NASCAR Cup Collection groups are on the clock.
The season will see vehicles on the racetrack for the primary time in 25 days when exercise begins for the Cookout Conflict at Bowman Grey Stadium. A number of work will probably be executed earlier than groups arrive, and so much has occurred for the reason that 2024 season ran its last lap.
There’s all the time motion from one season to the subsequent. Change is fixed: drivers change groups or depart the storage, and it trickles right down to personnel modifications all through race outlets.
It was no completely different over the previous couple of months. If something, this has been one of many busiest winters in current reminiscence, with modifications throughout. So, earlier than groups get again into competitors, it’s value reviewing all the things that has occurred.
Faces in new locations
* Noah Gragson has a brand new dwelling with Entrance Row Motorsports as the driving force of the No. 4 Ford. However he stays paired with Drew Blickensderfer, who additionally got here to the corporate from the now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing.
* Chase Briscoe is the brand new man at Joe Gibbs Racing as he takes over the No. 19 Toyota. He’s paired with crew chief James Small.
* Josh Berry turns into the most recent driver at Wooden Brothers Racing and provides his title to the listing of those that have pushed the beloved No. 21 Ford. Miles Stanley is the brand new crew chief of the staff.
* 23XI Racing has expanded to 3 vehicles and Riley Herbst is the brand new addition. Herbst stays paired with Davin Restivo, with whom he labored at Stewart-Haas Racing. Monster Power can also be persevering with its sponsorship of Herbst.
* Ryan Preece is the third driver at RFK Racing, who has expanded to 3 vehicles. Preece will drive the No. 60 Ford.
* Michael McDowell and crew chief Travis Peterson are actually at Spire Motorsports. The duo will now be on the No. 71 Chevrolet staff.
* Shane van Gisbergen is a Cup Collection driver, promoted with Trackhouse Racing. He and crew chief Stephen Doran will put the No. 88 Chevrolet on monitor.
van Gisbergen has a full-time dwelling within the Cup Collection with Trackhouse this yr. Motorsport Photos
Staff modifications
* Richard Boswell is the brand new crew chief for Austin Dillon on the No. 3 Chevrolet at Richard Childress Racing. Boswell joined the corporate from Stewart-Haas Racing.
* Rodney Childers begins the subsequent chapter of his profession at Spire Motorsports. Childers will name the pictures for Justin Haley, who returned to the group within the No. 7 Chevrolet late final season.
* Ty Dillon has changed Daniel Hemric at Kaulig Racing and the group has chosen the No. 10 for Dillon (getting rid of the No. 31). Andrew Dickeson (former Richard Childress Racing engineer) is the crew chief.
* Chris Gayle is the brand new crew chief for Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 Toyota staff.
* Chris Gabehart, Hamlin’s former crew chief, is now the competitors director at Joe Gibbs Racing.
* Trent Owens has reunited with AJ Allmendinger at Kaulig Racing to guide the No. 16 Chevrolet staff.
* Jeremy Bullins joins RFK Racing and reunites with Brad Keselowski to guide the No. 6 Ford staff. The 2 beforehand labored collectively at Staff Penske.
* Charles Denike is a Cup Collection crew chief for the primary time as he joins 23XI Racing to guide Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 Toyota group.
* Todd Gilliland, nonetheless a Entrance Row Motorsports driver, has taken over the No. 34 Ford with Love’s sponsorship. Chris Lawson has returned to the group and is the crew chief for the staff.
* Entrance Row Motorsports has additionally expanded to 3 vehicles and along with Gragson and Gilliland, Zane Smith has returned to the group. Smith will probably be within the No. 38 Ford with crew chief Ryan Bergenty.
* Cole Custer is the cornerstone driver at Haas Manufacturing facility Staff within the No. 41 Ford and Aaron Kramer (former engineer for RFK Racing) is the crew chief. Gene Haas determined to stay within the sport with one of many charters from Stewart-Haas Racing and rebranded and scaled down the corporate.
* Travis Mack is the crew chief for John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 42 Toyota staff at Legacy Motor Membership.
* JTG Daugherty Racing has rebranded to Hyak Motorsports with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the No. 47 Chevrolet staff.
* Tyler Allen is the brand new crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 Toyota staff. Gayle, the previous crew chief of the staff, was moved to Hamlin’s camp.
The No.47 staff will race underneath the Hyak Motorsports title in 2025. Nigel Kinrade/Motorsport Photos
Schedule shuffle
* The season begins at dwelling in North Carolina with the Cookout Conflict at Bowman Grey Stadium. Will probably be a two-day present the primary weekend of Feb. (1-2).
* A observe session has been added to the Daytona 500 schedule that may happen the morning earlier than single-car qualifying (Wednesday, Feb. 12). It means a driver’s first lap on monitor that week won’t be for qualifying.
* Among the many early season modifications are visits to Circuit of the Americas and Homestead-Miami Speedway within the spring.
* NASCAR takes the Cup Collection to Mexico Metropolis in June.
* Atlanta, Chicago, Sonoma, Dover, and Indianapolis would be the tracks within the five-race, in-season match.
* Daytona returns to the common season finale, whereas Darlington is again because the postseason opener. WWTR and New Hampshire transfer into the postseason.
* A reminder that FOX Sports activities will broadcast observe and qualifying the Conflict, Daytona 500, All-Star Race and all Craftsman Truck Collection races. Prime will broadcast Cup Collection observe and qualifying for the primary half of the season, excluding these Fox Sports activities broadcasts. TNT Sports activities will broadcast observe and qualifying on Max and truTV for the second half of the Cup Collection season.
Unanswered questions
* The crew chief and extra companions for Preece at RFK Racing.
* A brand new sponsor – or further races for present sponsors – for Hamlin after the departure of FedEx, which was a main in 13 races in the course of the 2024 season.
* The driving force of the No. 51 for Rick Ware Racing. It’s anticipated to be Cody Ware, however no affirmation has been made. Ware has one constitution for the 2025 season after leasing its second constitution to alliance companion RFK Racing.
* Extra companions at Entrance Row Motorsports for Gragson and Smith.
* The companions for McDowell at Spire Motorsports.
* Who the Rookie of the 12 months candidates will probably be. NASCAR views them on a case-by-case foundation and can think about them when submitted by the groups, which might be earlier than the season begins and even in the course of the season. Van Gisbergen and Herbst are more likely to be on the listing.
The primary on monitor exercise of the season is the observe and qualifying session for the Conflict on Saturday, Feb. 1. Will probably be adopted by the warmth races. Then on Sunday, Feb. 2, the day begins with the final likelihood race after which the primary occasion.
