JR Motorsports has confirmed that they will run a car in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series opener.
The traditionally Xfinity Series-only team ran their first Cup race in 2025 at Daytona, and confirmed this week that Justin Allgaier will reprise his role in the race where he finished ninth last year.
Meanwhile, Allgaier will have a new crew chief for the 2026 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series (nee Xfinity Series) season, as he looks to win back the championship he lost to Jesse Love this year.
Andrew Overstreet will swap to Allgaier's No. 7 car after serving as crew chief for the No. 1 car of Carson Kvapil in 2025. He will step in for Jim Pohlamn, who himself has moved to Richard Childress Racing to be Cup Series legend Kyle Busch's crew chief.
Allgaier still looking for first Daytona spring win
Back on the subject of the Great American Race – the 2026 edition will be just Allgaier's fourth in a long career, and just his second since 2015, having never won a season-opener at the track in 15 attempts in the Xfinity Series.
Dale Jr. admitted when his team's car qualified for last year's Daytona 500 that it took until that moment to realise just how much the moment meant to him.
“Man," he said. "We got here and we got a taste of it, and holy moly. I didn’t really know exactly how badly I wanted to do this or wanted to be a part of something like this until we started going through it.
“We race. We love to race, and racing is hard, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. This was rough emotionally, but damn it, it’s fun when it works out.”
