Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Chris Stapleton team up to field Daytona 500 entry
MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. and country music star Chris Stapleton are teaming up to field a JR Motorsports entry in the 2025 Daytona 500.
Justin Allgaier will attempt to make the Daytona 500 in the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet. Allgaier will have Greg Ives as his crew chief.
Fresh off of a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with Allgaier last year, JR Motorsports will attempt to make their NASCAR Cup Series debut as an organization.
“We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series championship and Chris Stapleton’s undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to enter this year’s Daytona 500.”
Earnhardt Jr. regarded Allgaier for what he will do on and off the track to make the most of the partnership.
“Traveller Whiskey joining JR Motorsports for their inaugural entry into the Cup Series at the DAYTONA 500 feels like a very natural partnership,” Stapleton said. “I’m honored to be apart of this historic moment with Dale and Kelley. I’m excited to see Justin race the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet in Daytona.”
Earnhardt Jr. said the 2025 Daytona 500 is the only Cup Series race JRM currently has on the schedule.
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Jonathan Fjeld View All
Jonathan Fjeld is the co-owner of the The Racing Experts, LLC. He has been with TRE since 2010.
A Twin Valley, MN, native, Fjeld became a motorsports fan at just three years old (first race was the 2002 Pennsylvania 500). He worked as a contributor and writer for TRE from 2010-18. Since then, he has stepped up and covered 24 NASCAR race weekends and taken on a larger role with TRE. He became the co-owner and managing editor in 2023 and has guided the site to massive growth in that time.
Fjeld has covered a wide array of stories and moments over the years, including Kevin Harvick's final Cup Series season, the first NASCAR national series disqualification in over 50 years, Shane van Gisbergen's stunning win in Chicago and the first Cup Series race at Road America in 66 years – as well as up-and-coming drivers' stories and stories from inside the sport, like the tech it takes for Hendrick Motorsports to remain a top-tier team.
Currently, he resides in Albuquerque, N.M., where he works for KOB 4, an NBC station. He works as a digital producer and does on-air reports. He loves spending time with friends and family, playing and listening to music, exploring new places, being outdoors, reading books and writing among other activities. You can email him at fjeldjonathan@gmail.com