Allgaier Could Enter 2027 as Defending Champ, Not Part-Timer

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- At some point in the 2026 NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, there was a chance that Justin Allgaier was going to be a part-time driver in 2027. 

Now, he has a chance to go into it as the defending champion with a couple more years to go.

When Justin Allgaier won at Nashville Superspeedway in May, he revealed he was thinking about stepping away from full-time NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series competition at the start of the season.

Allgaier revealed he bought a home in Illinois and was thinking about stepping away from racing. While he seemed to back away from those plans during the press conference in May, he said he was in talks with JR Motorsports at that time to race part-time in 2027.

"When the question was floated if I wanted to stick around, the conversation was part-time," Allgaier said. "That had some interest and I think it still would've, had I decided to retire."

However, Allgaier said he considered how he wants to give "100%" to his team, sponsor Brandt and his family, considering the time racing takes out of life to be good. He consulted with his family -- his dad, his wife and his kids -- and started his decision-making.

"I kind of floated the idea back, 'what do you think about full-time?' so Nashville was about where the part-time conversation was being had. We finally got together and put pen-to-paper and said, 'Ok what does this look like?'" Allgaier said.

Allgaier said things happening away from track played into that process. 

"It's been pretty hectic outside of the racetrack and that probably weighed pretty heavy on me in this decision," Allgaier said.

Ultimately, consulting with family and seeing fans' support played into him deciding to come back for possibly two more years.

At 40 years old, Allgaier and now sixth on the all-time NOAPS wins list, all the weight of everything in the NASCAR world is seemingly off of his shoulders -- even racing for a championship. 

"I'm probably the freest, loosest, confident enough that I've been all year, honestly any point in my career going into a final race. There's been something different for me and I think it's because I was looking away and looking at different ways to value the sport," Allgaier said.

Allgaier has a 22-point lead and is confident as the most recent NOAPS winner at Homestead-Miami. 

"If we execute as I know we can, we could win both stages and win the race," he said.

Allgaier said he would love to be in Kyle Larson's position -- 67 points ahead of anyone else for the championship -- but said he's glad to be in this spot after a rough start to the Chase.

Among his championship competitors is Carson Kvapil, his JRM teammate he has mentored but now is racing against -- like so many other drivers before him. 

"I really enjoy the role I have at JR Motorsports, right? I've had a lot of young guns come through the ranks with me and have successful Cup careers and it's fun that you can teach some things and impart some things... You set the bar as high as you can, knowing Cup will set the bar even higher... When you see me feel not capable of winning races, that's when you won't see me in a car," Allgaier said.

Allgaier has one goal Saturday: 

"Go win."

Allgaier is looking for his 35th career NOAPS win. He sits behind Kyle Busch (102 wins), Mark Martin (49), Kevin Harvick (47), Brad Keselowski (39) and Carl Edwards (38) on the series' all-time wins list.