Youtube Tiktok Instagram Facebook Discord

Every NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s Current Contract Status

Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Let us know what you think

Join the conversation on socials

Instagram Facebook Youtube Tiktok Discord

What’s Happening?

Like any other sport, Free Agency is a key part of NASCAR. However, driver-free agency is not covered like in the MLB or the NBA; some drivers announce shocking moves almost out of nowhere. Based on public knowledge, here’s the current contract status of every full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver.

  • NASCAR teams often do not make the terms of a contract public. Methods for finding any source of information on a contract can come from the driver or owners, insiders, and press releases.
  • For several drivers, there will be little to no information on their contract length. Teams will occasionally use vague terms to express the length of a contract.
  • Teams often use terms like “Multi-year Deal/Extension” or “Long-term Deal/Extension.” Importantly, these terms confirm the contract is not one year, suggesting it could be a two-year or longer contract.
  • Just because a driver is under contract does not mean they are safe. For example, Noah Gragson and Chase Briscoe had years left on their Stewart-Haas Racing contracts prior to the teams closure last season.

Drivers With No Released Contractual Status:

  • No. 6 – Brad Keselowski – RFK Racing
  • No. 16 – A.J. Allmendinger – Kaulig Racing
  • No. 35 – Riley Herbst – 23XI Racing
  • No. 41 – Cole Custer –  Haas Factory Team – No Clear Information
  • No. 45 – Tyler Reddick – 23XI Racing
  • No. 51 – Cody Ware – Rick Ware Racing – Son of Owner; No Clear Information
  • No. 54 – Ty Gibbs – Joe Gibbs Racing
  • No. 60 – Ryan Preece – RFK Racing
  • No. 88 – Shane Van Gisbergen – Trackhouse Racing

Single Car Teams

HYAK Motorsports
  • No. 47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – “Multi-Year Contract Extension”; Signed in 2024

What once was JTG-Daughtery Racing is now HYAK Motorsports. With a cycled ownership group and new branding, two things will stay the same: the car number and the driver. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. signed an extension with the team in May 2024. As the team’s winningest driver, this contract should carry HYAK comfortably into its new era.

Wood Brothers Racing

Josh Berry is one of many drivers recovering from Stewart-Haas Racing’s closure. He is heading to Wood Brothers Racing as a veteran racer but is a sophomore in the Cup Series. A fresh driver with a championship history makes sense for the team, and that is reflected in his long-term deal signed in July 2024.

Two Car Teams

Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing is revamped and revitalized in 2024 with a new yet familiar lineup. Both drivers have little to no information on their contracts; with their age and young prospects at Kaulig, these contracts could be just long enough to get Kaulig’s next generation to Cup. Allmendinger’s contract could be longer as he is the cornerstone of Kaulig Racing.

Legacy Motor Club

Despite a difficult 2024, Legacy Motor Club is sticking with its lineup for 2025. There are no details about how long John Hunter Nemechek’s initial deal with the team is, but he could be on the hot seat if he struggles in 2025. Erik Jones will be at LMC for more years after he signed his extension with the team in August 2024.

Richard Childress Racing

Richard Childress Racing is an interesting story that is entering the new season. Team owner Richard Childress’ grandson Austin is reportedly on a new multi-year extension despite his struggles. However, reports suggest that this could be Kyle Busch’s final year of his late 2022 contract with the team; he had an option for 2025, which he is using.

Three Car Teams

Front Row Motorsports
  • No. 4 – Noah Gragson – “Multi-Year Agreement”; Signed in 2024
  • No. 34 – Todd Gilliland – “Multi-Year Contract Extension”; Signed in 2024
  • No. 38 – Zane Smith – “Multi-Year Agreement”; Signed in 2024, Announced 2025

The new look Front Row Motorsports looks locked in for the long-term future. They first signed SHR free agent Noah Gragson, then extended their long-time driver Todd Gilliland. To cap off a season, they signed the former Truck Series champion to drive the No. 38 this season, returning the driver to the team that developed him.

Team Penske
  • No. 2 – Austin Cindric – “Contract Extension”; Signed in 2023
  • No. 12 – Ryan Blaney – “Long-Term Contract Extension”; Signed in 2022
  • No. 22 – Joey Logano – “Long-Term Contract Extension”; Signed in 2022

Both of Team Penske’s anchors, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, appear to be comfortable with the team for the foreseeable future. However, Austin Cindric’s status is unknown. The former Daytona 500 champion has struggled since his 2022 debut; now, his father, Tim Cindric, is no longer overseeing Team Penske’s day-to-day operations, raising questions about his future with the team.

