NASCAR Silly Season has been chaotic to this point, but some teams have come out smelling like a rose. We have already taken a look at the worst Silly Season moves so far with a glimmer of hope with how they can work out, now let’s take a look at the best silly season moves so far. Except, we also dive into how these moves can go WRONG.
5. Denny Hamlin Extends His Contract with Joe Gibbs Racing
One of the Silly Season stories that lingered far longer than either party wanted to was Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin’s contract negotiations. The move makes a lot of sense for both sides as Hamlin and JGR have been together since the beginning of Hamlin’s career, and Hamlin can continue to use the JGR alliance to help 23XI Racing. As unlikely as it is, this move could go very wrong.
Hamlin is 42 years old, and the day is coming when his skills will start to erode. On top of that, at what point does being under the JGR umbrella become a detriment to 23XI Racing? It will be interesting to see how the next contract negotiation goes between the two if there is one at all.
4. Josh Berry Signs with Stewart-Haas Racing
Josh Berry is finally getting his opportunity at NASCAR’s highest level. It is coming with Stewart-Haas Racing in the team’s flagship number 4 car. It is a big move for both Berry and SHR, however, SHR’s performance could be a cause for concern.
SHR is having one of the worst seasons they have ever had, and Berry is going to have a lot to learn in his first season at SHR. He may struggle, and if the equipment is bad, he will struggle even more. Berry’s big opportunity may have just come at the wrong time.
3. Rick Ware Racing Signs Justin Haley
Justin Haley moving to Rick Ware Racing was originally seen as a major downgrade for Haley, but, looking at it further, this may be the move Haley needs. Rick Ware Racing has seen some improvement this season, and signing someone like Haley gives the team a young driver to build around. With the alliance with RFK Racing, and that team continues to flourish, RWR has all the pieces in place to slowly build a contending team.
The biggest question for both sides is the ceiling for both the driver and the team. How good can Rick Ware Racing REALLY be, and how good can Justin Haley REALLY be? That is what could hold either party in this decision back, but, the potential is fun to think about.
2. Legacy Motor Club Signs John Hunter Nemechek
John Hunter Nemechek finally got himself back to the Cup Series as he will join Legacy Motor Club in 2024. A race team that struggled to start the season, but has quietly improved as the season has gone on. Not only that, but Toyota is joining in 2024, which means the team could improve even more.
However, you cannot forget that Nemechek struggled in his only Cup season. Not only that, Legacy Motor Club may have to go through some growing pains with Toyota joining the team. It may take some time before they start seeing results.
1. Spire Motorsports Revamps Their Entire Operation
Spire Motorsports made some major moves this offseason including buying a charter to get Zane Smith on loan from Trackhouse, signing Carson Hocevar, extending Corey LaJoie, and buying Kyle Busch Motorsports. These moves have given Spire the major improvements that they needed to improve race team performance on track. They are a team that everyone will be watching for in 2024.
The question for Spire is whether or not they are growing too quickly. They are making some major changes, and it is an understandable concern whether or not they are changing too much. Will all of these changes hurt Spire in the short term?
These are some moves that have been highly praised by the NASCAR fan base. The question now is, how will they pan out?