As the 2024 NASCAR season rolls on, the focus will soon turn towards NASCAR Silly Season, and one of the major components of that is driver contracts. This article will serve as a one-stop shop for every driver’s contract status. Which ones are on the hot seat?
Kyle Larson: Contract expires at the End of 2026
William Byron: Contract expires at the End of 2025
Chase Elliott: Contract expires at the End of 2027
Alex Bowman: Contract expires at the End of 2026
Breakdown: Rick Hendrick is very loyal to his drivers, and he’s not afraid to dig into his pocket for funding if need be. It’s rare that he just cuts drivers loose, and each of the drivers on this list has performed well in recent years with some loyal sponsors. Given the recent history of Hendrick as an owner and the performance of these four drivers, it’s not impossible to think that these drivers could stay well beyond the end of their contract. Then again, a lot can change.
Joey Logano: Signed a “Long term” extension in 2022 (Earliest Release 2025?)
Ryan Blaney: Signed a “Long term” extension in 2022 (Earliest Release 2025?)
Austin Cindric: Signed a Contract Extension in 2023 (Earliest Release 2024 ?)
Breakdown: Both Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney signed extensions following the 2022 season, but the terms were never released. Technically, these drivers could be done as early as 2025 or 2026. They both are consistent race-win threats and Playoff contenders, but, Logano, in particular, has struggled to start off 2023. Still, these drivers are responsible for the last 3 Team Penske Cup Series Championships, so, they should stay for the foreseeable future
Austin Cindric’s contract status is even more murky. He told the media in the fall of 2023 that he signed a contract extension towards the beginning of that season. The exact length of the extension is unknown, so, Cindric could technically be a free agent as early as 2024. However, we don’t know for sure.
Denny Hamlin: Signed Multiyear Extension in 2023 (Earliest Release 2025?)
Christopher Bell: Signed a “Long Term” extension in 2022 (Earliest Release 2024?)
Ty Gibbs: Unknown
Martin Truex Jr: Contract Expires at the end of 2024
Breakdown: Denny Hamlin signed a multiyear extension at the end of 2023 to stay at Joe Gibbs Racing. That keeps him at JGR through at least 2025, but, recent comments to Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal suggest Hamlin may have an eye on racing for 23XI Racing in the future. Martin Truex Jr. signed a one-year deal for 2024, and the question is whether or not he retires.
Christopher Bell signed a contract extension in late 2022, and his contract could be up at any point. However, he has made 2 consecutive Championship 4s, so it is conceivable that he could be with the team for a while. Ty Gibbs is still young and the boss’ grandson, so, he’s good for the time being unless things go horrifically south.
Bubba Wallace: Signed a multi-year extension in 2022 (Earliest Release 2025?)
Tyler Reddick: Unknown
Breakdown: Bubba Wallace signed a “multi-year” extension in 2022 on a contract that was previously expiring after 2023. Therefore, he is likely not going to hit the open market until 2025 at the earliest, but it could be even longer if he improves on his performance from 2023.
Tyler Reddick is an interesting contract case, as 2023 was supposed to be his last year at Richard Childress Racing. The contract was reworked, and 23XI got him for 2023, so Reddick could likely be with the team for about 2-3 years at least. Likely, Reddick will not hit the open market until 2025, but the exact terms of his contract were not released.
Ross Chastain: Signed an extension at the start of 2023 (Earliest Release 2025?
Daniel Suarez: “Contract Year” according to team owner Justin Marks.
Breakdown: Ross Chastain signed a contract extension before the 2023 season, and his performance suggests that he will be with the team for the foreseeable future. Daniel Suarez is in a contract year, as team owner Justin Marks points out at Atlanta, but, that win at Atlanta should help Suarez significantly.
Michael McDowell: Signed Through 2024
Todd Gilliland: Signed Through 2024
Breakdown: Front Row Motorsports is an interesting team in that they normally only give out one-year contracts. Therefore, Gilliland and McDowell are seemingly signed only through 2024. McDowell’s seat seems safe for a while, but, Gilliland may be one to watch if performance dips.
