“In our DNA is to earn it, and that’s how we were brought up with Dad. And I think everything that we do, you put that hard work in, and it feels better to earn success.” These words from Kelley Earnhardt Miller came right after JR Motorsports ran its first Cup Series race in the 2025 Daytona 500 with Justin Allgaier and his No. 40 Chevy. Despite being an Xfinity team, that ninth-place finish in their first Cup Series race lit a fire that proved JRM could fight toe-to-toe with the big teams on the top tier of the sport. But with the ongoing charter lawsuit, the path forward is anything but straight.

As the team’s eyes see more chances in the Cup series, Kelley has been clear about staying patient, balancing their thriving Xfinity operation with four full-time cars next year against the desire to race full-time in the Cup Series. The Cup move will be a very important shift for JRM, and Kelley’s recent words revealed why they are not in a hurry to do so.

Kelley Earnhardt weighs in on Cup dreams amid legal clouds

Kelley Earnhardt Miller didn’t hold back recently on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, pointing straight to NASCAR’s ongoing antitrust lawsuit as a key reason JR Motorsports is applying the brakes on any rash moves into full-time Cup racing. “I think everybody’s kind of in the same boat right now, just watching to see how things play out with the lawsuit and where things head… before doing anything crazy,” she said.

The lawsuit was filed in October 2024 by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR for monopoly practices through charter deals and revenue splits that squeeze teams. As it is now headed to a December 2025 trial, JRM, which is co-owned by her and Dale Jr., is in wait-and-see mode. That is because if NASCAR loses the lawsuit, that will leave JRM without charters. And as an open team, JRM will risk lower prize purses and no guaranteed spots in the cup race, which will destabilize their thriving organization.

If NASCAR wins it, or if the charters stay, then they can consider moving their plans forward.

But that caution hasn’t dimmed their desire for their selected race entry, though. JRM is all set for the 2026 Daytona 500 with Allgaier driving again, backed by Traveller Whiskey and Brandt. It’s the smart play because ‘the Great American Race’ offers huge sponsor upside without full-season commitment.

😎 “From a legacy standpoint & everything that we built, I think it would be really cool for us to experience.”@JRMotorsports co-owner @EarnhardtKelley speaks about the team’s intentions to run the Cup Series in the future.

More 👉 https://t.co/WGRTG5gnEd pic.twitter.com/pnGdtsfT5R

— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) November 19, 2025

Dale Earnhardt Jr. echoed the ground reality about the next season’s Daytona 500 run on his podcast, admitting, “New body, don’t know how the car will qualify. We thought we were going to do all right last year, and we didn’t in qualifying. I’ll be apprehensive about our opportunity in just pure speed on qualifying.” Last year’s qualifying struggles forced a Duel win to make the field, and this year, Dale Jr. is worried about Chevrolet’s new Camaro body debuting, and he has every right to feel so.

As history suggests, when a manufacturer gets a new body, they don’t go to Daytona and perform better because the manufacturer tweaks them in a way to perform well on tracks where the Cup Series races most, like ovals, and not always superspeedways. Still, that 2025 ninth-place run showed their speed, and that will also motivate them to be in a positive mindset without thinking a lot.

Setting the record straight about their Cup entry, Miller made it very simple that Cup racing is the goal for their legacy, but only on the right terms. “Would we like to be Cup racing? We certainly would. It’s something from a legacy standpoint and everything that we’ve built, I think it would be really cool for us to experience,” she shared.

JRM’s Xfinity success with 17 wins in 2025 alone keeps them steady, but their dad, Dale Sr.‘s, grit runs deep in both children. This measured approach honors that, betting on Daytona to test the waters’ depth while the lawsuit sorts itself out.

As one Earnhardt sibling navigates JRM’s next steps, another turns his sharp eye to rivals across the garage.

Dale Jr. spotlights Reddick’s form for 23XI’s halt

Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled no punches on his Dale Jr. Download podcast, where he bluntly blamed Tyler Reddick’s performance as a real setback for 23XI Racing’s climb. “23XI as a whole, I mean, Bubba did step up. Yeah. But I think 23XI as a whole, they’re looking at themselves, and I would too,” he said.

The 23XI team didn’t compromise on any resources for upgrades like the Xfinity Speed Center for better ops, chasing that year-over-year progress. Bubba Wallace delivered with a historic Brickyard 400 win, which also saw him become the first Black driver to win there. But Reddick’s below-average performance kept 23XI from leaping ahead, especially with their lawsuit adding extra breaks.

Reddick‘s 2025 season told the story: winless for the first time since Next Gen cars arrived, ninth in points with seven top-fives. Junior speculated aloud, “And it just, to your point, it just didn’t happen for Reddick. And I don’t know what that’s all about.”

Reddick, whose 2024 season was much better, won the regular-season title and Championship 4 run. But this season, the dip in performance hits hard, which could be due to his seat uncertainty tied to the lawsuit or personal struggles like his son’s health battles. But despite all this, Reddick’s performance shows how one driver’s inconsistency can blunt an entire team’s edge in NASCAR top-tier events.