NASCAR Cup Series Teams to Trade Drivers Following Bristol
What’s Happening? In a dramatic move, two NASCAR Cup Series teams will switch drivers following this week’s race at Bristol. Both…
Just over a month ago, Rick Ware Racing swapped drivers with Spire Motorsports. Since then, the rumor mill has left more questions than answers as to what the team will look like in 2025. So, what is up in the air at RWR for 2025, and what do we know so far?
What’s Happening? In a dramatic move, two NASCAR Cup Series teams will switch drivers following this week’s race at Bristol. Both…
On the morning of Sept. 20, Rick Ware Racing and Spire Motorsports hosted a press conference at Bristol. In this press conference, the teams announced that Corey Lajoie would leave the No. 7 and take over the No. 51 in exchange for Justin Haley to head to the No. 7 for Spire.
Spire made it clear that Haley was the future of the No. 7, saying that this swap would allow them to adjust ahead of time. RWR said the same thing about adding Lajoie. However, team president Robby Benton was clear that nothing is set in store for Lajoie in the No. 51 next season.
Most insiders expect Lajoie to stay in the No. 51 into next season. While Haley put up one of the best performances in RWR history in that car earlier this season, the stats, as limited as they are, show that Lajoie is just slightly off pace from what Haley did in that car.
But could a change in team structure affect Lajoie’s future on the team?
What’s Happening? RFK Racing has fought rumors since mid-August that it is expanding to a third car. However, on Thursday night,…
In that same press conference, RWR president Robby Benton also stated that the team will have two cars in the 2025 Daytona 500. However, utilizing language as specific as the Daytona 500 rather than the 2025 season raised some questions.
Most of these questions surrounded a rumored expansion for RFK Racing, a team that helps RWR with its operations. The current rumors, most of them all but confirmed, suggest that RFK Racing is running a full-time third-chartered entry next year with Ryan Preece as the driver and Kroger as the primary sponsor.
The major question is, where will they get their charter? As of right now, there are no known available charters on the market. However, some insiders are saying that RWR could lease their No. 15 charter to RFK for this car in 2025.
If they do go with an open car and a full-time car, that No. 51 seat will be even more valuable, meaning the team would need to make sure they get the right driver in that car.
Whats Happening? Rick Ware Racing made a move this past week. However, it was rather odd. The team essentially “traded” Justin…
If they go that route, that part-time open car could feature both young Ford drivers and the usual part-time RWR drivers.
First and most obvious is Rick Ware’s son Cody, who, in his return to NASCAR, has outperformed expectations in select starts. Other options include the young Kaz Grala, who has made 22 starts for RWR this season, to midlevel results.
This open car could field Xfinity Series full-time drivers such as former Craftsman Truck Series Champion Sheldon Creed and his 2025 Haas Factory Team teammate Sam Mayer.
The part-time nature of this rumored car could mean a multi-start schedule or a very select schedule with Cody Ware behind the wheel.
Most important of all, the major question facing RWR, one car or not, is how they will continue their operation.
With Haley’s departure, we will learn how this team races and whether Haley’s statistical boost in 2024 was team or driver-related. Most fans would like to see RWR continue to improve, but there are more factors to this growth than just acquiring better equipment.
One major factor that could have helped the team throughout the year when Haley was there was Haley’s full-time schedule—something the team really has not had.
Since opening, RWR has had 42 different drivers, three of whom were under full-time status. Having a consistent driver is just as important as good equipment, and they may find that with Lajoie or with the limited free-agent market.
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