NASCAR revealed a series of new and updated rule changes that were made to the sport’s rule book on Friday, January 10, and that will be implemented for the upcoming racing season.
The first item that was both revealed and is new to NASCAR highlights the creation of the “Open Exemption Provisional” (OEP) rule, which would enable “world-class competitors” opportunities to be guaranteed starting spots for an event, pending a pre-approval, case-by-case process from NASCAR. The OEP policy, which would mirror a similar policy called “promoter’s choice provisional” that would enable special or invited competitors to compete in events involving certain forms of short-track competition, would become a factor in the event if a Cup entry list for an upcoming race exceeds the maximum starting list of 40 cars.
Within this format that restricts any current full-time Cup competitor from being eligible, an OEP entry would still be eligible for race victories and an automatic berth to the Cup Series All-Star Race. The entry, however, would not be eligible for any race points, prize money, championship points or automatic berths to the Playoffs.
Thus far, Trackhouse Racing submitted a request to use an OEP policy to guarantee four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves and the No. 91 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team, which is unchartered, a starting spot for this year’s 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Any additional uses of the OEP for the upcoming 2025 season remains to be determined.
Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Another rule that received a critical update was NASCAR’s Damaged Vehicle Policy (DVP). Beginning in 2025, any entry driven or towed to the garage after being involved in an on-track incident will not be automatically ruled out of a race. Instead, teams will be granted an opportunity to repair and have their respective cars return to the track.
The seven-minute clock will still be implemented across all racing venues, minus Atlanta Motor Speedway which runs on an eight-minute clock. The time limit in the clock represents the time all teams will receive to attempt to repair the cars on pit road. Any team that does not complete the repairs on pit road by the time the time limit expires will have to have their respective entries taken to the garage. Compared to the previous eight seasons, where any team that violates the DVP clock would automatically be ruled out of the event, the repairs can still be made for the entries to return.
Within the DVP update, an entry that is unable to return to pit road after being involved in an accident or is left with flat tires will be towed to the garage. In addition, any team that attempts to continue a race after their DVP time session expires will be penalized. This comes after numerous competitors and teams vocally and repeatedly criticized the original DVP policy throughout the 2024 season, including the Playoffs.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
A third critical component that was updated by NASCAR was the sport’s use of assessing Playoff waivers to competitors who miss even a single event throughout a season, especially throughout a regular-season stretch. We saw an occurrence of this last May when the 2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson did not participate in the start of the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to competing in the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and after having his Memorial Day double-duty attempt foiled due to Mother Nature. Despite being absent at Charlotte, Larson was still granted a waiver to be eligible for the 2024 Playoffs.
Within the updated waiver policy for the 2025 season, any driver who is suspended, misses a race or is absent for any reason aside from medical or emergency is subject to forfeit all past and future Playoff points earned throughout a season and before the Playoffs, even if granted a waiver. Competitors who are granted waivers for Playoff eligibility would commence the Cup Series’ post-season run for the championship with a maximum of 2,000 points once the Playoff standings are set.
Such medical or emergency reasons that include a competitor missing a race for the birth of a child and a family emergency would not result in any Playoff points being forfeited. Another exemption that matches the criteria of no points being forfeited is if a competitor is unable to compete an entire racing season due to age restrictions.
Photo by John Knittel for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Additional rules that were revealed from NASCAR’s rule book include the following:
The penalty structure for any rule violations by OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers). These violations include manufacturer points being docked and/or both wind tunnel hours and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) test runs being revoked. Additional penalties include vehicle test sessions being limited, a code of conduct being enforced and event-roster protocols being implemented.
The use of suspensions being deferred without any form of appeal for an upcoming event after an assigned penalty is issued. This policy only applies for technical penalty purposes while any other form of suspension would be made with immediate effect.
The performance integrity, where NASCAR’s definition of the “100% rule” would solely focus on any form of manipulation occurring that would affect the outcome of any event or championship scenarios.
The practice and qualifying procedures across all racetrack types, were revealed on December 12.
