Steve Phelps comes clean on his feelings about Dale Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt’s potential Cup return: “They are the backbone of the sport”

NASCAR President Steve Phelps has spoken his mind about Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller's Cup Series return through their co-owned venture, JR Motorsports. The brother-sister duo debuted in the Daytona 500 as a team owner, with Justin Allgaier behind the wheel. With that, the notion of Dale and Kelley appearing more in NASCAR's Premier level gained traction.

Dale Jr. actively pursued fielding Cup Series entries beginning the 2009 season. However, the absence of the right opportunity hindered the prospect of competing in stock car racing's highest level, keeping JR Motorsports Xfinity Series.

But through a collaboration with country songwriter Chris Stapleton and his brand Traveller's Whiskey, the Earnhardts confirmed their Cup Series debut at the 67th running of the Daytona 500, where Allgaier attempted his third and first for Dale Jr., registering a ninth-place finish, his best Daytona 500 result.

Following a successful campaign, Dale Jr. expressed his inclination to expand JRM's Cup Series operations, emphasizing that he was waiting for the right time when all the deals would fall in balance for full-time premier-level racing.

That said, NASCAR President Steve Phelps was asked what he felt about the Earnhardts' potential Cup Series return. He presented his clear stance about the brother and sister.

"They're the backbone of the sport. They've had a lot of success in the Xfinity Series and won last year's championship, this was the first time JRM fielded a car in the Daytona 500...I'm hoping they'll field more cars this year and I'm not sure what's going to happen in the future, we'd love to see them run full-time, obviously," Phelps said via Sports Business Journal (1:45).

Notably, Kelley Earnhardt Miller acknowledged waiting for how the Daytona 500 would pan out for them to make future decisions.

Dale Jr. makes his feelings known after Justin Allgaier's supreme Daytona 500 performance

The opening points-paying week of the 2025 season started on a dominant note for Dale Jr. On one hand, his Xfinity Series driver Carson Kvapil wrapped the Daytona race in fourth place, while on the other, Justin Allgaier, piloted the #40 JRM Chevrolet to a top-10 finish in the crown jewel race.

It's worth mentioning that Allgaier's Daytona 500 race would've ended in ruins after he got collected in a mess on Lap 71 restart, initiated by a stack-up caused by Joey Logano's slowing #22 Ford Mustang. Nonetheless, the defending Xfinity champion battled eight cautions throughout the 201-lap battle to post a promising finish for his boss.

The moment was surreal for Dale Jr., and he didn't hide his elation about the rewarding week.

“It really was good for me, I think, to come here and experience this to see if it was truly something that I felt like I wanted,” Earnhardt Jr. said via NASCAR. “I think this helped me understand that I do want to be here personally. I do feel like it’s what I should be striving for.”

It will be interesting to see whether Dale Jr. would promote Justin Allgaier if JRM embarks on a full-time Cup Series schedule.