Not long after the 2025 NASCAR season ended, JR Motorsports confirmed that they plan to return to the Cup Series to make their second attempt at the Daytona 500, once again with Justin Allgaier behind the wheel of the No. 40 Chevrolet, in 2026.
Allgaier was one of nine drivers battling for five open spots (up from four due to Trackhouse Racing's world-class provisional for Helio Castroneves) in the 41-car field in 2025, and he qualified for the race before going on to finish in an impressive ninth.
He had not competed in the race since 2015, and both of his two previous starts with HScott Motorsports had ended in DNFs.
JR Motorsports the only open team for 2026 Daytona 500 (so far)
Excluding the six 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports cars, which are technically non-chartered cars amid the teams' ongoing lawsuit against NASCAR, the No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet is the only non-chartered (open) car on the entry list for the 68th annual running of the "Great American Race" thus far.
That is extremely likely to change in the near future, following a year which ultimately saw four DNQs – even with the little-known loophole leading to the Castroneves provisional which resulted in the first Daytona 500 featuring exactly 41 cars since 1993.
In addition to Allgaier, Corey LaJoie drove the No. 01 Ford for Rick Ware Racing, J.J. Yeley drove the No. 44 Chevrolet for NY Racing Team, Martin Truex Jr. drove the No. 56 Toyota for Tricon Garage, Anthony Alfredo drove the No. 62 Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports, Chandler Smith drove the No. 66 Ford for Garage 66, B.J. McLeod drove the No. 78 Chevrolet for Live Fast Motorsports, Jimmie Johnson drove the No. 84 Toyota for Legacy Motor Club, and Castroneves drove the No. 91 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing.
Truex and Johnson locked in on speed, and Allgaier and LaJoie raced their way in. Had Castroneves earned one of their four spots, there would have been five DNQs, rather than four.
It's not hard to imagine any of these cars returning for this race in 2026. Rick Ware Racing are rarely competitive at non-superspeedways, and LaJoie was a contender to win the race in 2025. NY Racing Team have also shown up regularly in recent years, and even if Truex is finished, Tricon Garage could do what JR Motorsports plan to do and return for their second ever Daytona 500 – and second ever Cup Series race.
Beard Motorsports are Daytona 500 regulars, and Garage 66's presence has increased in the past couple years after decreasing during their previous seasons as MBM Motorsports. Live Fast Motorsports should also be back, and while Johnson has confirmed one race on his schedule for 2026, don't expect him to stop there.
Trackhouse Racing's decision could hinge on whether or not they have a desire to find another international driver for PROJECT91, and if so, expect them to apply for that provisional again, especially since only one is allowed per race. Castroneves might even be back for another shot.
The Daytona 500 is scheduled to open up the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season on Sunday, February 15, with live coverage set to be provided by Fox from Daytona International Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.