With the new rules revealed, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to commence at Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the Cook Out Clash on February 2 with a coverage start time at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. This event will be followed by the 67th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, scheduled for February 16 with a coverage start time at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
Meanwhile, the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona on February 15 with a start time at 5 p.m. ET on the CW Network while the Craftsman Truck Series season will commence the day prior, February 14, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
NASCAR will return to competition on Sunday, February 2nd, 2025, at 8 pm ET with the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium. It marks NASCAR’s return to the quarter-mile track for the first time since 1971.
Saturday will feature four 25-lap heats to help determine the starting lineup. To finalize the lineup, there will also be a 75-lap last-chance qualifying race on Sunday at 6 p.m. ET before the main event.
In anticipation of the 2025 season, we’ve got the scoop on the latest driver moves and team news.
*Please check back regularly for updates.
Anthony Alfredo, Beard Motorsports
On Jan. 9, Beard Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 62 Chevrolet with Fortify Building Solutions as a sponsor.
Front Row Motorsports will expand to a three-car team in 2025
Front Row Motorsports confirmed on May 29 that they will expand to a three-car team in 2025.
“We have a very positive outlook on the future of NASCAR, and as the sport plans for success, so do we,” commented Bob Jenkins, Owner of Front Row Motorsports. “Today that means having a plan for expanding back to three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. I always have the vision to continue to grow and improve our team, and that commitment and desire never changes. I am committed to the sport and its passionate fans and partners.”
Todd Gilliland, No. 34 Front Row MotorsportsFord
The team announced on June 5 that Todd Gilliland will return to the NASCAR Cup Series with Front Row Motorsports in 2025 after signing a multiyear deal and will move from the No. 38 Ford to the No. 34 Ford. On December 12th, it was announced that Chris Lawson would return to Front Row Motorsports as crew chief for Gilliland.
Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford
In July, it was announced that Gragson has signed a multi-year deal with Front Row Motorsports as they expand to three charter teams in 2025. On Jan. 3 it was revealed that Gragson will drive the No. 4 Ford Mustang with Drew Blickensderfer as his crew chief.
“It’s definitely exciting times,” Gragson said during a press conference. “When we started out this year, I didn’t know how I was going to run. I didn’t know if I had the potential to run in the Cup Series just based off how the 2023 season went, and to be able to get my feet underneath me with the opportunity at Stewart-Haas, it definitely opened people’s eyes. And with the challenges that have come about with Stewart-Haas, we were looking for a home for a long time, and that’s when I got introduced to Bob and Jerry [co-owners].”
Zane Smith, No. 38 Front Row Motorsports Ford
On January 2 the team announced that Zane Smith will return to Front Row Motorsports in 2025 to drive the Cup Series No. 38 Ford. Ryan Bergenty will be his crew chief.
“I’ve always felt at home with Front Row Motorsports,” Smith said “They believed in me when I signed with them to race in the Truck Series initially in 2022 and we shared so much success together, winning six races and a championship in two seasons. Unfortunately, everyone had to make tough decisions because there were only two Cup cars available at Front Row Motorsports going into last season when I was ready to move up full-time. Now, going into next year, Front Row has really taken their Cup program to another level and I cannot think of a better lineup of teammates.”
Garage 66 (Formerly MBM Motorsports)
MBM Motorsports has rebranded their Cup Series team to Garage 66 as of Jan. 16.
Garrett Smithley will drive the No. 66 Ford in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on Feb. 2 No announcements have been made as to whether the team will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500, or who the driver will be.
Haas Factory Team(NCS/NXS)
After the news that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of 2024, Gene Haas announced on June 20 that he would field one Cup charter and two Xfinity Series teams under the name Haas Factory Team in 2025.
“My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement,” Haas said. “Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous, but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com.”
On Jan. 7, the team announced Nick Sandler as the competition director for the Cup Series program and Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.
“I’ve grown up with Haas Automation, and having their name on my firesuit is something I take a tremendous amount of pride in. I’m driven to win for Gene and everyone at Haas Automation because they’ve been such a big part of my career,” Custer said.
JTG Daugherty Racing announced in November that they would rebrand with a new name (Hyak Motorsports) under new ownership, effective immediately. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will continue to drive the No. 47 Chevrolet with crew chief, Mike Kelley.