Erik Jones: Signed Extension in 2022 (Earliest Release 2024?)
John Hunter Nemechek: First Season with the team
Breakdown: Legacy Motor Club is also quite murky with its’ contract situation. Erik Jones’ multiyear extension is up as early as 2024, but, this is the driver that won the Southern 500 for the team in 2023. John Hunter Nemechek is in his first year with the team, and, it’s unclear whether it’s a multi-year or a one-year contract. Either way, this is a team to watch.
Brad Keselowski: Team Owner
Chris Buescher: Signed a Contract Extension in 2023 for Beyond 2024
Breakdown: Brad Keselowski owns RFK Racing, so, he can race there as long as he wants to. Chris Buescher signed a contract extension back in 2021, and his good performance in that contract gave him another contract extension in 2023 as Brad Keselowski said following the No. 6 cars win at Darlington.
Ryan Preece: Signed Through 2024..Beyond?
Chase Briscoe: Team Option for 2025.
Noah Gragson: Signed a Multiyear Contract in 2024
Josh Berry: Unknown, Signed for the 2024 season
Breakdown: The only driver who we know is racing for SHR in 2025 is Noah Gragson, as he has a multiyear contract that started in 2024. The other three are mysteries.
Chase Briscoe signed a multiyear extension before the 2023 season started, but, he recently revealed to Bob Pockrass that SHR has a team option for 2025. Will Briscoe perform well enough to stay? Ryan Preece was a question mark throughout most of 2023 before announcing he would return for 2024, but, no mention was made that it was a multiyear deal. Josh Berry signed for 2024, but, the length of the contract was never disclosed. Given that he is a rookie, it’s tough to imagine that SHR cuts Berry loose after one season.
Corey LaJoie: Signed a Multiyear Extension at the end of 2023 (Earliest Release in 2025 or 2026?)
Carson Hocevar: Signed a Multiyear Contract In 2024
Zane Smith: Under “Long-Term” Contract with Trackhouse
Breakdown: Both Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar will remain at Spire for the foreseeable future. LaJoie was Spire’s first anchor driver, and Hocevar is their first true developmental prospect.
Zane Smith may leave the team at the end of the year, but, he’s still under contract with Trackhouse. As a result, any open Trackhouse seat may have Smith’s name on it. He’s essentially at Spire on loan from Trackhouse.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr: Signed Multi-year Extension in 2024 (Expires in 2027?)
Breakdown: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. announced on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio that he signed a multi-year contract extension with JTG-Daugherty Racing. The official announcement only specified it as a multi-year extension, but, reports give some insight into the specifics. Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic reported that Stenhouse’s contract expired at the end of 2024, and Candice Lee Spencer of Catchfence reported that the contract extension is 3 years. That puts Stenhosue Jr. at JTG-Daugherty through 2027.
Daniel Hemric: Signed for 2024…Beyond?
Breakdown: It seems very likely that Daniel Hemric is on a one-year deal with Kaulig Racing. Allmendinger left the Cup Series after one year with the team, and Hemric signed a one-year contract to join the Xfinity program in 2022. We don’t know for sure, but, given Kaulig’s history, Hemric doesn’t appear to be a long-term lock at the moment.
Justin Haley: Signed Multiyear Contract for 2024 and Beyond (Earliest Release 2025 or 2026?)
Breakdown: Justin Haley will be at Rick Ware Racing for the foreseeable future. It’s the first time RWR has made this big of a commitment to a driver, and it will be interesting to see how this investment shakes out.
Harrison Burton: Signed for 2024…Beyond?
Breakdown: The numbers are undeniable, Harrison Burton has to prove himself in 2024. He is back with The Wood Brothers, but, no mention was made of a multiyear contract. He’s not even come close to winning a race or making the Playoffs in each of his first two seasons, so, it seems 2024 may be his last chance.
