The 2025 Daytona 500 Duel 1 delivered high-stakes drama, and at the center of it was JR Motorsports’ No. 40 Chevrolet with Justin Allgaier behind the wheel. But as Allgaier scraped his way into the Great American Race, JJ Yeley came agonizingly close to spoiling JRM’s Cup Series debut—setting up a powerful post-race exchange with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
JRM’s Emotional Path to the Daytona 500
JR Motorsports, making its long-awaited Cup Series debut, expected to lock into the Daytona 500 through qualifying. But when Allgaier failed to match the pace of past champions like Jimmie Johnson, he was forced to fight for his life in Duel 1.
As the final laps unfolded, Yeley pushed Allgaier to the limit, making a late charge that nearly ended JRM’s dream before it could begin. Ultimately, Allgaier held off Yeley to secure his place in Sunday’s main event, but the battle was so close that Dale Jr. himself was left shaking.
Earnhardt Jr. to Yeley: “Had Me F*ing Shaking, Buddy”**
After the race, Yeley—who came up just short—was discussing his disappointment when Earnhardt Jr. approached him.
Yeley said:
“Disappointment. What else can you ask for? You’re close, and then it was just a few laps to go…”
Dale Jr., visibly moved by the intensity of the duel, firmly shook Yeley’s hand and responded with raw honesty:
“Had me f*ing shaking, buddy… Hell of a job. Good effort, man.”**
It was a rare and unscripted moment—a Hall of Famer recognizing the grit of a veteran racer who gave it everything he had.
Yeley: “I Just Couldn’t Make Things Happen”
Despite giving JRM’s No. 40 a serious fight, Yeley admitted post-race that his car simply didn’t have the speed to make the final move.
“I didn’t have quite the car that the 40 and the 56 did. I just couldn’t make things happen,” Yeley explained.
While Yeley won’t be racing on Sunday, his performance in Duel 1 earned the respect of a NASCAR legend.
Why Daytona Means Everything to Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The Daytona 500 has always been personal for Earnhardt Jr. His father, Dale Earnhardt Sr., fought relentlessly to win at Daytona, finally securing victory in 1998. But tragedy struck just three years later, as Earnhardt Sr. lost his life in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500.
For Dale Jr., Daytona isn’t a place of fear—it’s home.
“I knew that it wasn’t the track that took him, and I knew that he, wherever he was, still felt the same about Daytona. So, I’ve embraced it. Him losing his life in this property brought this property closer to me.”
Now, as an owner fielding his own car in NASCAR’s biggest race, Earnhardt Jr. has come full circle—and the emotion of making the 500 was clear on his face.
What’s Next for JR Motorsports at the Daytona 500?
With Allgaier securing a spot on the grid, JR Motorsports now turns its attention to race day. Earnhardt Jr. has been a master at Daytona, winning the 500 twice—but can JRM make history in its debut Cup Series race?
One thing is certain: Junior is already winning the hearts of fans, and Sunday will be a race to remember.
