JR Motorsports is preparing for another huge year. The team announced that Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen would share the No. 9 Chevrolet in certain races of the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Both drivers drive with Trackhouse Racing.
In 2025, Shane van Gisbergen won the Chicago Street Race and was second at Sonoma. Ross Chastain had three fifth-place finishes.
Another round with the boys from the (Track)house.@RossChastain and @shanevg97 return to the No. 9 Chevrolet for select races in 2026. pic.twitter.com/6JsEj3K904
— JR Motorsports (@JRMotorsports) October 21, 2025
The team will only compete with two full-time cars in the next year. They shall be driven by Sammy Smith and Justin Allgaier.
There is also a rule in NASCAR where Cup drivers are not allowed to race more than five times in Xfinity, and this plan assists the team in keeping within the limits. It also allows youthful drivers near Carson Kvapil, Connor Zilisch, and Rajah Caruth to have additional opportunities to develop.
According to Jayski.com, “JR Motorsports will again work with Trackhouse Racing in 2026. The team will run Chastain and van Gisbergen in select O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races.”
JR Motorsports Building a Smart Team for 2026
JR Motorsports is thinking ahead. Sharing the No. 9 car between Chastain and van Gisbergen saves money and keeps things fair. The team has already won four NASCAR Xfinity Series owners’ titles in a row. With Allgaier still driving full-time, they hope to keep winning.
Jimmy Zajac shared what the lineup looks like now. He said, “With this news, the 2026 JRM lineup is as follows: 1 – Kvapil and Connor Zilisch, 7 – Allgaier, 8 – Sammy Smith, 9 – Chastain, SVG, TBD (?), 88 – Caruth, TBD (?). Very interesting to see them move from 4 full-time drivers down to just 2 for 2026.”
That means JR Motorsports is cutting back a little, but doing it smartly. They’re mixing older, skilled drivers with new, hungry ones.
Fans React to the News
Fans were quick to talk about the changes. Tsuki said, “Wait, so JRM is fielding two cars as part-time next year?? I would’ve thought with the 88 going back part-time that they’d bring the 9 back full-time. This is interesting. Hoping it means Dale Jr is gonna run a race next year.”
Many fans like the idea of Dale Earnhardt Jr. racing again, even for one race. He’s the team owner and a fan favorite. When he races, people always get excited.
The Future Looks Bright
“In the Cup Series, Chastain and van Gisbergen are also teammates at Trackhouse Racing. They both made the playoffs this year, but they didn’t make it to the Round of 8. Still, they did great. Van Gisbergen, who’s a rookie, already has five wins. That’s the second-most of any driver”, according to Nick Geddes of on3.com.
Back in NASCAR Xfinity, the young drivers are learning fast. Kvapil keeps improving every race. Connor Zilisch is quick and brave. Caruth’s work in the Truck Series shows he’s ready for more.
JR Motorsports is building for the future. With smart plans, strong drivers, and lots of heart, they’re ready to stay fast and keep winning.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post JR Motorsports Makes Bold 2026 Move With Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen appeared first on Heavy Sports.