With Connor Zilisch winning the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Watkins Glen in the #1 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, the team has now won nine of the first 13 races of the 2026 season. 

But having the best cars run by too many drivers may end up producing a troublesome feeling for JRM at the end of the season when their drivers are in the fight for the Championship. 

Justin Allgaier, the leader in NOAPS, has won three races in his full-time No. 7 drive for JRM. Connor Zilisch, who shares the No. 1 car with Carson Kvapil, has won two races, including at Watkins Glen.

Meanwhile, reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has picked up another two while driving the No. 88, which is run as a shared project by JRM and HMS to bring the wealth of HMS Cup drivers' experience to help develop the JRM project. 

Rajah Caruth takes the wheel on the regular, set to drive a total of 23 races in the No. 88 and the rest in the No. 32 for Jordan Andreson Racing. Sammy Smith drives the No. 8 car full-time, while Shane Van Gisbergen and Corey Day have each driven the No. 9, which is a special entry car for JRM. Both No. 9 drivers have picked up a win each for JRM.

The Dale Earnhardt Jr-run NASCAR O'Reilly team's issue is not securing the team standings; they have a hefty lead. The issue will boil down to the drivers who are fighting to make their mark and win the NOAPS in the process. Currently, Justin Allgaier leads with 598 points while Corey Day sits 4th with 400 points. 

The issue is with drivers like Carson Kvapil and Rajah Caruth. Kvapil, who splits the car with Zilisch, is currently 8th with 357 points, while Caruth sits 15th with 271 points.

Issues already creeping up at JRM

Justin Allgaier wants the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series trophy really badly. And if his early race wins aren’t a sign of intent, a wheel-to-wheel battle with Kyle Larson at the end of the Texas race would show what Allgaier is all about. 

While Larson won the race, he made his feelings clear about Allgaier’s move to crowd the pack into the grease and marbles on a late restart.

“Anybody else who was restarting, the leader wasn’t doing that," Larson said in a post-race interview. "I just don’t think it’s that necessary. I’ve always been the type in all my racing, even sprint cars - just start the race. Don’t crowd people into the grease, don’t crowd people into the marbles, just start the race."

Allgaier said that a move on Larson without contact wouldn’t have been possible. But that would have opened him up to those behind, so it was better to let Larson take the win so that it’s another in for JRM.

But he wasn’t wrong. Allgaier was fighting for the championship while drivers like Larson, who drive in the series part-time, don’t really pick up points. Same with Connor Zilisch and Shane Van Gisbergen.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yask Kotak