Chris Gabehart, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
On November 22nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced a couple of major changes for next season regarding the No. 11 team. Chris Gabehart, Hamlin’s crew chief for the previous six years, will advance to the role of competition director in 2025. Chris Gayle, Ty Gibbs’s crew chief for the past two seasons, will be Hamlin’s crew chief in 2025.
“Denny is obviously a first-ballot Hall of Famer,” said Gayle. “I’m looking forward to working with him and the guys on the No. 11 team. He and Gabehart have established an incredible culture that is a very good barometer for our other drivers and teams to strive to match. I have all the confidence in the world we can hit the ground running and continue the success that this group is accustomed to in 2025.”
Martin Truex Jr., No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
On June 14, Truex announced his decision to retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2024 season. He will compete in a few select races in 2025, beginning with the Daytona 500.
“It’s been incredible. It’s been a hell of a ride. I’m excited about the future, and I’m not really sure what that looks like yet,” Truex said.
“I have to win. Like there’s no excuse not to win,” Briscoe said. “You have to make the playoffs. If you don’t make the playoffs, then there’s no reason I should be driving this race car. So yeah, I definitely think that you have to win races. You have to be running up front consistently, and I think they feel like I’m capable of doing that. But I have to show that, so hopefully, that’s what I can do.”
Tyler Allen, Joe Gibbs Racing
On December 2nd, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Tyler Allen will move from crew chief of the No. 20 Toyota in the Xfinity Series to crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 team in the Cup Series in 2025.
“It’s an honor to be named crew chief for Ty Gibbs and the 54 Team as we head into the 2025 season,” said Allen. “This opportunity has been a dream of mine since starting here at JGR 10 years ago, and I’m thankful for the support and guidance I’ve received from my mentors, teammates, and everyone along the way. Ty has shown a lot of speed and potential the last two years, and I look forward to building on that experience to get the 54 car in victory lane.”
Justin Allgaier, JR Motorsports,
JR Motorsports announced on Jan. 15 that they will attempt to qualify for the Daytona 500 in the No. 40 Chevrolet with driver Justin Allgaier and make their Cup Series debut. Greg Ives will be Allgaier’s crew chief and they will have sponsorship from Chris Stapleton’s Traveller Whiskey.
AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Allmendinger will return to the Cup Series in 2025 to drive full-time for Kaulig Racing and will drive the No. 16 Chevrolet.
“I am incredibly grateful for another opportunity to run full-time in the Cup Series, and to be able to do it with the men and women at Kaulig Racing means a lot to me personally,” said Dillon. “They gave me a chance this year to go out and prove myself in a handful of starts. The team and I were able to connect early on, and we put together a few strong runs in the No. 16. I’m really looking forward to what 2025 brings with this team. We have a bright future ahead of us and we’re going to give it our all each and every race next season.”
Erik Jones, No. 43 LEGACY Motor Club Toyota
The team confirmed that Jones will return to drive the No. 43 LEGACY Motor Club Toyota entry after signing a multiyear deal with the team. Jones will continue to pilot the coveted 43 Toyota Camry XSE for the 2025 NASCAR season and beyond.
“I’m looking forward to what we can build at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB. I’ve been with the No. 43 car for a handful of years and feel like I’m coming into some of the best years of my career. I am hoping to grow alongside LEGACY M.C. in the seasons to come,” said Jones.
Jimmie Johnson, No. 84 LEGACY Motor Club
On Jan. 16, Jimmie Johnson confirmed that he will attempt to qualify for the 2025 Daytona 500 in the No. 84 Legacy Motor Club Toyota. He has also signed up for the Memorial Day Weekend Coca-Cola 600 on May 25, his second of two planned appearances. If he qualifies for both events, it will give him 700 career starts.
Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing
On Nov. 20, Richard Childress Racing announced that Austin Dillon will be paired with a new crew chief in 2025 as Richard Boswell takes over on the pit box for the No. 3 Cup Series Chevy. Bass Pro Shops and Winchester confirmed on Jan. 17 that they will sponsor Dillon for 17 races this season.
