What’s Happening?

We are just a few weeks away from the start of the 2026 NASCAR season, but a few notable drivers from the 2025 season have yet to announce plans for the 2026 season, so who’s left on the free agent board, and where can they go?

Bayley Currey

Bayley Currey last raced full-time in NASCAR in 2024 with Niece Motorsports, following a part-time effort in 2023, in which the then 26-year-old put up solid numbers in 11 starts with Niece.

Last season, following a disappointing 2024, Currey scaled back to part-time with Niece, making 16 starts in the team’s No. 44 and No. 45 entries. This included Currey rounding out the season in the team’s No. 45, following the abrupt departure of Kaden Honeycutt.

Currey is in an odd spot entering 2026, as races at Niece seem to be filling fast, the team is slated to field four trucks in 2026, with the No. 4, No. 42, and No. 45 serving as full-time trucks with rotating drivers, and the No. 44 featuring one full-time driver, Andrés Pérez de Lara.

While it doesn’t seem that Currey is going to race full-time, there could still be some opportunities for him at Niece, as plans for the team’s No. 4 truck have yet to be announced. Nonetheless, Currey has yet to announce anything for the coming year.

Matt Mills

Much like his former Niece Motorsports teammate Currey, Matt Mills is on the outside looking in entering the 2026 season.

The 29-year-old raced full-time with Niece in their No. 42 truck during the past two NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series seasons, but his spot is already filling up with drivers like Tyler Reif, Connor Jones, and Parker Eatmon set to share the ride in 2026.

Of course, that’s not to say that Mills couldn’t piece together something with Niece through the No. 4, or even the No. 42 if there are still races open.

Niece’s 2026 Lineup as of Press-Time

• No. 4: TBA
• No. 42: Tyler Reif, Connor Jones, Parker Eatmon
• No. 44: Andrés Pérez de Lara
• No. 45: Landen Lewis, Ross Chastain, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

But, beyond these rides, Mills’ options could lie with other efforts fielding rotating drivers like Team Reaume, which fields three full-time trucks, including the No. 2 and No. 22 alongside their full-time No. 33 driven by Frankie Muniz, or even TRICON Garage, which has a similar entry in their No. 1 truck.

Nonetheless, with the clock ticking until Daytona, it seems imminent that Mills will announce his plans for the new year sooner rather than later.

Jack Wood

Similar to that of Currey, one driver who found himself unofficially on the free agent market this offseason was Jack Wood.

Wood raced full-time with McAnally–Hilgemann Racing in the new No. 91 in 2025, while it was unknown what his 2026 status was entering the offseason, fans found out he would not return to this truck on November 20, when MHR announced that Christian Eckes would return to the team in the No. 91.

Since this announcement, Wood has found a ride for 2026, but not in NASCAR and not full-time, as he will race the No. 28 part-time for Pinnacle Racing Group during the 2026 ARCA Menards Series on a three-race schedule.

But it is yet to be announced if he intends to race full-time, or even part-time, in one of NASCAR’s National Series this season, and no rumors as to where he could land as of press time.

Nick Sanchez

Perhaps the biggest name on the free agent market for 2026 is one of the biggest surprises of the free agent cycle.

After a dependable season racing full-time with Big Machine Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, including a win at EchoPark Speedway, Nick Sanchez finds himself a free agent following a reshuffling at BMR.

With his No. 48 car taken over for 2026, Sanchez has yet to announce any plans for the new year, with mere weeks until cars hit the track at Daytona International Speedway.

For a driver of Sanchez’s caliber, who has two wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and a solid rookie campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, there is a chance he could score a solid ride.

Many thought he could go to Spire Motorsports, which has openings in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series following the departure of Rajah Caruth, though recent reports suggest both of these entries will field part-time drivers throughout the year.

Another option is with SPS Racing, which purchased AM Racing during the offseason. This new Ford team has yet to announce its driver or drivers for its full-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series season, and, if they wanted a driver with a winning pedigree, Sanchez would be a great choice.

Much like the other drivers on this list, Sanchez has yet to announce anything for the 2026 season, though he is likely the best candidate to land on his feet ahead of the new year.

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