RFK Racing
  • No. 6 – Brad Keselowski – Team Owner: Likely some form of contract, but no clear information.
  • No. 17 – Chris Buescher – Signed an extension in early 2024; the terms are unknown, his original deal was set to expire at the end of the 2024 Season.
  • No. 60 – Ryan Preece – No Clear Information

RFK Racing has locked down Chris Buescher for at least one more year; the details of his extension are relatively unknown. Likewise, their new driver, Ryan Preece, is under similar circumstances as all references to his time with the team refer to just the 2025 season. Team owner Brad Keselowski, while he has some form of contract with the team, will likely not be going anywhere anytime soon.

Spire Motorsports
  • No. 7 – Justin Haley – “Multi-Year Contract”; Signed in 2024
  • No. 71 – Michael McDowell – “Multi-Year Contract”; Signed in 2024
  • No. 77 – Carson Hocevar -“Multi-Year Contract”; Signed in 2023

Spire Motorsports now has a veteran, sophomore, and experienced driver in its lineup. Carson Hocevar, the reigning Rookie of the Year, is in the second year of his “Multi-Year Contract.” The team is bringing in both Justin Haley and Michael McDowell on a “Multi-Year Contract” as well. This appears to be their roster of the future, and these contracts reflect that.

Trackhouse Racing

Trackhouse Racing has Ross Chastain locked in on a long-term deal. However, that deal from early 2023 means nothing is guaranteed for 2026, but as their most marketable driver, Ross, it would be hard to imagine a trackhouse without Ross. However, his long-time teammate, Daniel Suarez, who was on a contract year in 2024, appears to be back on a one-year extension, as the press release supplied no context beyond reference to 2025. The same goes for the team’s new talent, Shane van Gisbergen, whose announced signing is probably a long-term deal; the team, however, did not elaborate on the length of his deal with Trackhouse.

23XI Racing

23XI Racing has a lineup that looks locked in for the future. Tyler Reddick is still on his controversial deal he signed while still racing for Richard Childress, and the team recently signed Riley Herbst. However, neither driver’s contract length is clear; as a winning driver and a new driver, most would expect them to be long-term. The team’s original driver, Bubba Wallace, is locked in long-term on a long-term renewal following a contract year in 2024.

Four Car Teams

Hendrick Motorsports
  • No. 5 – Kyle Larson – Contract Extension Through 2026; Signed in 2022
  • No. 9 – Chase Elliott – Contract Extension Through 2027; Signed in 2022
  • No. 24 – William Byron – Contract Extension Through 2025; Signed in 2022
  • No. 48 – Alex Bowman – Contract Extension Through 2028; Signed in 2023

Hendrick Motorsports drivers will fall off their contracts one year after another—Byron, then Larson, then Elliott, and finally Bowman. However, these drivers have multiple wins, championships, and a Daytona 500. This seems to be a long-term lineup for HMS, and likely, most, if not all, will return. However, HMS has signed a young prospect in Corey Day, who will one day hopefully race for HMS at the top level, implying at least one of these drivers will leave.

Joe Gibbs Racing
  • No. 11 – Denny Hamlin – “Multi-Year Contract Extension”; Signed in 2023
  • No. 19 – Chase Briscoe – “Multi-Year Deal”; Signed in 2024
  • No. 20 – Christopher Bell – “Longterm Extension”; Signed in 2022
  • No. 54 – Ty Gibbs – No Clear Information

Joe Gibbs Racing has their ducks in a row for the future. Their three returning drivers, including Gibbs’s grandson Ty, will likely be back for 2026. The only driver with a question mark above them appears to be veteran Denny Hamlin, who struggled with sponsorship during the offseason. Hamlin is, however, in the second year of a “Multi-Year Contract Extension” signed in late 2023. The last piece is new signee Chase Briscoe, who is on a multi-year deal, securing his long-term future with the team.

This list will be updated as extensions, confirmed departures, and signings happen during the season.

Let us know what you think

Join the conversation on socials

Instagram Facebook Youtube Tiktok Discord

Share this:

Picture of Kauy Ostlien

Kauy Ostlien

All Posts

In other news...

Stay Up To Speed

Join in the conversations in our community to stay in the loop on everything racing

Instagram Facebook Youtube Tiktok Discord