JR Motorsports Team Preview
TRACK – Atlanta Motor Speedway (1.54-mile quad-oval)
NXS RACE – RAPTOR King of Tough 250 (163 laps / 251 miles)
Sam Mayer
No. 1 Axalta Chevrolet
Mayer 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 0
Laps Led: 0
Avg. Finish: 36
Points: 33rd
Sam Mayer returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the sixth time in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career on Saturday afternoon.
The 20-year-old Franklin, Wis. native has five previous starts at the 1.54-mile quad-oval, earning one top-five and three top- 10 efforts with his best of fifth coming in the summer of 2023.
Mayer’s three top-10’s also rank tied for first among all tracks the JRM driver has completed on in the NXS with Watkins Glen, Martinsville Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
This weekend, Axalta and Raptor High Heat come on board Mayer’s No. 1 Chevrolet for the 163-lap event at Atlanta. This marks the first race for Axalta as as a primary partner for Mayer.
Sam Mayer
“Daytona was a super unfortunate situation, but I am ready to get to Atlanta and turn this year around. Atlanta is a fun track to tackle and we were able to pull a top-five finish there last year so I hope we can do the same, if not better. We have Raptor High Heat on board this week with a super cool paint scheme and I am hopeful we can get them to Victory Lane when it’s all said and done Saturday night.”
Justin Allgaier
No. 7 Jarrett 25th Anniversary Chevrolet
Allgaier 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 1
Laps Led: 7
Avg. Finish: 8
Points: 5th
Justin Allgaier has scored one win, three top fives and nine top-10s in 16 career NXS starts at Atlanta.
The veteran driver’s lone win came in this event in 2021 after starting sixth and leading 47 laps en route to the victory.
Since the shift of Atlanta to a more drafting-dominant track, Allgaier has earned a best finish of seventh, coming in the spring of 2022.
For the first time this season, Jarrett Logistics adorns the hood of the No. 7. To kickoff the new year, Jarrett will be running a special 25th anniversary commemorative scheme in Atlanta. This scheme will also return later this season on the fall at Martinsville.
Justin Allgaier
“I’m really pumped to have the folks from Jarrett onboard our No. 7 Chevrolet this weekend. They’ve been a great partner for years here at JRM and it’s special to have them join us for 2024. Hopefully we can give them a strong run here in Atlanta. This place is such a unique track now, with us racing in such a tight pack. But if we can keep our nose clean and be up front when it counts, I see no reason why we won’t be fighting for the win at night’s end on Saturday.”
Sammy Smith
No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet
Smith 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 0
Laps Led: 6
Avg. Finish: 23
Points: 15th
In Sammy Smith’s two NXS starts at Atlanta, he has an average starting position of second and earned a best finish of 10th, coming last summer.
Smith’s average start of second ranks first among all tracks that he made two or more starts on in the NXS.
In 17 career NXS starts on tracks between 1-2 miles, in length, Smith has scored one win (Phoenix), three top-fives and 10 top-10’s.
In his first start for JRM last weekend in Daytona, Smith ran up front for much of the race, pacing the field for six laps, before being collected in a multi-car incident coming to the checkered flag.
Sammy Smith
“Our Pilot Flying J Chevrolet was stable and strong for our first Daytona race together out of the JR Motorsports stable and we were in contention all night. My team gave me a great car that I could drive wherever I needed to and I feel extremely confident we’ll have that again this weekend. Hopefully we can put the whole race together with a great qualifying lap and a trip to Victory Lane at the end of the day.”
Brandon Jones
No. 9 Menards / Atlas Roofing Chevrolet
Jones 2024 NXS Stats
Starts: 1
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 0
Top 10s: 1
Laps Led: 0
Avg. Finish: 9
Points: 10th
It’s homecoming weekend for Brandon Jones, as the Atlanta, Ga. native returns home for the NXS event at Atlanta. This weekend is also homecoming for crew chief Phillip Bell, who hails from Senoia, Ga.
Over the course of 11 starts at his home track, Jones has earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes, with a best finish of fourth at this race in 2019.
This weekend’s race will be Jones’ second career start at Atlanta with Atlas Roofing on the hood.
In four starts on the new configuration at Atlanta, Jones has a best finish of seventh, which came in the spring of 2022, the first event on the new pavement and layout at the 1.54-mile speedway.
Brandon Jones
“It’s always great to head back to my home track in Atlanta. Coming off a strong finish in Daytona, I am hoping we can keep the momentum going this weekend. This new pavement requires a different style of racing, and JRM always builds great cars for it. Hopefully we can keep the nose clean on our Menards/Atlas Roofing Chevrolet and be in contention to battle for the win under the lights Saturday night.”
JRM Team Updates
JR Motorsports at Atlanta Motor Speedway: JR Motorsports has competed at Atlanta Motor Speedway a combined 63 times in the NXS. In those starts at the 1.54-mile quad-oval, the organization has recorded four wins, 18 top fives and 38 top 10s. The average finish is 11.7.
Souvenir Rig: JRM drivers Sam Mayer, Justin Allgaier, Sammy Smith and Brandon Jones will be signing autographs at the JR Motorsports / Legacy MC souvenir rig on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 12:45 p.m. to 1:15 p.m EST.
