Did You Notice? … The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series field has almost completely taken shape?
With two races left, most of what’s left to be decided will come in the courtroom, as Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing continue their antitrust lawsuit against the sport (The next hearing on the case is scheduled for Nov. 4).
But in terms of all the other seats available, the game of musical chairs is coming to a close. One of the last questions appeared to get answered today when NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director Brad Moran said Ryan Preece would be running for RFK Racing next season in a No. 60 Ford (There’s been no official confirmation from the team … at least, not yet).
Let’s take a quick look at the team/driver combinations for 2025 and where the dust apparently settled.
Hendrick Motorsports
No Changes. Kyle Larson (No. 5), Chase Elliott (No. 9), William Byron (No. 24), Alex Bowman (No. 48)
Any nagging rumors about Bowman getting replaced at HMS, despite a contract running through 2026, got snuffed out with a better-than-expected playoff performance. If not for the surprising DQ at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL a few weeks back, we’d be talking about Bowman having a shot at the Championship 4.
Everyone else appears set for the long-term. Byron’s contract expires at the conclusion of the 2025 season but there is zero indication he’s going anywhere else.
Team Penske
No changes. Austin Cindric (No. 2), Ryan Blaney (No. 12), Joey Logano (No. 22)
Austin, the son of Penske President Tim Cindric, appeared to save his job with a playoff-clinching win this June at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. He’ll enter 2025 as the only one in this trio with a uncertain long-term future with Ford’s top program; they’ve won two straight Cup titles and could easily win a third in two weeks with Logano or Blaney.
Joe Gibbs Racing
One change. Denny Hamlin (No. 11), Chase Briscoe (No. 19), Christopher Bell (No. 20), Ty Gibbs (No. 54)
The third leg of the sport’s three marquee organizations is the only one with some sort of offseason transition. Briscoe will replace the retiring Martin Truex Jr. at the No. 19 Toyota for 2025, hoping to rebuild a team that’s tripped over themselves over much of the summer and fall. James Small is expected to stay on as crew chief.
Hamlin will turn 44 years old in November but has no such plans to retire. The hope is Briscoe solidifies this quartet for the next two seasons at least.
23XI Racing
One change. Bubba Wallace (No. 23), Tyler Reddick (No. 45), ??? (No. ???)
This much we know: 23XI signed Wallace to a long-term extension in September. Reddick is set for next year and beyond.
We also know 23XI has a third charter already purchased due to its pending litigation. Whether it’ll be allowed to use it is up to the courts; if NASCAR gets its way, all 23XI Racing charters will be rescinded for 2025, as the team didn’t sign the updated charter agreement.
Would that mean 23XI (or Front Row) would sell the third charter to RFK Racing? That’s unknown. It’s also likely holding up the future announcements concerning this ride.
Riley Herbst has been mentioned repeatedly as the top candidate here and comes with the money to help with any type of charter purchase/sponsorship upkeep. He’s also leaving the newly named Haas Factory Team for next season, so all arrows seem to point his direction. We’ll see.
Trackhouse Racing
One change. Ross Chastain (No. 1), Daniel Suarez (No. 99), Shane van Gisbergen (No. 88)
After a season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, SVG will move up full time and realign with the Trackhouse team he’s actually signed with (SVG, of course, ran NXS with Kaulig Racing as Trackhouse doesn’t have a full-time Xfinity team itself). Trackhouse bought one of the charters Stewart-Haas Racing sold off as the team prepares to cease operations at the end of the 2024 season.
Suarez will have at least one more year with this team, signing an extension this summer, while Chastain feels immovable long-term.
Front Row Motorsports
Two changes. Noah Gragson (No. 34?), Todd Gilliland (No. 38), Zane Smith (No. ??)
Like 23XI, the use of FRM’s charters next season will depend on the courtroom. It’s also purchased a third charter, with the driver still TBA. After a variety of names were floated, from Sam Mayer to even Chandler Smith, it looks like Zane Smith is the overwhelming favorite to land this ride.
You might remember Zane won a title with FRM in the Craftsman Truck Series back in 2022. He struggled early as a full-time Cup rookie with Spire Motorsports this season but has gotten better every week; all four of his top-10 finishes have been earned during the season’s second half.
Noah Gragson is the other big change within FRM, taking over the seat vacated by Michael McDowell. If Zane joins, FRM becomes one of the sport’s youngest teams with none of their drivers older than age 26.
RFK Racing
One change. Brad Keselowski (No. 6), Chris Buescher (No. 17), Ryan Preece (No. 60)
Keselowski, as the co-owner, isn’t going anywhere. He’s happy with Buescher who is signed for several years to come.
The questions surround Preece, a winless longtime Cup veteran coming over from SHR, and what that third team consists of. If there’s a charter involved, where did it come from? Rick Ware Racing seems an obvious choice for a lease if FRM or 23XI reconsidered their purchases.
Spire Motorsports
Two changes. Justin Haley (No. 7), Michael McDowell (No. 71), Carson Hocevar (No. 77)
The first change has already happened, with Haley returning last month to the organization where he earned his first and only Cup win in 2019. A fellow Daytona International Speedway winner, McDowell, will join him next season, replacing Zane Smith in the No. 71. The 40-year-old veteran ends a seven-year stint with FRM to join the team.
