“We know we have the ability to bring sponsor interest to our teams to be able to help fund our operation.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said these words about the possibility of a full-time JR Motorsports entry in the NASCAR Cup Series. While that is still in the works, JRM’s premier-level dreams are being fueled, nonetheless. We saw the champion Xfinity Series team take its first step in February at the Daytona 500 with Justin Allgaier, and now, the second step does not seem to be so far off.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is probably the most popular icon in NASCAR. Holding twin Daytona 500 victories, hosting a vastly popular podcast, and managing a 4-time championship-winning Xfinity team can attract the whole NASCAR fanbase. Hence, fans probably sniffed out something brewing in Dale Jr.’s team, as an expert said recently.

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. gearing up for round 2?

Well, JR Motorsports’ entry in the 2025 Daytona 500 was a resounding success. Justin Allgaier clinched a seat with a 9th-place finish in the Duel, after risking losing the seat because of NASCAR’s Open Exemption Provisional rule. Then, Allgaier started 19th in the Great American Race and wheeled the No. 40 JRM Chevy to another spectacular 9th-place finish in the main event. It was like a victory indeed for the Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans and the JR Motorsports faithful. They could hardly get over the emotions, and already Dale Jr. seems to be back with a heartwarming surprise. At least, the signs say so.

In a recent Instagram reel, JRM showed a big brick, with its borders aligning with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway track. In between, No. 1 JRM Chevy driver Carson Kvapil’s signature appeared. This led to a buzz of rumors among fans, although the initial speculation was thin, as NASCAR expert Eric Estepp said: “If this Instagram post were the only teaser, I would assume Carson Kvapil’s going to announce a new sponsor. Maybe a Jamie McMurray Brickyard-winning throwback paint scheme, similar to what he ran in Darlington a few months back.”

But there was more to the story. Dale Earnhardt Jr has booked his Xfinity team for a short appearance before the Xfinity Series race in Sonoma. Estepp continued, “Tomorrow morning, there is a JR Motorsports media availability. It can’t be that huge; they’ve only blocked off about 15 minutes for it…this teaser could be something more.” This led Eric Estepp to theorize that Dale Earnhardt Jr is cooking up his second attempt in the NASCAR Cup Series!

In other words, Justin Allgaier’s banger Daytona 500 entry may already have a successor. Estepp said: “I have no inside information, but…Carson Kvapil, JR Motorsports attempt the Brickyard 400 in a few weeks.” He backed up his claim with more reasons: “It makes too much sense. JR Motorsports purchased a Next-Gen car to run the Daytona 500. They survived that race, finished top ten. Why not bring that same car to the Brickyard, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, another crown jewel! Daytona 500, largest purse in the Cup Series by far, but the Brickyard is usually 2nd, maybe 3rd. From a financial perspective, it makes a ton of sense.”

If the signs are true, what can be better than Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team pushing for another Cup Series entry? Well, for now, JRM fans have another endearing race to look forward to.

Being led by the expert

Clinching 7 wins among 16 starts on road courses does make you an expert, indeed, and this expert is none other than Shane Van Gisbergen. The Kiwi proved yet again that he is unbeatable on familiar ground. The Trackhouse Racing driver swept up the Chicago weekend, raising his tally of Chicago Street Race wins to 4. SVG led for 26 laps and held off Ty Gibbs and Tyler Reddick to win, two weeks after he led 60 laps and won by a 16.5-second margin in Mexico City. With NASCAR’s proliferating road course schedule, SVG is not done yet. And Dale Earnhardt Jr. is lucky to have the Kiwi speedster on board for yet another road course racing frenzy.

Wheeling the No. 9 JRM Chevrolet, Shane Van Gisbergen earned the pole position for the Xfinity race at Sonoma Raceway. SVG was ecstatic after the pole: “The Car is really, really good. I was having fun out there … Looking forward to the race tomorrow.” Being the defending Xfinity winner of Sonoma, SVG commented on adapting to the changed track. He said, “It’s hotter than last year, so it’s a bit slippery. The car is quite different from last year. Just trying to get used to that and how the car reacts. In Chicago, they weren’t too different, but compared to what I had here last year, they are quite a bit different. Just trying to get it a bit centered, but I feel good.”

Clearly, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team are in the mood to win this year. Let us wait and see how their rumored Cup Series ambitions unfold in the following weeks.