One thing is for sure, the best drivers are being locked up long term by owners. It will be likely another year or two before we see big names return to NASCAR Free agency, but, with terms not officially released in most cases, we do not exactly know.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell claims that he feels NASCAR “got a little lazy” in its attempts to keep growing the sport during a recent interview.
NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell is entering his first full season as NASCAR President, after taking over the post from former President Steve Phelps in March 2025.
O’Donnell took over his post during a turbulent time in sports history, as schedule changes and car generations compounded fans’ growing issues with things such as the 2014 playoff system.
To add to his troubles, NASCAR was in the midst of a heated antitrust lawsuit with two of its teams, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, that was bound for court in late 2025.
Ultimately, NASCAR would manage to put a bow on most of its troubles before the start of the 2026 season, settling the lawsuit with the two teams, changing its points format, and expressing an openness to explore changes to its NASCAR Next Gen car, such as increased horsepower on short tracks and road courses.
This whirlwind of change is turning gears in the NASCAR fanbase, with many fans saying a lot of the reshuffling is just as good for the sport as putting things such as the lawsuit and playoffs in the rear-view mirror, a sentiment shared by O’Donnell.
During an interview with Sports Business Journal on Monday, the long-time NASCAR executive said, “This is the first year I can remember where we’re going into the season, just talking about racing and what’s great about NASCAR.”
This isn’t the only shared feeling between O’Donnell and NASCAR fans, as prior to that, he said he felt NASCAR had grown “a little lazy” after overtaking IndyCar as the top motorsport in America, something he has even told NASCAR employees.
“When I started at NASCAR, we were chasing IndyCar, and the goal was, if we can just kind of surpass IndyCar, and we did that, and, you know, I’ve told our employees, I think we all got a little lazy.” — Steve O’Donnell
While many fans would agree that NASCAR has turned around for the better, there is still work to be done, and in O’Donnell’s eyes, the sport is in a prime spot to grow.
“My job and all of our jobs is to bring the industry together and talk about, we got a pretty cool thing going here, and we can really grow it,” O’Donnell said.
NASCAR isn’t exactly setting lofty goals for itself in 2026, at least in public, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the attention of its fanbase.
While the revived Chase format has drawn back some eyes, things like NASCAR’s “Hell Yeah” advertising campaign were the talk of the NASCAR community entering the 2026 Daytona 500.
That race also produced a finish that saw NBA legend, team owner, and former NASCAR lawsuit plaintiff, Michael Jordan, bring home another major race win on National TV with driver Tyler Reddick.
This race also saw a slight increase in viewership from the 2025 Daytona 500, one hurt by a major rain storm that blew in early in the race’s running.
Though TV ratings may not be skyrocketing, NASCAR has early momentum to make 2026 good enough to set a firm foundation for O’Donnell’s goals of growth, but maintaining that momentum will be another challenge in and of itself.
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The NASCAR Truck Series breaks off from the main touring series schedule this weekend, but that doesn’t mean the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series aren’t racing. So, whether you are going to be at the track or home, what does the forecast look like for the race weekend in Austin, Texas?
Before the OAP Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the OAP Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the OAP Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
Before the Cup Series Race (11:00 AM – 2:00 PM)
During the Cup Series Race (2:00 PM – 5:00 PM)
After the Cup Series Race (5:00 PM – 8:00 PM)
When the three NASCAR National Series rolled into Austin for COTA’s first NASCAR race weekend in 2021, no one could have guessed the chaos that lay in wait. A major rain shower did not prevent the series from racing that day, as, though it was still somewhat foreign at the time, NASCAR sent the Cup Series out in the rain for a chaotic race, ultimately won by Chase Elliott.
Note: This article will be updated with a more accurate and detailed forecast as the race weekend nears.
After back-to-back drafting tracks, NASCAR’s three National Series split ways as the O’Reilly Auto Parts and Cup Series head for Circuit of the Americas, and the Truck Series makes its debut at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Open and Notable Entries:
Notable Entries:
Notable Entries:
Note: This article will be updated as more information about the weekend comes out.