“I’ll always be grateful that we were able to give Whelen their first NASCAR win earlier this season (2024) and I know we have more victories in our future together,” said Jesse Love.
Tim Brown, Rick Ware Racing
Rick Ware Racing announced on November 17th that Bowman Gray Stadium star Tim Brown, the track’s all-time wins leader (101 Modified Division victories), will drive the Rick Ware Racing No. 15 Ford and attempt to qualify for the Clash exhibition race on February 2nd at the quarter-mile oval.
Matt McCall, RFK Racing
On November 7th, RFK Racing announced that Matt McCall would not return as crew chief for the No. 6 Ford driven by Brad Keselowski in 2025.
Jeremy Bullins, RFK Racing
Brad Keselowski will have a new crew chief next year. On Nov. 21, RFK Racing announced that Jeremy Bullins will be Keselowski’s crew chief in 2025. Bullins and Keselowski worked together for two seasons (2020 and 2021) at Team Penske and captured five wins.
“I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity to work with BK again, this time in the iconic No. 6 car with RFK,” said Bullins. “We were able to accomplish a lot as a team previously, but we had a couple of unfinished goals like a Daytona 500 win and a championship together and I’m ecstatic we get the opportunity to compete together again. From the outside looking in it’s been obvious the trajectory RFK is on, and I look forward to being part of the growth and future success of the team.”
Ryan Preece, RFK Racing
On November 19th, RFK Racing announced that Ryan Preece will drive the No. 60 Ford full-time in 2025. Kroger will also move its sponsorship from JTG Daugherty Racing to sponsor all of the RFK Racing teams (Preece, Keselowski, and Buescher).
“I’m a racer. I’m somebody that wants to win races. I want to compete for championships. My entire career has certainly been unorthodox, but I have unfinished business, and I want to win really bad,” said Preece. “I’m eager and ready to get to the Clash and get to Daytona and finish out that goal.”
Veteran Derrick Finley was announced as Preece’s crew chief on Jan. 14. Finley has over 20 years of experience in NASCAR on the pit box and in various roles throughout the NASCAR organization.
Brad Keselowski, co-owner and driver for RFK Racing said, “His experience and technical knowledge of the sport will play a crucial role in the initial development and growth of the No. 60 team.”
Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
On May 8, Spire Motorsports announced they had signed a multiyear contract with Michael McDowell to drive the No. 71 full-time.
“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” said McDowell. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team, to win races and contend for championships. People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”
Rodney Childers, No. 7 Spire Motorsports
After the announcement that Stewart-Haas Racing would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season, Spire Motorsports hired Rodney Childers as the crew chief for the No. 7 team (Justin Haley) beginning in 2025. The current crew chief, Ryan Sparks, will move to the role of competition director.
“I think the biggest thing is seeing how Spire Motorsports has grown over the last couple of years,” said Childers. “They are investing in people, and that’s what makes a difference these days. We all buy the same chassis, bodies, and parts. What makes a difference is the people. Spire continues to invest in the people within the team, and they seek out good people to add depth to an already strong group.”
“Spire Motorsports gave me my first few starts in the Cup Series,” said Haley. “My first was in the No. 77 at Talladega on my 20th birthday. We had a lot of great runs in our first year together in 2019, and there’s still a lot of familiar faces around there who were on the team back then. I’m excited to come home. This is where I got my start in the Cup Series, and I’m excited to go out there and compete with (crew chief) Ryan Sparks and the No. 7 team. The next seven races will give us a nice head start and a baseline for next season.”
Haley began driving the No. 7 Chevy Camaro at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway while Corey LaJoie finished the 2024 season in Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 entry.
Matt McCall and Dax Gerringer, Spire Motorsports
On November 25th, Spire Motorsports announced that veteran crew chief Matt McCall will join the team as Director of Vehicle Performance. Dax Gerringer, the former lead engineer at Stewart-Haas Racing, will join the organization as Technical Director.
“This is a great addition for our team and one that means a lot to me, personally,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “Matt is a longtime friend, one of my first handful of NASCAR clients I had when I was a young agent, and we’ve always shared the same view of how race cars work and race teams operate. I’m happy the stars finally aligned for us to work together, and I look forward to adding him to an already impressive group for 2025.”
