“Them having this number they identify with is, I think, fair and important.” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said these words ahead of the 2025 Cup Series Daytona 500. It marked a historic moment, as his Xfinity Series team, JR Motorsports, was embarking on its first Cup Series race. Justin Allgaier was at the wheel, and Stapleton’s whiskey label, Traveller Whiskey, was the sponsor. So everything had to be perfect – including the car number.

Since the inception of NASCAR, the numbers on cars have been associated with drivers’ glory and fame. Every legendary driver, from 200-time Cup race winner Richard Petty to 7-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, has special bonds with their numbers. However, Ken Schrader does not think a number is important, and Dale Jr. aggressively refutes him.

Dale Earnh

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