NASCAR has seen driver bestowed with unique nicknames and titles that represent their personality or their style of racing. Take Richard Petty, for example; famously known as the “King” of NASCAR, and rightly so because of his contributions and impact on the sport. Then there is Dale Earnhardt, the Intimidator, who didn’t second-guess in putting his bumper to good use, ask Darrell Waltrip about it. Who can forget, NASCAR’s very own Wonder Boy, Jeff Gordon, whose charm off the track was equally impact as his racing. Yet, something is striking about the nickname JRM driver Justin Allagier has, he is known as the ‘Little Gator.” But there’s a unique story in how he got this name, and he can thank his father for this.
The father-son duo joined Kenny Wallace on his show, and Mike opened up the conversation that would highlight why his son, Justin, would be called as little gator. And the story was so hilarious that it even had Herman flip off from his chair during the conversation.
As Mike Allgaier recalled during Kenny Conversation, “When my mom was pregnant with me, the nurse or doctor came in and said, ‘All right, Mr. Alligator, you can come in, and so that was my nickname. I’ve had it ever since.” The slip of the tongue stuck instantly. Mike embraced “Gator” as his identity. Even his close friends and associates would remember him by his nickname and not his real name.
“There were people who used to call the office and ask for Gator. And I’d pick up the phone and say, “This is Mike! How can I help you?” And they’d be like, “Oh, no, I’m looking for Gator.” People who should know and had no idea what his real name was, and they only knew him as Gator.” That wasn’t the end of the story, as this moniker would pass down to Justin just when he was growing up. And the Little Gator tag was given to him by one of the ARCA crew members at the Springfield Mile.
“I’d go to racetrack with my dad, which as a child I got kicked out of the infield by Mr. Mike Helton. Back in the day, you had rules. I was walking with my dad down the pit area at Springfield, right? One of the crew members from the ARCA team walked up and said, This must be the little gator that you always talk about as racing, and that was it.” Allgaier explained. He even stated that he didn’t mind being called little because he respected his dad and his accomplishments as a human being. “If I’m little Gator to him being Gator, I’m OK with it.”
Well, Allgaier has proudly carried the nickname, and last year he even celebrated his first Xfinity Series championship with his father. It was truly a wholesome moment for the entire family, and going by his dominant performances in 2025, it looks like the veteran driver might recreate those memories at the end of the year.
Justin Allgaier continues his dominant run at Nashville
Justin Allgaier solidified his 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series title defence with a commanding victory at the Tennessee Lottery 250 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31. Driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, “Little Gator” led 101 of 188 laps, including a decisive final 48-lap stretch, to secure his third win of the season and his second at Nashville. The triumph marked his 28th career Xfinity victory, moving him into sole possession of ninth on the all-time wins list, surpassing Jeff Burton.
Allgaier now leads the Xfinity Series standings by 92 points after 14 races, backed by 10 top-five finishes and a series-high 527 laps led. Connor Zilisch did have a go at him at the concrete surface, but with clean air helping the #7 car, he had to settle for yet another runner-up finish. This was Allgaier’s second win in Music City, and once again, he was able to cherish this moment with his family.
“Ashley and the kids are here and it’s so cool to get a win here at Nashville. The fans here are incredible. This place is special to me. I said before the race, I really wanted to get a second guitar so both kids would have a guitar. So they can fight over them. I’m really proud of JR Motorsports,” Allgaier stated after the win. He even shared a ride with her 4-year-old daughter, Willow, heading towards the victory lane.
The little Gator is certainly making his family proud and is showing no signs of slowing down after last year’s championship triumph. If anything, he looks hungrier and ambitious to repeat the winning story with JRM and the #7 Chevy team.
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