"This is a one-shot for Traveller": Dale Earnhardt Jr. touches on factors behind Justin Allgaier's selection as Daytona 500 driver

Recently, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he'd be running the Daytona 500 as a team owner. His team, JR Motorsports, which he co-owns with his sister Kelley, partnered up with Buffalo Trace Distillery for their #40 car headed by Justin Allgaier.

The JR Motorsports driver is the defending Xfinity Series champion. However, the reason Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister chose Allgaiers as their driver in the Daytona 500, has more than his capabilities behind the wheel.

Speaking recently on his podcast show, Dale Earnhardt Jr. described:

"You want a driver obviously that can go out and do a good job, and obviously he's very capable. I think in our situation it's never been paramount, never been more important, that the job the driver does outside the car has to be done well because this is a one-shot for Traveller. They need a great experience, they need to come away with this. They're not looking for performance on racetrack. They need a lot of things to happen and there are a lot of things they want to accomplish that won't happen on the racetrack in that process."

Earnhardt Jr. claimed that Justin Allgaier is the person who can 'really help' them to get to that mark and meet the target of their partners. Junior also touched on the fact that he and Kelley have 'no idea' whether they'll do Cup racing again as owners apart from this upcoming opportunity.

Junior emphasized that at least in 2025, they have 'no other plans' to attend another event besides the Daytona 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals why JR Motorsports went ahead with the number 40 for their debut Daytona 500

During the latest episode on his podcast, Kelley Earnhardt asked Dale Jr. about the number of their Daytona 500 entry. After all, #40 isn't related to any of Earnhardt's family history or Junior's driving career in both DEI and HMS.

But while the #40 isn't related to Dale Earnhardt Jr., it is related to their sponsor, Traveller. Junior described:

"It's a connection to the blend number 40 that Travis travellers utilizes in every bottle, kinda like High Rock is 88 proof. So there's a connection to the product. They were involved, they were very particular about the design of the car, we all compromised a bit, and them having this number that they identify with is fair and important."

As for his preferences over the car number, Dale Earnhardt Jr. revealed that he was 'indifferent.' He claimed that otherwise, he would've been quite 'opinionated' about a specific number, something Kelley Earnhardt said she expects from Junior.

Having said that, the NASCAR Hall of Famer added that heading into the Daytona 500, his first as a team owner, he wasn't feeling nervous.