NASCAR: 2 possible landing spots for final Stewart-Haas charter

As a seasoned gamer of NASCAR races, I’ve seen teams rise and fall like a roller coaster ride through the years. The news about Stewart-Haas Racing ceasing operations after 2024 is a bit like hitting the pause button on a thrilling game, but it’s not over yet! The Haas Factory Team seems determined to keep the spirit alive in the Cup Series.

Stewart-Haas Racing intends to wind down its activities following the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series, but Gene Haas, one of the co-owners, remains committed to continuing his participation in the Cup Series through a newly established team called Haas Factory Team.

As a dedicated fan, I’m thrilled to share that for the 2025 season, Haas has kept one of Stewart-Haas Racing’s coveted charters. The driver who will pilot the No. 41 Ford next year is none other than Cole Custer, our current Xfinity Series champion! He continues to race with Stewart-Haas Racing at NASCAR’s second tier, and it’s exciting to see him moving up to the big leagues!

Two out of the initial three charters have been transferred to different racing teams. The Trackhouse Racing Team has obtained one of these and also recently added a third entry, the No. 88 Chevrolet, for Shane van Gisbergen. Despite not yet signing the new NASCAR charter agreement, Front Row Motorsports has managed to secure the remaining charter.

Front Row Motorsports is yet to determine the driver who will join Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson in their lineup; Michael McDowell, previously with Front Row Motorsports, has declared his move to Spire Motorsports, which leaves Zane Smith, currently at Spire, as a strong contender for McDowell’s vacant seat.

Where will the fourth charter end up?

23XI Racing, similar to Front Row Motorsports, have yet to commit to the new charter agreement. There’s a strong possibility that Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan’s team could be the next to make such a move, considering their aim to grow from two to three cars, much like Trackhouse Racing Team and Front Row Motorsports.

However, it should be noted that there are no definite promises, and it has been revealed that RFK Racing intends to increase its fleet to three vehicles next year. There are whispers that the primary sponsor of JTG Daugherty Racing, Kroger, may be moving to Jack Roush’s team.

It’s been mentioned that Ryan Preece, currently driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, is the top contender to pilot a third RFK Racing Ford in 2025. However, it’s also been suggested that the team will only add a third car if they have a charter; they won’t run a full-time vehicle without one.

It’s plausible that both 23XI Racing and RFK Racing might secure the third charters, as there are currently no public plans revealed by Rick Ware Racing for the upcoming season following Justin Haley’s departure to Spire Motorsports.

Given their technical partnership with RFK Racing and the frequent occurrence of them being among the last three team owners, it might be beneficial for them to either sell or lease a charter (a guaranteed starting spot in races).

2024-10-09 15:02

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