Hocevar is locked up for a second season and has all but clinched the Rookie of the Year award over Josh Berry and Smith.
Richard Childress Racing
No changes. Austin Dillon (No. 3), Kyle Busch (No. 8)
Early in the year, rumors floated Dillon would retire. Instead, he signed a long-term deal to remain with the team his grandfather owns. The Richmond Raceway winner may be the only Cup driver from RCR with a victory this year; Kyle Busch’s 19-year streak with at least one Cup victory is in serious jeopardy.
Busch will likely become the driver to watch in Silly Season 2025 after a disappointing year. RCR picked up his option but he’s a free agent after next season.
Legacy Motor Club
No changes. John Hunter Nemechek (No. 42), Erik Jones (No. 43)
There’s been a few murmurs about JHN but he is officially signed for next season, as is Jones (through 2026). The underperforming Legacy team is expected to shuffle personnel though after a difficult first year with Toyota, and both drivers are working with different crew chiefs to end the year (Dave Elenz left Jones and the No. 43 team completely in early October).
The bigger question here is whether Jimmie Johnson will continue his (to this point) futile effort driving the No. 84 part time. The 49-year-old seven-time champion has yet to score even a top-25 finish in 11 starts driving the Next Gen chassis.
Kaulig Racing
Two changes. Ty Dillon (No. 10), AJ Allmendinger (No. 16)
Kaulig is cleaning house, choosing Dillon over Daniel Hemric to run its renumbered No. 10 car next year (was No. 31). The younger Dillon has struggled, though, as of late, collecting only two top-10 finishes in 2024 despite running full time with a Truck Series program that made the playoffs one year ago.
The No. 16 car appears to be the smart decision, with Allmendinger returning to full-time Cup competition one season after a demotion back to NXS. The ‘Dinger scored five top-10 finishes in a limited Cup schedule this season and doesn’t appear to have lost a step at age 42.
JTG Daugherty Racing
No changes. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (No. 47)
Stenhouse has a long-term contract to remain with JTG, who lost some of its sponsorship for 2025 and has rumored ownership changes but still plans a full-time schedule as a single-car program. It’s easy to forget this team also won itself a race this year, just last month at Talladega Superspeedway.
Wood Brothers Racing
One change. Josh Berry (No. 21)
The rookie Berry will spend his sophomore season with the Wood Brothers, signing once SHR chose to cease operations. The Woods will move on from Harrison Burton, as this summer’s Daytona winner is forced to step back into the NASCAR Xfinity Series with AM Racing. A reset was necessary after a tough three seasons in which Burton produced only two top-five finishes (to date) in 106 starts in the No. 21.
Rick Ware Racing
Unknown. ??? (No. 15), Corey LaJoie? (No. 51)
LaJoie was given a chance to earn the No. 51 ride with an audition the last two months of the year. But how can you earn something that’s often a pay-to-play deal? Sponsorship will likely determine who’s in these cars, which are a better option for drivers in recent years as RWR equipment has become more competitive.
Haas Factory Team
New team. Cole Custer (No. 00)
The remnants of Stewart-Haas Racing will reconstitute itself as a one-car Cup program with Custer as driver. The reigning NXS champion will reset for a second stint at the sport’s top level after driving full-time in Cup (with Haas support) from 2020-22.
Drivers on the Outside Looking In (As of Now)
Daniel Hemric, LaJoie, Kaz Grala, Chandler Smith (NXS). Watch for Smith to potentially pop back up with Kaulig Racing in some way; he did a part-time schedule for the team in Cup in the past. As for Hemric and Grala, it feels like sponsorship is needed for either driver to continue in Cup or even Xfinity.
Did You Notice?… Quick hits before taking off …
- Considering their recent performance, it’s easy to forget six of the first 11 races this year were won by either Hamlin or Byron. Five of the first 11 were won by Hendrick but there’s a realistic chance all four of their drivers miss the Championship 4 now in their 40th anniversary season (The maximum they’ll be able to get is two).
- If you send a driver to a local hospital, it feels like you shouldn’t be racing again the next weekend. Let’s hope Conner Jones learned some sort of lesson over his wreck with Matt Mills. To be fair, he’s said and done all the right things since that intentional contact.
Follow Tom Bowles on X at @NASCARBowles
The author of Did You Notice? (Wednesdays) Tom spends his time overseeing Frontstretch’s 40+ staff members as its majority owner and Editor-in-Chief. Based outside Philadelphia, Bowles is a two-time Emmy winner in NASCAR television and has worked in racing production with FOX, TNT, and ESPN while appearing on-air for SIRIUS XM Radio and FOX Sports 1's former show, the Crowd Goes Wild. He most recently consulted with SRX Racing, helping manage cutting-edge technology and graphics that appeared on their CBS broadcasts during 2021 and 2022.
You can find Tom’s writing here, at CBSSports.com and Athlonsports.com, where he’s been an editorial consultant for the annual racing magazine for 15 years.