JR Motorsports co-owners Dale Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt-Miller recently spoke with FOX Sports after Justin Allgaier qualified for the 2026 Daytona 500. The brother and sister later expressed their joy at qualifying for the season opener.

This year, JRM will make his second appearance in the Crown Jewel event behind the wheel of the Allgaier in the No. 40 Chevrolet. Additionally, the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion posted the second-fastest time in open car qualifying in single-car qualifying at Daytona International Speedway. Allgaier finished 14th out of 45 runners and clocked a top speed of 182.923 mph.

Getting back-to-back berths in the Daytona 500 is a big deal. Reflecting on this, Dale Jr. and his sister Kelly Earnhardt-Miller praised the driver of the No. 40 Chevrolet. Kelly noted:

“It feels really good. I don’t know if the pressure is going to be less, but it feels really good. We’re very proud of Justin. I want to thank Travelers Whiskey for this opportunity. So it couldn’t be better.”

Meanwhile, Dale Jr. added:

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s fun anyway. Man, it’s a great sport. It’s so fun to be a part of. It’s awesome to be able to come out here and try to get in. It’s stressful, but that’s the best part of it.”

Justin Allgaier will now compete in a duel race on Thursday night to secure his official starting spot in the Daytona 500. The 500-mile race at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for February 15, 2026. The 200-lap race will be televised live at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM and HBO Max.

‘I’m happy’: Dale Jr. shares his thoughts on culinary clash at Bowman Gray Stadium

previous NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Dale Jr. took to X to share his thoughts on the Cook Out Clash match on February 4, 2026 at Bowman Gray Stadium. Earnhardt Jr. praised the governing body in the post, claiming he enjoyed the race despite the bad weather.

The short track race was affected by historic snowfall, with the 200-lap main event being rescheduled twice before taking place on February 4. weather We also encountered showers, which resulted in a mandatory pit stop for refueling.

Despite adverse weather conditions, NASCAR hosted the event and Dale Jr. was impressed with their efforts. Reflecting on this, he wrote:

“Last night’s race was a blast. I’m not complaining because I think the Cup Series even in the Bowman Gray era was terrible. I appreciate the effort NASCAR put in to finish the race. The weather was an issue and I’m glad they soldiered on and didn’t give up.”

“I don’t like to let the field go when others choose to dominate the field. But it won’t ruin my night. This is a show and I’m having fun. Thanks to the entire industry for all the inconveniences they dealt with to put on this event,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. concluded.

The 200-lap Cook Out Clash saw 11 lead changes, with RFK Racing driver Ryan Preece taking the win First Cup Series victory in history. Meanwhile, Preece was joined on the podium by two-time Daytona 500 winner William Byron and 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney.