NASCAR: Iconic number returning with a new team in 2025

As a die-hard NASCAR fan who has been following the sport for over three decades, I can’t help but feel a sense of excitement and nostalgia with the latest team announcements for the 2025 season. The confirmation that Noah Gragson will be driving the legendary No. 4 Ford for Front Row Motorsports is a significant moment for both the driver and the team, and I’m eager to see how he fares in such an iconic number.

The No. 4 has a rich history, having been to victory lane 82 times throughout Cup Series history, and Gragson, with his aggressive driving style and natural talent, seems like the perfect fit to carry on that legacy. The fact that the No. 10, which he previously drove for Stewart-Haas Racing, is now being driven by Ty Dillon at Kaulig Racing only adds to the intrigue of this upcoming season.

I have to admit, I’m a bit disappointed to see the No. 31 and No. 14 numbers absent from the grid in 2025, as they both hold a special place in my heart. But I understand that change is inevitable in any sport, and I’ll be keeping a close eye on the new teams and drivers who will fill those vacancies.

As for the two new numbers for 2025, the No. 35 and No. 88, it’s great to see them return to the track after a few years off. I can’t help but wonder if Riley Herbst and Shane van Gisbergen will be able to make a splash in their respective rookie seasons with 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing.

All in all, I can’t wait for the 67th annual Daytona 500 on February 16. It’s going to be an exciting season, and I can’t help but feel a bit like a kid on Christmas morning just thinking about it. And as always, I’ll have my fingers crossed for a few upsets and underdog stories along the way – after all, that’s what makes NASCAR so great!

Oh, and by the way, I can’t help but chuckle at the thought of Zane Smith moving from the No. 38 to the No. 34, only for Michael McDowell to move back to the No. 38 – it feels like a game of musical chairs that never seems to end!

When Front Row Motorsports declared that Zane Smith was officially joining their team as the third driver for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, they simultaneously revealed that he would pilot the No. 38 Ford vehicle.

Todd Gilliland has driven the No. 38 Ford since 2022, but his role is changing as he shifts to the No. 34 Ford in 2025. Michael McDowell was behind the wheel of the No. 34 Ford from 2018 up until 2024, after which he departed for Spire Motorsports. Interestingly, McDowell’s departure opened a seat that Smith will now fill.

However, it remained undecided which car number Noah Gragson, the former Stewart-Haas Racing driver who has been signed by the team for next year, would be assigned. In previous instances where the team ran three cars, they utilized the No. 36. Yet, for Gragson in 2025, they decided to choose a different number instead.

Noah Gragson to drive the No. 4 Ford in 2025

For the year 2025, the No. 4 car, previously with Stewart-Haas Racing and left homeless due to its closure, found a new home at Front Row Motorsports. The driver who piloted the No. 10 Ford for Stewart-Haas in 2024, Gragson, is now slated to take on the prestigious No. 4, which has graced victory lane an impressive 82 times across Cup Series history.

For the 2025 season, Kaulig Racing has already secured the services of driver Ty Dillon for their No. 10 Chevrolet. Previously, this same Chevrolet was driven by Daniel Hemric under the number 31.

Due to Front Row Motorsports’ confirmation about number 4 not returning in 2025, the numbers 31 and 14, which were previously used for chartered entries in 2024, will not be seen on the racetrack next season. The No. 31 car has been absent from the Cup Series since the 2021 season, while the No. 14 car has been missing since the 2008 season.

The ownership group of Stewart-Haas Racing, specifically Gene Haas, has kept the No. 41 team within their newly established Haas Factory Team.

For the year 2025, two new racing numbers have been secured: Number 35 will be employed by 23XI Racing in their third Toyota vehicle for driver Riley Herbst, and Number 88 will be used by Trackhouse Racing in their third Chevrolet entry for Shane van Gisbergen. Both teams obtained these third charters from Stewart-Haas Racing.

Number 35 and Number 88 have not seen action in the Cup Series since the years 2016 and 2020 respectively.

As a die-hard NASCAR fan, I can’t contain my excitement as the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series kicks off with the 67th annual Daytona 500 on February 16! Get ready to buckle up because Fox will be there, live from Daytona International Speedway, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. This is going to be one heck of a race!

2025-01-04 16:32