Michael Jordan’s 23XI vs NASCAR: The Complete Timeline
What’s Happening? The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit will continue for some time. However, many developments will occur along…
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Season had many storylines from February to November. Some of those storylines were the once hopeful teams who were struggling to keep up with the competition in 2024. Here are some of the most disappointing teams of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Despite an early season win, Trackhouse Racing failed to meet lofty expectations in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
While both drivers walked away with wins, Championship hopeful Ross Chastain failed to make the playoffs while showing an all-around statistical decrease from his 2022 and 2023 seasons. However, for his teammate, Daniel Suarez, an early season win in Atlanta and the following media attention from that exciting finish earned Suarez a contract extension at Trackhouse Racing.
Suarez is safe for now as the team expands to three cars for Shane Van Gisbergen. The looming threat of young Connor Zilisch makes Suarez’s performance in 2025 worth watching. While he could have another season after 2025, if Zilisch were to set the world on fire in the Xfinity Series, Suarez could be on the hot seat.
Looking to 2025, however, the team has a fresh start and a new car.
What’s Happening? The 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit will continue for some time. However, many developments will occur along…
Fans had high hopes for Front Row Motorsports entering the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. In less than 10 years, Bob Jenkins’ team went from a back-marker team into a tier-one Ford-supported team. However, fast qualifying speeds and disappointing finishes told the story of the season for FRM.
Off-track, the drama of the ongoing NASCAR antitrust lawsuit, combined with their attempt to expand, which is affected by that lawsuit, and the loss of veteran Michael McDowell, makes 2024 a year to move on from for the team.
However, it was not all bad. The team showed good qualifying speed, which is a major step up for the team. Notably, Michael McDowell and the No. 34 won six pole awards throughout the season. However, they need to translate that speed to the track in 2025. The addition of Noah Gragson and rumors of a returning Zane Smith make FRM one of the most interesting cases for a 2025 turnaround.
What’s Happening? Rebuilds happen in all sports; some teams take a full season to assess their needs and spring into action…
Kaulig Racing went for a new look in 2024, and it did not work out for the team.
The team replaced a departing Justin Haley with Xfinity series champion Daniel Hemric. Kaulig also allowed A.J. Allmendinger to return to the Xfinity Series, leaving his number 16 entry as a chartered car with rotating drivers.
While Hemric led the NASCAR Cup Series in laps completed in 2024, his season was not great, with Hemric heading back to the Truck Series in 2025. Furthermore, the No. 16 car struggled for consistency with its multiple drivers and failed to win with Allmendinger and Shane Van Gisbergen at road course races.
However, this disappointment turned into a rebuilding year for the team as Kaulig overhauled its program ahead of 2025. First, the team is recalling Allmendinger to the Cup Series and followed this up by signing Ty Dillon to drive the newly re-numbered No. 10. The team also rebuilt its developmental system with Daniel Dye and Christian Eckes.
It’s a long road ahead for Kaulig, but they’ve made changes both on track and at the shop that, in the long run, could turn them into winners.
What’s Happening? Austin Dillon’s win last night made many headlines for NASCAR, but one side of the story has raised eyes…
For Richard Childress Racing fans, the 2024 season may be one of the most forgettable in the team’s history.
RCR entered 2024 hoping to ride the wave of a solid start to the 2023 season with new driver Kyle Busch. However, by the end of the 2024 season, KFB’s fans were begging their driver to look for options outside of RCR for 2025.
This outcry was due to Busch and his teammate Austin Dillon’s poor performance on track and the drama caused by Austin Dillon’s late-season win at Richmond. In that win, in which Dillon wrecked both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, the team dealt with bad press from Richard Childress‘ denial of radio communications telling Dillon to wreck the drivers.
Despite their struggles, RCR’s lineup will return in 2025. Results on track next year will tell how RCR approaches the 2026 season and its long-term future.
One of the biggest disappointments of the 2025 NASCAR season has to be Legacy Motor Club.
The team co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series championship Jimmie Johnson had high hopes entering this season. This was due to a major sponsorship deal with Dollar Tree/Family Dollar, their transition to Toyota, and the welcoming of top Xfinity Series driver John Hunter Nemechek.
The season had a few highlights for all parties involved, including Johnson, who struggled in his part-time starts; Nemechek, who had difficulties all season long; and Erik Jones, who missed multiple races due to a with a compression fracture he suffered at Talladega in the spring. However, sometimes, to grow, a team has to face some setbacks. Perhaps the team will look back on 2024 as a learning experience for the team in the future.
LMC is sticking with its lineup for 2025 and keeping a solid relationship with top Toyota prospect Cory Heim. 2024 was difficult for the team, but it was by no means the end of their chance of competing at the top level.
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