JR Motorsports is again signaling interest in joining the NASCAR Cup Series. The discussion has surfaced several times throughout the year, but the organization reaffirmed its position during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Co-owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller said the group remains intrigued by the possibility and views a move to the Cup level as a natural extension of what the team has built in the Xfinity Series.
The organization, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt Miller, has been one of the most successful programs in the Xfinity garage. A full-time jump to Cup would be the biggest step in the team’s history, and leadership continues to study what that would require.
JR Motorsports Early Steps Into Cup Racing
JR Motorsports made its first start in a Cup Series race earlier this year when it entered the Daytona 500. The event carried pressure, emotion, and plenty of logistical challenges, but the group viewed it as an important benchmark. Miller said the team felt the responsibility of representing the Earnhardt name as they took on the one-off effort.
On the radio show, Miller explained how the organization is approaching additional Cup opportunities. “I think everybody’s kind of in the same right now, just watching to see how things play out with the lawsuit and where things head,” she said. “Before doing anything crazy.”
She added that the Daytona 500 made sense as their first attempt. “It’s the biggest race of our season. And you know, the most opportunity financially, to try there in a good place, with a partner with sponsorship and with the way the race is. So, you know that that was just makes a lot of sense.”
Miller emphasized that more entries will depend on how the Cup landscape shifts. “We’ll have to figure out, you know, anything else will make sense with how this goes, and just continue with the landscape in the Cup Series and what the charters are going and all that to see where we end up.
“We’re happy with our Xfinity program. We got another four… cars next year, four full-time cars for that, and another part-time gig with some of the Trackhouse drivers as well. So what we’re doing business-wise is great. Would we like to be Cup racing? We certainly would, from a legacy standpoint and everything that we built. I think it would be really cool for us to experience but the right opportunity just hasn’t come forward yet.”
What the Team Needs for a Full Move
Any full-time shift into the Cup Series will require significant steps. A primary factor is securing a charter, which would guarantee race entries and provide the stability partners expect. The team has remained open to collaboration or partnerships that might ease that transition.
JR Motorsports has weighed a Cup move for several years but has maintained that timing must align with the sport’s overall direction. Their consistent results in the Xfinity Series serve as a confidence point, but they’ve stressed that sustainable growth remains the priority.
The organization continues tracking broader changes across NASCAR, including the ongoing charter discussions and any potential updates to the series structure. Their approach hasn’t shifted: steady expansion, long-term planning, and decisions that support both partners and driver development.
Miller said the Cup Series still feels like a natural next step when the right pathway appears. With a strong foundation in Xfinity and momentum behind the scenes, JR Motorsports will keep evaluating openings while remaining committed to expanding at the right pace.
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