Stewart-Haas Racing will close at the end of the 2024 season (NCS/NXS)
Stewart-Haas Racing announced on May 28 that the team would cease operations at the end of the 2024 season and sell its four charters. In 2008, NASCAR Hall of Famer Stewart joined forces with Haas to form SHR for its inaugural season in 2009, starting with a two-car team with drivers Stewart and Ryan Newman with a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.
“We have made the difficult decision to close Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season. It is a decision that did not come easily, nor was it made quickly. Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering commitment and vast resources, with a 365-day mindset to be better than everyone else. It’s part of what makes success so rewarding. But the commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch.”
Daniel Suárez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Trackhouse Racing announced on Friday, August 9th, that Daniel Suárez will return as the No. 99 Chevrolet driver in 2025, marking their fifth season together.
“Trackhouse is home to me, and I have enjoyed every minute I have been here,” said Suárez. “We plan to keep working, growing, and winning more races. We can only do that with the support of my Amigos and Amigas at Freeway Insurance. They have backed me for the last several years and we have grown close with their customers and employees.”
“This is what I have planned for, and I am ready,” van Gisbergen said. “I know there is a tough learning curve ahead, but the best way to learn is to go out and do it.” He added, “I feel I have made progress running the Xfinity Series this year with Kaulig Racing, and I can’t thank everyone there enough. I look forward to the Cup Series. Those drivers and teams are the best in the world, and it will be an honor to be part of their races.”
Martin Truex Jr., TRICON Garage
On Jan. 16, TRICON Garage announced that Martin Truex Jr. will attempt the Daytona 500 in the No. 56 Cup Series car with technical support from Joe Gibbs Racing. Cole Pearn will serve as the crew chief for the entry.
“From day one Bubba has been an integral part of 23XI,” said a statement on social media. “We’re excited to announce that he has signed a multi-year renewal and will continue to play a key role in helping 23XI grow and succeed. #ForwardTogether”
“It’s an honor to join 23XI and Toyota for the opportunity to race in the Cup Series each week,” Herbst said. “Racing full-time in the Cup Series has been my goal since I started in NASCAR, and I’m excited to start my Cup career with such an accomplished and driven team. What 23XI has accomplished in a short time is impressive,e and I look forward to building on their success as the organization grows. It’s also great to continue representing Monster and I’m excited about adding to their legacy in NASCAR.”
“First and foremost just the history, the heritage, the family atmosphere that the Wood Brothers provide. It just really feels like a great fit for me. I feel like I fit their brand, and who they are and how I’ve gotten here, and how they’ve gotten here. I feel like this is a great fit. I’ve really enjoyed my relationship with Ford, and to continue that on was something that’s important to me, and I appreciate, and I’m thankful to have that opportunity. It just really means a lot to drive an iconic car like the 21. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me. I feel ready to provide results, and I think that all in all, it’s gonna be a great relationship.” Berry said.
A longtime employee of Team Penske and seasoned race engineer in the NASCAR Cup Series, Miles Stanley will transition to Wood Brothers Racing in 2025 to serve as crew chief of the famed No. 21 Ford Mustang with driver Berry.
Parker Retzlaff, Alpha Prime Racing
On December 18th Alpha Prime Racing confirmed that Retzlaff will pilot the No. 4 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. Joe Williams was announced as his crew chief on Dec. 20. Sponsorship details have not been released. Rettzlaff joins Brennan Poole who returns for a second season in the No. 44 Chevrolet.
“We all want to win races, be consistent, and prove we’re here to compete,” Retzlaff said in a press release. “Everyone here has told me how much they believe in me and what I can do.”
Hailie Deegan, No. 15 AM Racing Ford
After competing in the first 17 Xfinity races of 2024, it was announced on July 8th that Deegan and AM Racing had decided to “part ways effective immediately.” On October 14th, she issued a statement sharing her decision to move to open-wheel cars and compete in a full season next year in Indy NXT, an IndyCar development program, with HMD Motorsports.
