JR Motorsports (JRM) took to social media to reveal the organization’s plans to bid for a second consecutive starting spot for the Daytona 500 in 2026.
JRM, a four-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship-winning organization based in Mooresville, North Carolina, will field the No. 40 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 stock car throughout Daytona Speedweeks in February 2026.
Justin Allgaier, the 2024 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion from Riverton, Illinois, will pilot the entry. Iraveller Whiskey, a whiskey brand created by 11-time Grammy Award-winning artist and country singer-songwriter Chris Stapleton, will sponsor the car. The 2026 season will mark a second consecutive time where both Allgaier and Traveller Whiskey will join forces with JRM’s NASCAR Cup Series effort for the Daytona 500.
The announcement comes nine months after JRM made its inaugural presence in the NASCAR Cup Series during the 67th edition of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Allgaier, who earned a transfer berth to the 500 by finishing in ninth place during the first of two Daytona Duel qualifying races, proceeded to finish in ninth place during the main event. Allgaier’s result occurred after he dodged a series of late-race carnages, including one on the final lap.
Should Allgaier earn a starting spot for the 2026 Daytona 500, it will mark his fourth career start in the event and his 84th start in the Cup Series division. Through 83 previous starts, Allgaier has accumulated two top-10 results, 17 laps led and an average-finishing result of 27.2, with his best result being an eighth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in April 2015. Should Allgaier win the 500, he would become the 10th competitor to achieve a first Cup career victory in the event.
JRM achieved victories in 17 of the 33-race schedule in the 2025 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series division among six competitors. Three of the wins were recorded by Allgaier. The organization also achieved its 100th career victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July with Connor Zilisch. Allgaier, along with Connor Zilisch and Carson Kvapil represented JRM in the Championship 4 round at Phoenix Raceway earlier in November, but the trio fell short of the championship to Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love.
Through a combined 2,020 starts in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, JRM has accumulated 105 victories, 48 poles, 592 top-five results, 1,129 top-10 results 16,800 laps led. The organization will field four full-time entries (No. 1 for Carson Kvapil & Connor Zilisch, No. 7 for Justin Allgaier, No. 8 for Sammy Smith & No. 88 for Rajah Caruth & TBA drivers) and one part-time entry (No. 9 for Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen) while pursuing more victories and a fifth championship in 2026.
The 2026 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for February 15, with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
