By: Ashley McCubbin

The theme of each NASCAR Silly Season is figuring out what the changes will be, so that way you can find the ride that your favourite driver(s) is(are) behind the wheel of. It’s why News From The Pits is here to help you sort through it all.\

The biggest shake-up for the Silly Season window was the breaking news that Stewart-Haas Racing was closing their doors, as announced back in May. It brought forth a following seven months filled with lots of questions in wondering where both current drivers and crew would find themselves for the 2025 campaign.

Michael McDowell revealed he would be retiring at season’s end, which became a shock as he has just beginning to make waves with Front Row Motorsports, and exceeding what many believed to be expectations for their equipment. His departure opened up the door for Zane Smith for take over the ride after spending his NASCAR Cup Series rookie campaign with Spire Motorsports.

Smith showed potential with a pair of top-five’s and four top-10 finishes, and has found himself at the top of the standings before, capturing the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship in 2022. He easily has the ability to match the numbers put up by McDowell in 2024 in placing 23rd in the standings with four top-10 finishes and 16 top-20 results.

You could list Smith as a darkhorse to find victory lane, but his teammate has a better chance. FRM bought one of the charters available after the closure of SHR, and signed one of their previous drivers in Noah Gragson. The Cup Series campaign in 2024 brought Gragson a 24th-place finish in points, alongside 21 top-20 finishes (average 19.6). The Las Vegas native gets the edge between the pair as evident by his road course and superspeedway ability, as showcased during his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Gragson has prove to be fast when he’s comfortable so this could be the right time.

Gragson’s ex-teammate Chase Briscoe got arguably the best opportunity of the foursome, taking over the No. 19 entry for Joe Gibbs Racing after Martin Truex Jr. announced his retirement from competition. JGR’s strength at the front of the field does not need to be questioned, as evident by Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin making the Round of 8 and multiple wins for the organization. Briscoe had the best campaign of his teammates last year, making the playoffs after scoring the victory at Darlington Raceway. Now giving him proven equipment could allow for a multi-win season and making it further postseason.

The other two of the foursome – Josh Berry and Ryan Preece – each have rides capable of success in landing rides with Wood Brothers Racing and Roush Fenway Keselowski respectively.

Wood Brothers found their way back to victory lane last season with Harrison Burton, but Burton will return to the Xfinity Series in 2025. Berry had moments where he could have easily victory lane, and the right recipe at a short track could allow that to happen this upcoming season. However, for the most part, the team has been known as a steady mid-pack entry.

Preece, meanwhile, enters into a brand new third car for RFK as they are expanding after seeing success with Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski in 2024. The team put both of their drivers in victory lane, and made themselves a playoff contender in constantly running inside the top-10. Preece has yet to prove himself at the Cup Series level, and one has to believe the opportunities are beginning to run out if it does not happen soon. Could this season be a make or break campaign for the modified stand out?