JR Motorsports has established itself as a top competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Unfortunately, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt, have been left with a big void in their team as a key member announced his departure.

It’s a sad day for JR Motorsports, as Ryan Pemberton, the Director of Competition, announced that he’s parting ways with the team. JRM Director of Motorsports L.W. Miller released a statement as Pemberton left.

He said, “Ryan has been essential to JRM’s success over the past decade. We asked a lot of him when he came here in 2012, and he not only embraced the challenge, but he helped us right the ship. In the process, he laid the groundwork for a winning culture. Ryan’s given this organization a tremendous amount, and I can’t thank him enough.”

Of course, the fans got their say in the matter too, and it surely shocked them.

A try at the Cup Series would justify a good reason to part ways. Especially knowing the big barrier JR Motorsports is facing, keeping them from competing in the Cup.

What is keeping Dale Earnhardt Jr. from taking JR Motorsports to the Cup Series?

JR Motorsports has been unsuccessfully trying to enter the Cup Series for a while. Junior‘s sister, Kelley Earnhardt, revealed the big reason the brother-sister duo cannot get to the “next level” of NASCAR.

In an interview with SiriusXM Radio, she said, “The biggest barrier is that charter cost… I don’t think there’s a lot of charters up for grabs at a reasonable cost right now.”

Read More: Kelley Earnhardt Reveals “The Biggest Barrier” Keeping JR Motorsports From Racing in the Cup Series in 2023