This past weekend it was confirmed by co-owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Nashville Superspeedway that his NASCAR Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports, “really” wants to enter the NASCAR Cup Series racing.
JR Motorsports vice president Kelley Earnhardt Miller Dale Jr. sister, following a call Tuesday with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio, just about confirmed a JR Motorsports entry in the Cup Series.
Kelly Earnhardt revealed on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that JRM might run selected Cup Series races In 2023, however not full-time due to charter barrier issue.
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“We’re thinking about it every day, we’re working on it it feels like every other day. We do want to go Cup racing. We believe that that’s a good spot for us,” said Earnhardt Miller,
“We want to stay in the Xfinity Series, too, so you know, what that looks like is certainly up for grabs.”
Kelly Earnhardt says on @SiriusXMNASCAR that Jr Motorsports might run a few Cup Races In 2023, but not full-time due to charter barrier #NASCAR
— Daniel Kriete (@DanielKriete4) June 28, 2022
“The biggest barrier is that charter cost and just looking at the business model and trying to figure out sponsorship and trying to really make that leap,” she said. “I think right now, we saw it last fall where there was a high demand for charters and a lot of conversations went on and purchases went on. I don’t think there’s a lot of charters up for grabs at a reasonable cost right now, I’ll just say.
💭 "I don't think we'll be Cup racing full-time for 2023, that's for certain […] right now, our sights are set beyond that." 👀
🗣️ On #TradinPaint, @EarnhardtKelley provided an update on the potential of @JRMotorsports expansion into the #NASCAR Cup Series. ⬇ pic.twitter.com/QPMauBNbKk
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) June 28, 2022
” … It’s like, when’s the right time to strike? That’s just really what we’re trying to work through and figure out. Right now, we’re focused on re-signing our guys for Xfinity for next year and re-signing our sponsors and then if we have the opportunity to do some Cup racing and kind of put our toe in the water and see. I don’t think we’ll be Cup racing full-time for 2023, that’s for certain. Unless something amazing happens and something really awesome falls out of the sky, but right now our sights are set beyond that and we’re really just trying to figure it out.”
It now seems certain that JR Motorsports will make the jump to Cup Series. Maybe not be next year, but people within the organization are working hard to make it happen in the near future possible full in 2024.