What’s Happening?
With two open seats for 2025 already filled, the attention turns to two of of the most coveted seats available, Front Row Motorsports. With Michael McDowell gone and a planned third full-time car on the way, who will join Todd Gilliland at Front Row Motorsports in 2025?
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Every Open NASCAR Cup Series Seat in 2025 Silly Season
What’s Happening? NASCAR Silly Season is in full swing, and fans and pundits are searching high and low for clues…
- Front Row Motorsports is undergoing some major changes for 2025. Michael McDowell is moving on to Spire Motorsports, and FRM is reportedly set to purchase one of SHR’s three available charters. FRM has also signed Todd Gilliland to a multi-year contract extension, locking up their driver of the future.
- Plenty more young driver are available for FRM this Silly Season. One of them seems close to a guarantee to land at FRM, but the others are a bit more fuzzy.
- Fans look at FRM as one of the best possible landing spots available. With “Tier One” support from Ford, FRM will only get better and better, and it could be a big break for many drivers.
Noah Gragson
As Bob Pockrass reported in Chicago, Noah Gragson is one of the leading candidates at Front Row Motorsports. It makes sense as Gragson brings some funding from Bass Pro Shops, is young with a lot of upside, and is already in the Ford camp.
If Gragson wants to stay with Ford, Front Row is easily his best option. He’s also arguably the best free-agent driver on the market for FRM as well. However, signing Gragson still leaves one seat open.
Sam Mayer
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Is Sam Mayer Heading to the Cup Series Anytime Soon?
What’s Happening? After winning his second race of the Xfinity Series season at Iowa Speedway last weekend, Sam Mayer explained…
Sam Mayer admitted that after his Iowa win, he was upset that he was not getting more attention from Cup Series teams. Bob Pockrass reported in June that Mayer is a candidate for a ride at Front Row Motorsports.
Mayer has shown vast improvement in his time in he Xfinity Series. He made the Championship 4 in 2023 and scored his first three oval wins between the end of 2023 and the first half-plus of 2024. Is he ready to jump up to the Cup Series?
Christian Eckes
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How Will Christian Eckes Make It to The Cup Series?
What’s Happening? Christian Eckes broke out in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last season, and he’s improved more this year,…
Pockrass also reported that Christian Eckes is a candidate for an FRM seat. Eckes currently leads the Truck Series points over young phenom Corey Heim. Although Eckes took a while to develop, he’s now a consistent race-win threat in the Truck Series.
The biggest question is how much funding he brings. Napa is a Bill McAnally sponsor, and it’s unclear if Eckes brings much of his own funding to the table. Without money, it’s tough to say how much of a candidate Eckes truly is.
Riley Herbst
Riley Herbst is a Ford driver in need of a ride for 2024, and he brings funding. That alone means FRM could give him at least at look at a Cup Series ride. However, Herbst might not be a true candidate.
Sources have told us that Herbst is a candidate at 23XI Racing should they purchase a third charter. If that goes through, Herbst would likely go there since 23XI is the better performing team at the moment.
Corey Heim
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Why Is Corey Heim Not In Silly Season Conversations?
What’s Happening? Corey Heim is one of the top prospects in the sport, and he is making his third Cup…
This is probably a pipedream, given Toyota’s tight grip on Corey Heim, but why not give him a look? He is one of the top Truck Series drivers out there, and he still does not have a Cup Series ride yet figured out for 2025.
However, some issues arise. First, it’s unclear if Heim brings that much funding to the table. Second, Toyota is already giving him Cup Series opportunities with 23XI Racing and subbing for Erik Jones at Legacy Motor Club. Anything’s possible, though.
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