With Clint Bowyer needing a place to drive for a year while waiting to take over the No. 14 Chevrolet at Stewart-Haas Racing, Justin Allgaier was the odd man out at HScott Motorsports.
But in Allgaier’s estimation, the opportunity to race for a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with JR Motorsports is ample compensation for losing a full-time Sprint Cup ride. The presence of team principals Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller made signing with JRM a no-brainer.
“This is the easiest decision I’ve made in a long time, I think,” Allgaier said. “I look at what Dale and Kelley and this whole organization has done and accomplished and what they’re trying to accomplish.
“And I think, from a driver’s aspect, to have an owner that races and understands the on-track stuff, and to have owners that understand the off-track stuff as well as anybody — to be able to understand how to put the right people in place — I feel like just being part of the organization for the past couple of months, I think they’ve got a great handle on that, and that’s all I needed to see.”
Allgaier considers the move to the Xfinity Series a step forward, given the resources and the wealth of experience available to him at JRM.
“Nothing against any of the race teams I’ve been with in my past history,” he said. “It’s just different. And I think you can go to every team in the industry and drive for them. Some you’re going to be competitive in, and some you’re not. Some you’re going to have fun in, some you’re not. Sometimes you’re going to be competitive and not have fun. There are all these things that weigh into it.
“Personally, I needed to get back to being competitive and trying to go to the racetrack to win races and win the championship — and learning. I think the resources, for me, are something I’m really excited to be a part of. … I think, from a driver’s standpoint, the learning side has been the coolest thing for me.
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