“This year, I took the opportunity to hop into the F3 car. And it was one of the coolest experiences I honestly had. I just fell in love with it. One thing went to the next literally, and I went to a few Indycar races I think. Being in the pit sparked so much conversation so I flew up to Indie, checked out a few shops, met with a few of the teams, met with HMD, and I am so excited to be a part of HMD Motorsports.”
Harrison Burton, AM Racing
On September 20th, AM Racing announced that Harrison Burton would join the team to compete full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 after three seasons in the Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing.
Nick Sanchez, Big Machine Racing
Sanchez will move from the Truck Series to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025 for Big Machine Racing.
“This is a huge opportunity for me,” Sanchez said Wednesday in a virtual conference. “When I look at the [Xfinity] schedule and when I look at the places I need to improve as a driver, I think it just offers more for me. I’m excited to get to the race track next year and try to collect trophies for Scott and the whole team. This team has everything to be successful. I look forward to plugging into the team and chasing trophies.”
“I’m excited to join AM Racing and help build it into the race-winning race team I believe it can and will be,” said Burton. “I think this will be a great opportunity for me to take the things I’ve learned in the Cup Series, bring those to the Xfinity Series, and be the best driver I can be. It’s a blessing to continue my NASCAR journey, and I intend to make the most of this opportunity.”
Cope Family Racing
On Jan. 2, it was announced that Cope Family Racing (CFR) will debut in 2025 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Daytona International Speedway in the No. 70 Chevrolet. The team is a family-owned organization with Derrike Cope as the team’s General Manager. Driving duties will be split between Leland Honeyman Jr. (17 races) and Thomas Annunziata. Honeyman will begin the season in the driver’s seat for the season-opener at Daytona.
“I’m excited to join Cope Family Racing as they launch their NASCAR Xfinity Series program,” said Honeyman. “It’s an honor to be part of a team with such a racing legacy, and I can’t wait to contribute to this new chapter in their history book. I’m ready to take on 2025 and continue chasing success on the track.”
“I’m super excited to be racing part-time with CFR in 2025,” Annunziata responded. “Derrike Cope and the Cope Family are rich in NASCAR experience from his driving days and running the team for StarCom Racing in the Cup Series. Although it’s a new team, CFR has assembled an experienced group to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. I’m ready and more motivated than ever to be a part of this exciting project. Time to go to work.”
Ryan Ellis, DGM Racing
DGM Racing announced on October 18th that Ellis will drive full-time next season in the Xfinity Series.
“Chatting with Mario (Mario Gosselin, team owner) about his plans for the program in 2025 convinced me that joining DGM was something I couldn’t pass up. He’s a racer, and his enthusiasm was immediately contagious,” Ellis states. “I have so much respect for what the Gosselin family has built, and I hope that we can turn some heads together next year. I’ve seen just how high the potential is at DGM, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
Sam Mayer, Sheldon Creed, Haas Factory Team
Haas Factory Team announced on August 17th that Mayer (No. 41 Ford) and Sheldon Creed (No. 00 Ford) will complete their Xfinity Series driver lineup for 2025. Crew chief Jonathan Toney will be paired with Creed, and Jason Trinchere will be on the pit box for Sam Mayer. On Jan. 7, the team announced Adam Gravitt as the competition director for the Xfinity Series program.
Sheldon Creed on joining Haas Factory Team
“I’ve won in every division I’ve raced in, and I feel like I’ve earned my place in the Xfinity Series, but that’s not enough. I want to win in the Xfinity Series,” said Creed, who currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing. He continued, “I watched what Cole Custer did last year on his way to the Xfinity Series championship and when I talked with him about the set-up of the organization, everything he said resonated with me. I feel like Haas Factory Team is a place where I can succeed and where Sam and I can work together to win races and be championship contenders.”
Sam Mayer on joining Haas Factory Team
“The Xfinity Series is a really great place to learn and grow and get yourself ready for the NASCAR Cup Series,” Mayer said. “Cup is my ultimate goal, and to really push myself to become the kind of driver who can succeed in Cup, I needed to get out of my comfort zone, challenge myself, and hone my race skills so that when that Cup moment comes, I’m ready. The Haas team got Cole Custer ready for his moment and it’s a place that will help get me and Sheldon ready for our moments.”
