JR Motorsports appeared to have Daytona’s Winn-Dixie 250 under control with Carson Kvapil, Rajah Caruth and Justin Allgaier running first, second and third late in the race. With only a handful of laps remaining, the three Chevrolet teammates looked poised for a massive 1-2-3 finish. Instead, their battle at the front disrupted that advantage and ultimately cost JRM a chance at victory.

The result has forced team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. to reconsider how much freedom his drivers should have in the closing laps.

“I think it’s time to change. I always expect our drivers to try to take care of each other, to try to help each other, to try to work together, but I’ve never told them or wanted to say to them, ‘Man, you know, with 10 to go, and you’re in second, uh, you’re not allowed to pass your teammates. You’re not allowed to try to create runs on your teammates.’

“I’ve never said that to them. And it might be time to clamp down and actually have a little bit of a better understanding of an individual’s responsibility.” Dale Jr stated on the Dale Jr Download podcast.

Kvapil led Caruth and Allgaier with only a few laps remaining. However, Caruth had started slowing to build a run on Kvapil, who was also lifting to protect his position at the front. That decision created the exact situation JRM wanted to avoid.

With both leaders reducing their speed, the cars behind them were able to close the gap. Allgaier pushed Caruth, and it sent him into the outside wall with only three laps remaining. This eliminated Caruth from contention and brought out a caution. It also forced the race into overtime, taking away what was almost going to be a perfect day for JR Motorsports.

RSS Racing’s Ryan Sieg ultimately won the race. Kvapil finished third, while Allgaier crossed the line sixth and Caruth got classified 32nd. For Earnhardt Jr., the problem went beyond one teammate getting caught in a wreck. The slower pace at the front had allowed the field to regroup when JRM had the numbers to control the race.

Dale Jr. had never set formal late-race rules for JRM drivers at superspeedways. He wanted them to make their own decisions and race for the win. That freedom will remain, but when JRM controls the front late in a race, the drivers are expected to understand their roles. If one teammate is leading, the others may need to protect the team’s position rather than make a move on their own teammate.

Thankfully, JR Motorsports has now entered the O’Reilly Chase with all four drivers competing for the championship title. Allgaier enters as the number 1 seed, followed by Kvapil in second. Sammy Smith enters eighth, whereas Caruth managed to grab the final spot (12th) even though he entered Daytona fifteen points below the cutline.

Allgaier was relieved that Caruth managed to get into the Chase. After the Daytona incident, he admitted to feeling guilty about wrecking his teammate, saying, “I feel awful, obviously. It doesn’t matter how a race car gets torn up. It still stings. I’m just thankful. I think it’s five points in. So, thankfully he’s in.”

Caruth, meanwhile, acknowledged that he needed to make better decisions in the closing stages. He wanted to race for his first win, but also recognized that the three JRM cars were in a strong position and that he needed to be more aware of when to make his move.

JRM has a strong championship presence as an organization heading into the Chase. But the Daytona collapse has already changed how its NASCAR drivers will approach the next race when the drivers are at the front of the pack in the final stages of a race.