For more than a decade, Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared one of NASCAR’s most trusted relationships. It was part mentorship, part family, all racing. Hendrick didn’t just give Earnhardt Jr. stability when his career demanded it; he gave him a home. From 2008 through his 2017 retirement, the No. 88 at Hendrick Motorsports became a symbol of loyalty, resurgence, and mutual respect.

Together, they weathered injuries, personal struggles, and playoff runs that kept Junior firmly in the sport’s spotlight. That long history is why any shift involving the iconic No. 88 still carries emotional weight, especially when future plans begin to take shape without familiar faces attached. However, a recent development in this fairytale left NASCAR fans in shock.

Rick Hendrick’s 2026 No. 88 plan is set

JR Motorsports has officially locked in its 2026 plan for the iconic No. 88 Chevrolet in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS), and it’s a full-season commitment. The team will contest all 33 races, with HendrickCars.com returning as the primary sponsor across the entire campaign. Rajah Caruth has been named the lead driver, supported by appearances from all four Hendrick Motorsports Cup Series drivers throughout the year.

According to HendrickCars.com, the program covers every regular-season race along with all seven playoff events. The schedule kicks off at Daytona International Speedway and runs deep into the NOAPS playoffs, signaling long-term confidence in both the driver lineup and the project itself.

For Caruth, 2026 represents a major milestone. It will be his first season competing with JR Motorsports in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and he’s slated for 16 regular-season starts plus all seven playoff races for a total of 23 appearances. It’s a significant vote of confidence in a young driver still carving out his national-series résumé.

The remaining 10 races will be split among Hendrick Motorsports’ Cup stars. William Byron and Kyle Larson are scheduled for three starts each, with Byron racing at Phoenix, Kansas, and Pocono, while Larson takes on Las Vegas, Bristol, and Texas. Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman will each make two starts, with Bowman set for Darlington and Nashville, and Elliott lining up at Chicagoland and Indianapolis.

For months, rumors swirled that Dale Earnhardt Jr. or other veteran fan favorites could slide back into the No. 88 for select events. But with the full lineup now revealed, those expectations have quietly faded, setting the stage for a very different kind of conversation among fans.

Top Stories

Kenny Wallace’s Daughter Exposes the Emotional Fallout of Dale Earnhardt’s Death That Still Haunts Her

Ex-FOX Broadcaster Comes Out in Support Amidst Mounting Calls Against Christopher Bell’s Dirt Career

NASCAR Team Part Ways With Manufacturers Leaving Ford Helpless

NASCAR Owns the Controversial OEM Rule That Left Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fuming

Tony Stewart’s Long-Awaited NASCAR Return Backfires as Daytona Entry Draws Harsh Reality Check

Fans react as familiar names miss out

As soon as the full 2026 No. 88 lineup became official, the NASCAR community did what it always does best. It debated, speculated, and second-guessed every detail. One of the loudest talking points revolved around Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose absence from the driving roster still stings for many fans. “I feel like Dale is done with NASCAR for the moment,” one fan wrote. “I get it. If he’s going to drive, his efforts should be spent in the series he owns.” Even so, plenty of supporters admitted they were still holding out hope for a one-off appearance rather than a full season.

Others were quick to address long-running rumors that never came to fruition. “So the rumors of Kligerman and Allmendinger getting races in this car were not true,” another fan noted. That lines up with reality. Parker Kligerman publicly dispelled speculation about a part-time No. 88 role months ago and still doesn’t have a confirmed full-time ride for 2026. AJ Allmendinger, meanwhile, is locked into a full-time Cup Series return with Kaulig Racing and was never realistically in play for NOAPS duty.

Then there’s the pressure now squarely on Rajah Caruth. “No excuses for Rajah this year,” a fan bluntly posted. “That car is gonna be on rails weekly with the HMS guys driving it.” It’s a fair point. In 2025, Caruth made just three NOAPS starts across two teams and topped out at an 18th-place finish. With elite Hendrick-backed equipment and a full-time seat, expectations are about to skyrocket.

Some fans also wished the plan had leaned harder into nostalgia. “I was really hoping for some star entries like RAM,” one comment read, pointing to Tony Stewart’s high-profile return to Daytona in 2026 with Ram Truck and Kaulig Racing. Retired legends rotating through the No. 88, even briefly, felt like a missed opportunity.

In the end, the plan is ambitious, modern, and competitive, even though it isn’t quite what many fans had imagined.