Corey Day, Hendrick Motorsports
Hendrick Motorsports announced on Jan. 9 that they have signed a multiyear agreement with Corey Day. He will compete in approximately 30 pavement races across the Xfinity Series, CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ARCA Series and the Trans-Am Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.
Mark Setzer, Jeremy Clements Racing
On December 12th, the team announced that Mark Setzer would not return as crew chief in 2025. Kase Kallenbach will replace Setzer as the crew chief for the No. 51 team.
“Mark [Setzer] has done a lot to help grow our program here at JCR. We have had some memorable moments with him on the pit box for sure, and I am grateful for all his hard work over the last four seasons. We wish him nothing but the best in whatever comes next.” said Jeremy Clements.
Brandon Jones, Joe Gibbs Racing
Jones will return to Joe Gibbs Racing after signing a multiyear contract on September 3rd to drive full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025. He drove for JGR from 2018 to 2022 and, most recently, for JR Motorsports (2023, 2024).
“I’m beyond excited to be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing and rejoining the Toyota Racing family,” said Jones. “My time with JGR was some of the most rewarding of my career, and I’m eager to build on that success as we chase more wins and a championship together. I’m ready to hit the ground running and make the most of this incredible opportunity.”
Taylor Gray, Joe Gibbs Racing
Taylor Gray will race full-time in 2025, driving the No. 54 Toyota in the Xfinity Series.
“I am very thankful for this opportunity,” Gray said. “I feel like I have learned a lot in the races I have run this year, and we can build on that next season. Being able to work with Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and these guys for a few races has been a great head start on next season and getting that chemistry going, so I’m really excited about what we can do running together full-time.”
“I am honored to be driving the No. 18 full-time in the Xfinity Series next year,” Sawalich said. “It has been really cool to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing (ARCA Series), and I feel like I have developed so much as a driver over the past two years. I still have a lot to learn, especially with moving to a new series, so I am looking forward to taking this next step in racing.”
Justin Bonsignore, Joe Gibbs Racing
Justin Bonsignore will return to Joe Gibbs Racing to pilot the No. 19 Toyota for five NASCAR Xfinity Series races in 2025. He made his Xfinity Series debut with the team in 2024 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Greg Van Alst, Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen
Joey Gase Motorsports confirmed on December 16th that the team has signed ARCA Menards Series veteran, Greg Van Alst, to compete in most of the 2025 Xfinity Series races in the No. 35 Chevrolet. His first race will be the United Rentals 300 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 14, 2025.
“I am thrilled about this opportunity to compete in most of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season with Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen,” said Van Alst. “This is an essential step in my racing career, and with a tunneled vision focused on the Xfinity Series, I believe I can step up to the plate and not only be competitive but also produce some strong finishes that can propel our team into the spotlight. I’m ready to get to work and make the most out of the opportunity to make my NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Daytona in about two months.”
Austin Green, Jordan Anderson Racing
Green will return to Jordan Anderson Racing to run a partial Xfinity Series schedule in the No. 32 Chevrolet focusing on road courses and short tracks.
“There’s a lot of good Chevrolet-affiliated teams with Kaulig and RCR (Richard Childress Racing), but at the end of the day, when you look at the Cup Series and the guys who have come through JR Motorsports and gone to the Cup Series, I feel like they’ve had the most success. And I do think there’s a lot of really good resources at JR Motorsports that I’ll be able to go and learn from as we look on to the years to come. I feel like I’m in a really good spot with a lot of great people around me that’ll help guide me in the right direction as I get into the Xfinity Series next year.”
JR Motorsports Drivers/Crew Chiefs
Jim Pohlman will return to the No. 7 team with Justin Allgaier. Phillip Bell will move to the No. 8 team with Sammy Smith. Andrew Overstreet will be on the No. 1 pit box with rookie driver Carson Kvapil. Mardy Lindley will join the No. 88 team as crew chief for Connor Zilisch. Corey Shea joins the No. 9 part-time All-Star entry team as crew chief for nine races with Trackhouse Racing’s Chastain and van Gisbergen.
