primarily competed for JR Motorsports, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series. He will also make his full-time return to Cup after almost a decade.

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"Truly an honor": Justin Allgaier shares his thoughts after JRM's Daytona 500 plans

Justin Allgaier will once again find his footing in the premier division at the prestigious Daytona 500 race. In a post on X, the Springfield, Illinois native expressed his emotions about the opportunity presented to him.

He said:

"Team BRANDT, we're going back to the Daytona 500 in the Cup Series. I cannot say thank you enough for all the support that you guys have given me over the years. It is truly, truly an honor to carry these colors on this race car. It's going to be a lot of fun and a lot of work ahead of us; we're going to have a great time,"

All of Justin Allgaier's NASCAR wins (25) have been in the second-tier division and he will now have a chance to prove his prowess with the Chevy roster in an attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 race on February 16.