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The NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs are finally here! For the next 10 weeks, 16 drivers will battle for the NASCAR Cup Series championship at season’s end. With the Craftsman Truck Series already in the playoffs and the Xfinity Series just a few weeks away from theirs, the attention has shifted toward the championship fight. But there’s plenty of Silly Season news to discuss, some involving playoff drivers. Let’s look at what happened this week in NASCAR Silly Season.
This week, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and Brandon Jones announced their reunion. That’s right. The 27-year-old, who drove for JGR from 2018-2022, will return to the organization in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Jones will leave JR Motorsports after a two-year stint that was marred by a lack of speed and no playoff appearances. Jones had most of his success with JGR, winning five races, including three in 2020, and a highest points finish of sixth.
Many fans see this as just a pay driver taking his check to another top ride. But looking at the numbers, it’s actually a perfect reunion. During his five-year stint with JGR, Jones won races in three of his five years and finished in the top 10 in points every season. His worst finish in the standings during that span was 10th in 2019. Will Jones be a title contender? Probably not, but he’s a steady pair of hands that have had success with JGR and should pick up right where he left off in 2022.
For the first time since 2018, Christian Eckes will not race in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. After years in Trucks, the 23-year-old will move to the Xfinity Series in 2025, driving to Kaulig Racing in the No. 16 Chevrolet. Eckes is in the midst of a playoff run in the Craftsman Truck Series. After winning the regular season championship, he currently sits points above the cutline after the first race of the Round of 10.
Eckes was one of the three candidates for the third Front Row Motorsports (FRM) seat in the NASCAR Cup Series, alongside Zane Smith and Sam Mayer. With Mayer staying in Xfinity and Eckes going to Kaulig, Smith will likely drive the third FRM car. With his history with the team and a lack of other candidates, the final ride at Ford’s newest “Tier One” team could be Smith’s to lose.
With one SHR charter left on the market, the assumption has been that 23XI Racing will buy it and expand to three cars. But there may be a new competitor in the race. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that RFK Racing plans to expand to three full-time cars next season. While it’s not confirmed as to where they would get the charter, the likelihood is it will be from Stewart-Haas Racing. As for a driver, current SHR driver Ryan Preece is the leading candidate for the seat.
This throws a new curve ball into Silly Season. If RFK buys the last SHR charter, where does 23XI get a charter to expand? They have been the favorites to land the final charter, but if RFK receives it, does that put their plans on hold? The big winner in this would be Preece. His name has been quiet in Silly Season this season, but after a disappointing stint with JTG-Daughtry Racing and SHR, he could have the chance to redeem himself in quickly the best Cup ride he’d ever have. Only time will tell, but this is a story to watch in the coming weeks.
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