Silly Season in NASCAR is already underway, with several major announcements coming in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Jesse Love will leave the series to move up the ladder in 2027, replacing Josh Berry at Wood Brothers Racing. Justin Allgaier, meanwhile, has put retirement rumors to rest for now and will continue driving the No. 7 Chevrolet. None of these moves come as much of a surprise. The same cannot be said if the rumored JR Motorsports decision actually materializes.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
There are whispers in the garage that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is about to pull off one of the more unexpected roster moves in recent O’Reilly Auto Parts Series memory.
Sam Mayer is reportedly heading back to JRM next year. Meanwhile, Sammy Smith, who currently occupies the seat Mayer once called home, could be the one heading out the door to take his spot at Haas Factory Team.
Drivers rarely return to developmental teams that they leave to chase Cup Series dreams. And Mayer, in 2024, felt he was overlooked for opportunities at the highest level at JRM. He seemed excited about a new future at Haas. But if these rumors are true, he’s given up on the reset fairly quickly.
The rumor picked up speed when NASCAR podcast Door Bumper Clear teased that a major 2027 O’Reilly Auto Parts move would involve a driver going “back to this building,” a clear nod to the JRM shop. Reporter Jordan Bianchi went straight to Smith for comment, who said he wanted to focus on his race weekend and honor the late Michael Annett instead of talking contracts.
Haas Factory Team then confirmed Truck Series prospect Dean Thompson is joining their O’Reilly Auto Parts lineup in 2027, but notably left Mayer’s and Sheldon Creed’s futures unresolved. An open seat at HFT is exactly where Smith’s name fits.
Mayer left JRM for Haas with a Cup Series promotion in mind. That hasn’t materialized. He remains winless this season, while his average finish has slipped and his DNF count has gone up. He currently sits 10th in the standings, just 19 points above the playoff cutline.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has also publicly pointed to Mayer’s aggression as something that can sometimes work against him, most notably after the Daytona incident where Mayer turned Junior’s own car during a drafting run. With the Cup door still closed, returning to a place where he already knows how to win could be the right move.
Smith, meanwhile, is in a very different position over at JRM. He’s eighth in the standings and a comfortable 95 points above the cutline, with an 11.4 average finish that ranks among the best in the series. He hasn’t won in 2026, but consistency has been his biggest strength.
Dale Jr. has routinely praised his composure, most notably after a post-race disqualification at Charlotte stripped Smith of crucial points.
“I was really impressed with how Sammy handled it. He didn’t complain, he didn’t point fingers at the crew, and he took it on the chin like a true professional. For a young driver to show that kind of composure when a top-five finish and crucial playoff points are stripped away because of a team mistake speaks volumes about his character,” the NASCAR Hall of Famer said.
A move to Haas would give Smith a new challenge and a bigger platform heading toward Cup. Meanwhile, even with Mayer back, there’s still one important question hanging over JRM’s 2027 plans: who will actually fill the remaining seats?
If the Mayer-Smith swap comes to fruition, it could answer that question sooner than expected. And there’s another reason the move suddenly looks much more plausible.
The Piece Already Falling Into Place for Dale Jr.’s JRM
While the Mayer and Smith talk was building, JRM had already been solving another puzzle. Justin Allgaier, 40 years old, came into 2026 fully expected to retire at season’s end. JRM’s internal plan in January was set in stone.
Then Allgaier started winning. Six wins, 13 top fives, and 16 top 10s in 21 races. A commanding regular-season points lead. By May, he was telling media he was having “probably the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire career.”
On July 16, JRM co-owner Kelley Earnhardt Miller went on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and made it official. Allgaier is coming back for at least a couple more years.
Allgaier has credited his family for encouraging him to keep racing, while his sponsors have also committed to backing the No. 7 car going forward. JRM was keen to keep him around as well. Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees Allgaier as a key part of the team’s culture, while Kelley Earnhardt Miller was instrumental in getting the deal over the line.
“I would hate to imagine where JR Motorsports would be had he not been part of our history and our story. It would have been much, much more difficult. He’s been the cornerstone of the company, and his success and consistency has helped stabilize us throughout some tough times,” Dale Jr. said in an interview earlier this year.
The paperwork is still being finalized, with a formal announcement expected before the playoffs begin. Allgaier’s return locks down one seat, while the Mayer-Smith rumor, if it comes to fruition, could settle another.
JRM’s 2027 lineup is starting to take shape, and it looks very different from what many expected just six months ago.