2025 NASCAR Silly Season: Cup Seats Continue to Dwindle as 2024 Season Winds Down
With the opening race of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs less than a month away, several drivers have already etched their plans into stone for next season, whether it be a contract extension, signing with a new team, or just another season on a previously inked deal.
The annual bout of moving and shaking comes with a brand-new twist this off-season: the NASCAR Cup Series charter agreement. The sanctioning body is still working towards a new deal with the Race Team Alliance (RTA), which most notably sets the revenue split between the teams, tracks, and NASCAR itself.
Among the reported provisions is a clause that would limit teams to having only three NASCAR Cup Series charters, with an exception for Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, who under the new agreement would be grandfathered in with four charters.
At the moment, the biggest story of the silly season cycle has been the impending closure of Stewart-Haas Racing, which will dissolve its four-car NASCAR Cup Series program and sell off its charters once the season ends at Phoenix.
Gene Haas, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, will retain one charter to field a single NASCAR Cup Series entry under the Haas Factory Team banner. Defending Xfinity champion Cole Custer will drive the No. 41, which will have a technical alliance with RFK Racing.
Meanwhile, three of Stewart-Haas Racing's four current NASCAR Cup Series drivers have found seats for the 2025 season. Chase Briscoe will replace Martin Truex, Jr. in the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE for Joe Gibbs Racing, starting in 2025, with sponsorship from Bass Pro Shops.
Josh Berry will replace Harrison Burton in the No. 21 Ford Mustang for Wood Brothers Racing, after a dismal three seasons for the organization. Berry had been hopeful to bring Rodney Childers with him to his new endeavor, however, that will not happen. No crew chief has been announced.
Finally, Noah Gragson has been hired by Front Row Motorsports to drive one of the team's three NASCAR Cup Series entries in 2025. The team confirmed the acquisition of a third charter less than a day after the SHR news was announced. Todd Gilliland will continue with the team, while the third entry appears to have Zane Smith, Sam Mayer, and Chandler Smith as frontrunners.
23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing have both been linked to purchasing a Stewart-Haas Racing charter ahead of the 2025 season. For 23XI Racing, Riley Herbst has emerged as a front-runner, while any additional entries at Trackhouse Racing would likely have to go through Shane Van Gisbergen or Zane Smith beforehand.
Michael McDowell will end a seven-year run with Front Row Motorsports to join Spire Motorsports in the No. 71, bringing along crew chief Travis Peterson. Corey LaJoie was originally slated to drive the No. 7 in 2025, with new crew chief Rodney Childers, but was informed of his season's end release during the two-week break. Justin Haley is the leading candidate for the team's flagship entry.
Without Haley at the helm of the No. 51 Ford Mustang, Rick Ware Racing has lost some of what has made the team sparkle this season. Corey LaJoie and Ryan Preece are potential value picks for the organization, but Cody Ware, son of team owner Rick Ware, could also come into play in a full-time or part-time capacity.
Funding will likely dictate who drives the Kaulig Racing entries in 2025. AJ Allmendinger can never fully be counted out for a full-time Cup Series return, and Daniel Hemric has done a nice job in his own right, too. Christian Eckes was at one time rumored to pilot a Kaulig Racing entry in the Cup Series, but it appears that if a deal were to happen between the two teams it would be in Xfinity.
Erik Jones (LEGACY MOTOR CLUB), Austin Cindric (Team Penske), Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (JTG Daugherty Racing), and Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) have all recently signed contract extensions to stay with their current organizations, while Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) hasn't done so yet, but is expected to do so shortly.
When it comes to NASCAR Cup Series silly season, the majority of full-time rides for next season are spoken for, even before the current season ends. But, still in mid-August, there are several potential options for drivers to look to break onto the scene of NASCAR's top-echelon.
JOSEPH SRIGLEY