Ryan Preece Joins RFK in Expanded 3rd Car for 2025
What’s Happening? After months of speculation, RFK Racing announced on Tuesday morning that it will expand to three full-time cars for…
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Another NASCAR Silly Season domino fell recently when Ryan Preece and RFK Racing announced the new No. 60 entry. So, with this marking a new chapter in the 2025 NASCAR Silly Season, what’s the latest on the final full-time open rides?
What’s Happening? After months of speculation, RFK Racing announced on Tuesday morning that it will expand to three full-time cars for…
What’s Happening Not to be outdone by Ryan Preece’s announcement, 23XI Racing posted a teaser for their new driver. This post…
Following RFK’s major announcement, Tuesday, 23XI posted a cryptic video and date on X hinting at a future driver.
Much like the Preece signing, it is a “well-known secret” that Riley Herbst is the leading candidate for the third 23XI car. His abundant sponsorship from Terrible Herst and Monster Energy gives him the necessary funding 23XI needs to get a new team going.
Herbst is not too shabby of a driver himself, as he is a multi-time winner in the NASCAR Xfinity series. However, the ongoing 23XI in Front Row Motorsports lawsuit with NASCAR could have been a holdup prior to this suspicious post.
However, the post on X, alongside comments from insiders like Bob Poris of Fox Sports, suggests that this car was going to go forward no matter what.
The “no matter what” refers to open or charter status, for which 23XI and FRM are currently in an appeal process to determine their status in 2025. When the team finally announces this new car, most expect to see Riley Herbst as its driver.
What’s Happening? On Oct. 2, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. That initial lawsuit revealed…
Front Row Motorsports is in a similar spot to that of 23XI. Their new expansion car, via the same Stewart-Haas Racing fire sale from earlier this season, is entirely up in the air after the teams did not get their preliminary injunction to be charter teams throughout the lawsuit with NASCAR.
While 23XI had already been hiring for their car, there are no clear hints as to what’s happening at FRM. The team lost veteran driver Michael, McDowell Spire Motorsports, and seemingly signed Noah Gragson to replace him, leaving the third car open. However, the lawsuit, of course, is leaving the future of this car in the air.
Fans are now facing questions such as: Will the team still expand without a new charter? Have they already hired crewmembers like 23XI? Have they already hired a driver? Who could that driver be?
Recent rumors suggest that former FRM developmental driver Zane Smith could return to the team following his early exit from the Trackhouse racing development program. Smith had a tough start to the season in the No. 71 as a lease driver to Spire Motorsports. Smith, after that release, however, became one of the most consistent drivers on the grid.
While names like Chandler Smith, who is struggling with sponsorship problems, have been thrown around, it appears that the other Smith, Zane, is the clear front-runner should the team expand.
The most recent announcement from the team was that Todd Gilliland would drive the No. 34 next year rather than his No. 38. This leaves the question of what the car number for this new team and Noah Gragson’s team will be in 2025.
What’s Happening? Just over a month ago, Rick Ware Racing swapped drivers with Spire Motorsports. Since then, the rumor mill has…
Tuesday’s RFK news further confirmed the rumor that RFK would get its third charter from RWR. But that news also confirmed that this sale was a lease, something fans were abundantly curious about.
That was due to a recent rumor that Rick Ware, owner of RWR, would sell his team. As they are leasing this charter, it appears that RWR will operate in 2025. So, that leaves just one full-time ride for RWR in 2025.
Most rumors point to Corey Lajoie as the driver of this car, be it the No. 15 or No. 51 in 2025. Lajoie finished out the season in the No. 51 after swapping seats with Spire Motorsports’ Justin Haley. However, at that Sept. 20 RWR/Spire press conference, RWR President Robby Benton made no promises that Lajoie would be the driver of the 51 in 2025, only promising that the team would field two cars in the Daytona 500.
If insider speculation is accurate, expect to see Lajoie in the No. 15 or 51 in 2025. However, there are outside options, such as Ware’s son Cody and Kaz Grala, the part-time driver of the No. 15 in 2024.
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