CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With the departure of Hall of Famer Tony Stewart from NASCAR, the well-known Stewart-Haas Racing organization, which he co-owned with Gene Haas, will not be seen next season. This shift marks a significant change in the landscape of NASCAR racing.
Similarly, JTG Daugherty Racing will also undergo a transformation, although in this case, it will simply be a rebranding under new management. This single-car team, which secured a victory at Talladega in 2024 with driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., will now operate under the name Hyak Motorsports without making any alterations to its driving roster for the No. 47 Chevrolet.
The exit of Tony Stewart has resulted in a bidding frenzy for the four drivers previously associated with SHR, leaving the future of three of its valuable charters in uncertainty. The rebranded team will now be known as Haas Factory, aligning more closely with Haas’s Formula 1 brand. Furthermore, Cole Custer is set to return from the Xfinity Series to take on a driving role at this newly formed team.
Chase Briscoe, the only SHR driver to clinch a Cup race win in 2024 and secure a playoff position, seems to have transitioned smoothly. He has signed with Joe Gibbs Racing following Martin Truex Jr.’s switch to part-time racing in 2025.
In other changes, Josh Berry will step in for Harrison Burton at Wood Brothers Racing, maintaining his association with Ford while utilizing Team Penske equipment, which has seen unprecedented success in recent Cup seasons. Noah Gragson is preparing to move to Front Row Motorsports; however, this team, along with 23XI Racing, has declined NASCAR’s final charter offer and is now embroiled in an antitrust lawsuit. Both Front Row and 23XI have aspirations to grow to three cars by 2025, but their current charters are set to expire soon, which could lead them to compete as “open” entries, lacking guarantees for field placement or additional protections.
Moreover, both teams were eyeing to acquire charters from SHR to facilitate their expansion, but NASCAR has confirmed there are currently no agreements in place regarding the charters, making it clear that any transfer from SHR will not be accepted.
Ryan Preece has finalized his move as the last SHR driver to secure a position; he will join RFK Racing, which is expanding from a two-car team to three. Notably, RFK will lease a charter from Rick Ware Racing instead of purchasing one directly from SHR.
In other notable driver shifts for 2025, Kaulig Racing will see a modification in their driver lineup as AJ Allmendinger returns from Xfinity, while Ty Dillon will take over Daniel Hemric’s position. Michael McDowell is leaving Front Row to join Spire Motorsports, which also saw the return of Justin Haley, marking his success as the team’s only Cup race winner to date.
Shane van Gisbergen, who made headlines after winning his debut Cup race in 2023, will compete full-time in the upcoming season as Trackhouse Racing expands its fleet to three cars. Zane Smith, a previous Truck Series champion, is set to join Front Row as the third driver alongside Riley Herbst, who has also stepped up from Xfinity, but their future is uncertain due to the ongoing legal battles with NASCAR regarding charters.
The offseason also brings several important crew chief changes. Notably, Joe Gibbs Racing will promote Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, to a management position, resulting in a new crew chief for Bubba Wallace at 23XI.
Jeremy Bullins, previously with Wood Brothers Racing, will reunite with Brad Keselowski at RFK Racing, while Rodney Childers, formerly with SHR, will move to Spire Motorsports to become Haley’s crew chief. As these transitions unfold, the competitive dynamics in NASCAR are set to shift dramatically in the upcoming racing season.
