January 15, 2025—JR Motorsports today confirms that 10-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton and NASCAR Hall of Famer and two-time DAYTONA 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. have come together to field the inaugural entry for JRM in the NASCAR Cup Series in the 2025 running of the DAYTONA 500. In partnership with Buffalo Trace Distillery, the World’s Most Award-Winning Distillery, JRM will field a No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet, inspired by the Blend No. 40 utilized in every bottle of Traveller, for their maiden voyage in “The Great American Race” with the reigning and defending NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion Justin Allgaier behind the wheel.
“We’ve been waiting for the right moment for JR Motorsports,” said Earnhardt Jr. “With Justin winning the Xfinity Series championship and Chris Stapleton’s undeniable star power, the planets aligned for this perfect opportunity to enter this year’s Daytona 500.”
Proudly blended and bottled at Buffalo Trace Distillery under Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley’s expert supervision, Traveller is the result of countless hours of testing, tasting and dedication to craftsmanship that have produced powerful songs and world-class whiskeys. Since launching in January 2024, it has been honored as the Most Awarded Super Premium Whiskey, garnering 15 awards including the “Master” medal from The Luxury Masters and the “Best in Class Gold” award at the 2024 Whiskies of the World competition.
“Traveller Whiskey joining JR Motorsports for their inaugural entry into the Cup Series at the DAYTONA 500 feels like a very natural partnership,” said Stapleton. “I’m honored to be a part of this historic moment with Dale and Kelley, and excited to see Justin race the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet in Daytona.”
Bottled at 90 proof, Traveller Whiskey is characterized by notes of oak, sweet maple, tart currant and leather. Complex aromas of vanilla, aged fruit and buttery shortbread are rounded off by caramel and a touch of oak. The flavor profile also showcases a touch of sweetness, followed by spice, toasted nut and oak flavors, closing with a robust finish. Traveller is a completely unique combination of whiskeys hand-selected from The Sazerac Company’s award-winning distilleries.
Piloting the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet for JRM is the organization’s most decorated driver in Allgaier. Allgaier, from Riverton, Ill., is the defending NXS Champion, a five-time NXS Most Popular Driver as voted on by the fans, the all-time NXS series leader in top-10 finishes, and JRM’s all-time leader in wins. Additionally, Allgaier is a previous competitor in the Cup Series, having raced full-time at the highest form of North American motorsports during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The veteran driver most recently competed at the Cup level during the 2024 season in substitution for 2021 Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking the checkered flag in the 13th position.
“This is an incredible honor to be driving JR Motorsports’ inaugural entry into the Cup Series, and to do it with not only Dale and Kelley, but Chris Stapleton and Traveller Whiskey makes this even more special,” said Allgaier. “Entering into the DAYTONA 500 has been a goal of this company for a long time and I know that we are going to have everything we need to go out and contend for the win. This is going to be special for sure.”
JRM’s quest for the DAYTONA 500 marks the first time that Earnhardt Jr. and Earnhardt-Miller have entered a race in the Cup Series as team-owners. Under their leadership in the NXS, JRM has been a pillar of success, earning 88 wins and four championships with drivers Chase Elliott, William Byron, Tyler Reddick and most recently with Allgaier.
Be sure to catch Allgaier and the No. 40 Traveller Whiskey Chevrolet all week long at Daytona International Speedway as JRM attempts to qualify for the 2025 running of the DAYTONA 500, beginning on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 8:00pm ET for DAYTONA 500 Qualifying, followed by the Duels on Thursday, Feb. 13, at 7:00pm ET and culminating with the 67th running of “The Great American Race” on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 2:30pm ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Traveller Whiskey is widely available to retailers, bars and restaurants through Sazerac’s United States and global distributor networks at a suggested retail price of $39.99 (local taxes and fees will vary). To learn more, visit www.travellerwhiskey.com.
ABOUT CHRIS STAPLETON
Kentucky-born Chris Stapleton is a 10x Grammy, 19x CMA and 19x ACM Award-winner and one of the country’s most respected and beloved musicians. In the midst of yet another triumphant year, Stapleton is nominated for two awards at the upcoming Grammy Awards—Best Country Album (Higher) and Best Country Solo Performance (“It Takes A Woman”)—and won three awards at the CMA Awards this past fall, making him a 19x CMA Award-winner. With this achievement, Stapleton tied the record for most CMA wins ever with Brooks & Dunn, while also extending his own record for most wins in the Male Vocalist of the Year category (eight). The accolades follow the release of Stapleton’s widely acclaimed album, Higher (Mercury Nashville). Produced by Dave Cobb, Morgane Stapleton and Chris Stapleton, the record landed on several “Best of” lists including Billboard, Esquire, Vulture and Rolling Stone, who praised, “dazzling…the best evidence yet for the way one man’s voice has become synonymous with the very idea of a musical genre.” Additionally, GQ declared, “In an age rife with division, he’s maybe the only thing Americans all agree on…one of the most reliable hit makers in music.”
Stapleton has also recently collaborated with artists such as Post Malone (“California Sober”), Dua Lipa (“Think I’m In Love With You (Live from the 59th ACM Awards)”), Slash (“Oh Well”) and George Strait (“Honky Tonk Hall of Fame”), released a version of Tom Petty’s “I Should Have Known It” for the new Tom Petty tribute album and returned to NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” for the third time as musical guest. Known for his electric live performances, Stapleton will continue his “All-American Road Show” tour through this summer including stops at New York’s Madison Square Garden, Denver’s Ball Arena, Salt Lake City’s Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre and Albany’s MVP Arena as well as several dates across Australia and New Zealand. Stapleton and his wife, Morgane, are founders of the Outlaw State of Kind charitable fund, which supports a variety of causes that are close to their hearts, while Stapleton also recently unveiled his new Traveller Whiskey, created in partnership with Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley.
ABOUT BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY
Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 40 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022 and its Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye was named 2nd Finest Whiskey in the World for 2022. Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskeys. Buffalo Trace Distillery also has a deep commitment to supporting charitable initiatives. Nonprofit organizations interested in learning more about the Distillery’s efforts are encouraged to register their charity here. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery, visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com. To download images from Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/media.
ABOUT JR MOTORSPORTS
JR Motorsports is the racing operation co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Fame member and 15-time Most Popular Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kelley Earnhardt Miller and NASCAR Hall of Famer Rick Hendrick. Now in its 24th year of overall competition, JR Motorsports competes in multiple divisions, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series where it currently fields four full-time teams and earned championships in 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2024. The company also owns seven titles in regional Late Model divisions with consecutive championships in 2022-23 and a prized national title in 2020. To learn more about the organization, its drivers and its sponsorship opportunities, visit www.jrmracing.com.
