Kelly Earnhardt, Carson Kvapil, and Sammy Smith react to JRM’s multi-year partnership with Arby’s

JR Motorsports (JRM), co-owned by Kelly Earnhardt, has announced a multi-year partnership with fast-food giant Arby’s, which will kick off during the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season. As the announcement was made public, JRM’s key figures, including co-owner Kelley and drivers Carson Kvapil and Sammy Smith, sparked enthusiastic reactions in their own way.

Arby’s, the leading destination for a high-quality meat-fueled menu, will serve as a primary sponsor for the cars of Carson Kvapil, Sammy Smith, and 2024 champion Justin Allgaier in select races next season. The company will also serve as a full 33-race season associate sponsor for Allgaier’s #7 car.

As part of the agreement, the iconic fast food chain brand will have a personal service agreement with co-owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Jr.’s sister Kelley Earnhardt, who plays a central role in guiding JRM’s business operations and long-term strategy, expressed her excitement as Arby’s officially joined the team.

“Excited to have @Arbys join our family!” Kelley wrote on X.

Kvapil, who will drive the #1 Chevy with Arby’s livery, expressed his excitement on X, writing:

“Beyond excited for this partnership with @JRMotorsports and @Arbys ! Time to go get a #1!,”

The brand will adorn Sammy Smith’s #8 car in three races. Reacting to the news, he said:

“So pumped to have @Arbys on the 8 for three races this year!,”

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Kelly Earnhardt’s brother is looking forward to partnering with Arby’s in 2026

After signing a deal with Arby’s, Kelly Earnhardt’s brother Dale Jr. is excited about the partnership and looking forward to growing their business together.

In a team release, Dale Jr. said:

“It’s an exciting opportunity to have Arby’s partner up with our companies. Arby’s is very aggressive with their activation and we pride ourselves on being a tremendous asset when it comes to offering a variety of unique marketing platforms, so I’m looking forward to how we can work together to continue to grow their business.”

Arby's will first adorn Kvapil’s #1 car as primary sponsor at EchoPark Speedway on Saturday, February 21, 2026. He will carry the paint scheme in four O’Reilly races, while Smith will have the brand for three races, and Allgaier will carry Arby’s sponsorship in one event.

Catch Kelly Earnhardt and Dale Jr., co-owners of JRM, at the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly season opener at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14.

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Edited by Yash Soni