Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports finally struck gold in 2024. In his seventh championship 4 appearance, Justin Allgaier finally clinched his elusive Xfinity Series Championship. Heading into 2025, JRM is strengthening its roster with part-time deals by roping in Trackhouse Racing’s finest. Shane van Gisbergen and Ross Chastain will be piloting the #9 Chevrolet for JRM in nine races this season.

Two-time Xfinity series champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will field five cars for those races this season, these include Carson Kvapil, Allgaier, SVG, Chastain and Connor Zilisch. Despite his glee in signing two revered drivers, Dale Jr. has let them know what he wants out of these races in a friendly exchange on X.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. seeks gold again

The 2025 Xfinity Series will witness Ross Chastain piloting the No. 9 car at the Circuit of The Americas (COTA), Darlington Raceway, Nashville Superspeedway, Dover Motor Speedway, and Iowa Speedway. Meanwhile, the tracks that will see Shane Van Gisbergen acing the No. 9 are Mexico City, the Chicago Street Course, Sonoma Raceway, and Watkins Glen International. 

JR Motorsports took to their official X account and made the announcement. The post read, “Hello SVG. Hello Melon Man. Hello, NUMBER NINE.  @RossChastain and @Shanevg97 join JR Motorsports for a combined nine races in 2025, piloting the No. 9 Chevrolet”. Retorting back to the post and showing excitement, Ross Chastain commented on the same thread, “Should be fun @DaleJr! 👍”. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is quite clear on what he wants from Chastain and Co. The two-time Daytona 500 winner responded, “🏆 ⏰”, which is a clear indication that he anticipates a victory. Going by their records on these select tracks, Dale Jr. can keep his hopes high.

Chastain is a five-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner. He also finished second in points in 2022 after his incredible ‘Hail Melon’ wall ride to pip Denny Hamlin to the championship 4 at Martinsville. Now in 2025, he will be racing for JRM on tracks where he enjoys the most success in the Cup Series. At COTA, Chastain averages a finish of 4.0 in four races with a win in 2022. Moving on to Nashville, the melon man has an average finish of 10.3 in four races with a win in 2023. Iowa Speedway has seen Chastain race just once, last year, when he notched an 11th-place finish after starting 17th. With such impressive returns, it’s no wonder why Dale Jr. expects victory from him.

On the other hand, Shane van Gisbergen is already a NASCAR sensation. He burst onto the scene by winning his very first race at the Chicago Street in 2023 and made headlines in 2024 again with a 2nd place finish at Watkins Glen. The three-time Supercar Champion will be looking to mark these races with wins in 2025 as he moves on to a full-time Cup Series ride with Trackhouse Racing.

SVG participated in the full 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Kaulig Racing, achieving victories at Portland, Chicago, and Sonoma. In 2025, he will look to defend his Sonoma title and also make his mark internationally. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team will be taking SVG to Mexico City for NASCAR’s first ever points-paid international race.

It’s no surprise as to why Dale Earnhardt Jr. picked these races and we honestly can’t wait to see how these two perform. Speaking of the remarkable opportunity ahead, the SVG said, “I’m trying to get as much experience as I can. JR Motorsports is one of the top teams and won the championship with Justin Allgaier. I can’t wait to get started”. With two elite drivers sharing the No. 9 Chevrolet, JR Motorsports is setting the stage for an electrifying 2025 Xfinity Series season.

Chastain opens up on his latest opportunity

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The 2024 Cup Series saw Chastain finishing the drive 19th in the standings. Although he did end up missing the playoffs, Chastain bagged a victory during the playoffs at Kansas Speedway. While he prepared for 2025, intending to get back in the top 10 as he had done for the previous two years, Chastain had a tempting offer on his table from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team.

Speaking of the same, Chastain said, “I think there is a lot of benefit to getting seat time on Saturdays in the Xfinity Series. Getting an opportunity to do it with JR Motorsports is too good an opportunity to pass up. I know every time I climb in their Chevrolets, we will have a chance to win”. Getting time to race on a track before the Cup race is certainly a benefit of running the Xfinity series. Chastain would look to take full advantage of the same given his need for a revival in the Cup Series.

Over the past 11 years, Ross Chastain has completed five full seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, notching up 2 wins and 21 top-5 finishes. Last season, he participated in four Xfinity races, driving the No. 92 Chevrolet for DGM Racing, where he secured two top-10 finishes. With his Cup Series experience to go with being able to race at tracks he excels at, it is going to be a treat to watch the melon man in 2025. What are your expectations of JRM’s latest duo?