What’s Happening?

JR Motorsports has excited the fans with their All-Star No. 88 car. The current lineup features late model stars Carson Kvapil and Bubba Pollard alongside Trackhouse development driver, Connor Zilisch. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will race in the car at some point as well. Who else could slot in the JR Motorsports No. 88 car?

• JRM has taken the torch for giving late-model drivers an opportunity at the big leagues. Josh Berry used his opportunity at JRM to catapult into the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2024.
• This ride has also been used in the past for Cup Series stars to get some extra reps. It has also allowed Dale Earnhardt Jr. to make sporadic Xfinity Series starts post-retirement.
• Fans are always on the edge of their seat to see the newest JRM No. 88 driver: especially die-hard short track fans and fans of NASCAR’s recent past.

Landon Huffman

Landon Huffman is at the top of our list for two reasons. First off, he’s very talented as he won the Track Championship at Hickory Motor Speedway in 2022. Secondly, he races with sponsorship from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s vodka company, High Rock Vodka.

He has made sporadic NASCAR appearances before, so, the interest is definitely there. He also has a loyal following on social media thanks to his tremendous presence across different platforms. If he gets an opportunity, fans would love it.

Rajah Caruth

Hendrick Motorsports Dropped a Major Hint About Its Future

It’s not unprecedented for JRM to field the No. 88 car for current drivers. In 2022, for example, the Hendrick Motorsports trio of Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and William Byron all attempted races in the JRM No. 88 car with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.

Rajah Caruth happens to be sponsored by HendrickCars.com for the entirety of the 2024 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season. If Hendrick wants to get Caruth in a car, the JRM No. 88 car is an option. However, Hendrick also has the No. 17 car in the Xfinity Series, so, that may be a better option for Caruth

Connor Hall

Connor Hall is the defending NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series Champion. Layne Riggs parlayed the 2022 title into a full-time gig with Front Row Motorsports in the Truck Series for 2024. Drivers can make the jump, and Hall also races in the CARS Tour, which Earnhardt Jr. co-owns.

Hall does not have any direct connections to JRM, but, he would be interesting to watch in the #88 car. He could be on the way upward, and this could be his first step.

Regan Smith

Regan Smith took over for Danica Patrick in the No. 7 car at JRM in the mid-2010s, and Smith enjoyed the best stretch of his NASCAR career. He won 6 races between 2012 and 2015, and now he is a broadcaster for FOX’s coverage of NASCAR.

This may be a bit of a pipedream, but, it would be cool to see Smith get another opportunity. With the best stretch of his career coming at JRM why not see him return?

Carl Edwards

Anytime an “All-Star Car” is open, fans hope for Carl Edwards, so why not include him on this list? If Edwards would come back, as unlikely as it is, it could happen in top equipment in the lower series. JRM is arguably the best equipment in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Again, the odds of this happening are slim to none. That doesn’t mean we can’t dream, and it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible.

Who else could drive the JRM #88 car this season? Did we miss anyone?