NASCAR: SHR car number moving to a new team, leaving just two

As a seasoned NASCAR enthusiast with decades of memories etched into my racing soul, I can’t help but feel a mix of nostalgia and anticipation as we approach the 2025 season. The news that Kaulig Racing is taking over the No. 10 has sent ripples through the paddock, and I find myself eagerly awaiting the fates of the remaining Stewart-Haas Racing numbers.

At the start of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series, whispers circulated suggesting that Stewart-Haas Racing might be considering closure once the season ended.

The rumors turned out to be true rather swiftly, and while Gene Haas chose to retain one of the team’s charters to field the No. 41 Ford for the recently crowned Xfinity Series champion, Cole Custer, under the banner of the newly formed Haas Factory Team.

Despite his three teammates having secured new positions, Ryan Preece, the current driver of the No. 41 Ford, remains without a confirmed seat.

Josh Berry, pilot of car number 4, will take over from Harrison Burton in driving the No. 21 Ford at Wood Brothers Racing. Noah Gragson, currently driving the No. 10 Ford, is going to operate a third vehicle for Front Row Motorsports, which has purchased one of Stewart-Haas Racing’s team charters. Chase Briscoe, currently behind the wheel of car number 14, will replace Martin Truex Jr. as driver of the No. 19 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing.

It remains undecided which drivers will take on the numbers 4, 10, and 14 in the Cup Series since the Haas Factory Team is set to continue using number 41.

Now one of the three outstanding SHR numbers has found a new home.

Since 2018, Kaulig Racing has been driving the No. 10 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series. Starting from next season, they will utilize this same number for one of their two Chevrolet vehicles in the Cup Series. The No. 31 will be replaced by the No. 10, and Ty Dillon is set to take over driving duties from Daniel Hemric for the No. 10 Chevrolet in the upcoming year.

In simpler terms, for the upcoming season in 2025, Kaulig Racing’s second vehicle, the No. 16 Chevrolet, will be driven by more than one driver, just like it was in 2023. Dillon is among the drivers for this car, and A.J. Allmendinger, who drove it full-time last year, will also be driving it full-time again in 2025. This means that Allmendinger and another driver (Justin Haley in 2023) will be the permanent drivers for this vehicle in 2025.

It’s yet uncertain whether drivers of cars No. 4 and No. 14 will secure new racing spots for the upcoming season, possibly on a part-time basis. The last time we saw car No. 4 absent from the Cup Series was in 2013, while car No. 14 hasn’t been seen since 1998 in the series.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series kicks off on Sunday, February 16, marking the start of the 67th annual Daytona 500 race. This event will air live on Fox directly from Daytona International Speedway.

2024-10-01 16:02

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