“She won’t be here to see it”: NASCAR Insider pens a heartfelt note after Dale Earnhardt Jr’s big reveal for Daytona 500

Joseph Srigley, a NASCAR journalist and editor, recently shared a post on X penning how important the JRM debut in the NASCAR Cup Series would have been for his grandmother who had passed away in 2020. JR Motorsports will be making its Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 in February.

JR Motorsports was established in 2005 by Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. (son of the seven-time champion, Dale Earnhardt Sr.), his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, Rick Hendrick. The team has carved a name for itself by being a breeding ground for upcoming talents in the world of NASCAR, like Chase Elliott, William Byron, and Tyler Reddick. Earnhardt Jr's team normally competes in the Xfinity Series and is set to make its debut in the Cup Series with Justin Allgaier being behind the wheel at the Great American Race, Daytona 500.

Srigley shared a heartfelt message on X regarding his grandmother, who was a big Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan and wanted to see his team, JRM in the Cup Series. He posted:

"A personal story that makes yesterday’s news special to me: My grandma was a HUGE @DaleJr fan, and as I got involved in #NASCAR, she’d always ask when JRM was going to Cup. She passed away in 2020. Now that it’s happening, it’s bittersweet that she won’t be here to see it."

JR Motorsports will field the #40 in the upcoming Daytona 500 with the reigning Xfinity Series champion, with Justin Allgaier piloting the car. Greg Ives will be the crew chief for the race and Travellers Whiskey will be sponsoring the race.

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Justin Allgaier expresses his excitement ahead of Cup Series debut for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team

Justin Allgaier will be looking to build on last season's Xfinity Series triumph as he drives JR Motorsports' entry in the Cup Series this season. The 38-year-old shared his excitement about this opportunity, emphasizing the long-held goal of competing in the Daytona 500 and the team's readiness to contend for victory.

"This is an incredible honor to be driving JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series. Entering into the Daytona 500 has been a goal of this company for a long time and I know that we are going to have everything we need to go out and contend for the win. This is going to be special for sure," Allgaier said.

Chris Stapleton, meanwhile, said that he views this venture as a personal milestone, akin to experiencing a Super Bowl moment.

"I wanted to build a thing — I wanted to see the car and I want to see it run. And that, for me, would be the victory, And I want the moment of it. It’s just like going to the Super Bowl and getting to stay on the sidelines. That’s what I want. I want the moment, the moment of the synergy that is happening. Whatever comes of it, we still did it,” Stapleton said.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team will be hoping for a solid start to its NASCAR Cup Series, having enjoyed plenty of success in the Xfinity Series in recent years.