“I'm just sitting back and waiting”: Kelley Earnhardt delivers a clear take on her next move following JRM’s Daytona 500 announcement

Kelley Earnhardt has given a clear take about her and brother Dale Jr.'s co-owned venture, JR Motorsports' next NASCAR move, outlining her behind-the-scenes work for the team's potential Cup Series future. This comes after the Mooresville, North Carolina-based outfit announced its Daytona 500 entry.

The silly season is a month away from concluding, following which the highly coveted Daytona 500 will set the rhythm for NASCAR's 77th Cup Series season. The crown jewel race will witness IndyCar legend Helio Castroneves' debut with Trackhouse Racing.

A few days after Castroneves' confirmation, Kelley Earnhardt's JR Motorsports announced their participation in the Daytona 500. 2024 Xfinity Series champion Justin Allgaier will drive the #40 Chevrolet Camaro. While it would mark Allgaier's 83rd Premier Level race, it will be JRM's first Cup battle.

It's worth mentioning that Dale Jr. expressed transitioning JRM into the Cup Series beginning in the 2009 season but it never materialized.

Nonetheless, the thought of entering NASCAR's pinnacle level is still being considered by Junior's sister, who looks after the day-to-day operations of her co-owned venture. Amid the historic Daytona 500 announcement, she explained to Bob Pockrass how the Cup race would set a benchmark for the team to decide on future Cup Series endeavors.

"I'm excited because we get to experience it. And then that gives us just one more experience in our bucket that we can look forward to and say, ‘OK, how could we make this happen, again? Or do we want to make this happen in a full-time situation?'" Kelley Earnhardt said via FOX Sports.

"I've just been kind of riding the wave of the charter stuff for several years, obviously, with the conversations, and I'm just sitting back and waiting to see how things are going to shake out and what the opportunities look like," she added.

Traveller Whiskey will back Allgaier's #40 Camaro for the one-off Daytona effort.

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Justin Allgaier expresses his "honor" in driving the Camaro for Kelley Earnhardt & Co. at the Daytona International Speedway

Justin Allgaier has been an Xfinity Series loyalist for Kelley Earnhardt and Dale Jr. since he entered the outfit in 2016. He fielded Cup Series entries for two seasons before transitioning into a full-time NXS slate. The majority of his accolades like the 2024 championship, 25 wins, and 282 top-10s, have come from the Xfinity Series.

After announcing a contract extension with JRM recently, the Illinois native bagged the memorable Daytona 500 opportunity. On February 13, 2025, Allgaier will pilot the #40 Chevy in the pre-Daytona Duels to safeguard a spot in the 500-miler, marking his third appearance in the crown jewel race, and first since 2015.

And ahead of the season-opener event, Kelley Earnhardt's driver expressed his "honor" and gratitude for the unwavering support he has received over the years.

"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," Allgaier said (via Brandt on X).

Interestingly, the #40 on Allgaier's car is an ode to Traveller Whiskey's 40-proof drinks.