“I’ve really enjoyed driving the Xfinity car this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to continue working with Kaulig Racing in 2025,” said Daniel Dye. “It’s been a fun experience learning the car and trying to navigate the different feeling compared to the truck. I’m looking forward to finishing out the season, running for the Truck Championship and making the most of my remaining races in the No. 10.”
Christian Eckes, Kaulig Racing
On August 31st Kaulig Racing announced that Eckes will move from the Craftsman Truck Series to drive the team’s No. 16 Chevrolet full-time in the Xfinity Series in 2025.
“Just super excited for this opportunity,” Eckes said. “This is something I feel like it’s been a long time coming, and to do it with Kaulig Racing, Chris (Rice, team president), Matt (Kaulig, team owner) and so many great teammates as well is something that I’m really looking forward to. Obviously, have a lot to achieve this year still, but very excited for the future. Just ready to get to work.”
Kaulig Racing, Crew Chief Lineup
Kaulig Racing revealed their Xfinity Series crew chief lineup on December 19th. Kevin Walter will be paired with Daniel Dye (No. 10 Chevrolet), Eddie Pardue with Josh Williams (No. 11 Chevrolet), and Alex Yontz with Christian Eckes (No. 16 Chevrolet).
Tyler Tomassi, No. 66, MBM Motorsports
MBM Motorsports announced today (Jan 15) that Tyler Tomassi will drive the No. 66 Ford Mustang in two NASCAR Xfinity Series events in 2025 – Martinsville Speedway in March and Bristol Motor Speedway in April.
Kris Wright, Our Motorsports
On November 20th, Wright announced he would drive the No. 5 Chevrolet full-time in 2025. He will replace Anthony Alfredo.
“I am thrilled to join Our Motorsports for the 2025 season,” said Kris Wright. “I’m equally excited to make my return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and look forward to hitting the road for 33 weeks to take on the challenges of a full season together.”
Dean Thompson, Sam Hunt Racing
On Jan. &, Sam Hunt Racing announced that Dean Thompson will pilot the No. 26 Toyota full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025.
“I’m very excited to join the Sam Hunt Racing group and continue to pursue my dreams in NASCAR,” Thompson said. “The team made me feel at home after the two races we shared last year. Everything clicked with us, and we are both in a spot where we could fulfill each other’s needs to help our growth as a race team and driver. I’m lucky to have this opportunity to take the next step, which most can only dream of reaching, and I’m grateful to share it with such an awesome group of people.”
Garrett Smithley, No. 14, SS-Greenlight Racing
SS-Greenlight Racing announced on Mon., November 19th, that Garrett Smithley will return to the team in 2025 and compete full-time in the No. 14 Chevrolet with crew chief, Jason Mille and will be sponsored by Trophy Tractor.
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to be a full-time driver at SS-Greenlight Racing,” Smithley said in a team release. “I haven’t been full-time since 2019, so beyond excited to get to work with Bobby (Dotter, owner) and Jason Miller (crew chief). Daytona can’t come soon enough!”
SS-Greenlight Racing, No. 07
On Jan. 16 the team announced that Patrick Emerling, Alex Labbe and Nick Leitz will split SS-Greenlight Racing’s No. 07 entry for the 2025 Xfinity Series season. Emerling will compete in the season opener at Daytona.
Matt DiBenedetto, Viking Motorsports
On Jan. 16 it was announced that DiBenedetto will drive the No. 99 (new car number) for Viking Motorsports again in 2025 for a full Xfinity Series season with Pat Tryson as crew chief.
Anthony Alfredo, Young’s Motorsports
On Jan. 12 Young’s Motorsports announced that Anthony Alfredo will drive the No. 42 Chevrolet full-time in the 2025 Xfinity Series with sponsors Dude Wipes and RANDCO.
Chandler Smith, Front Row Motorsports
On December 12th, Front Row Motorsports announced that Chandler Smith had signed with them for the 2025 season as they expanded to add a second entry to their Truck Series lineup. He joins returning Rookie of the Year, Layne Riggs. The Truck number and sponsors for Smith will be announced later.
“I’m excited to join Front Row Motorsports truck program,” said Smith. “They are a top contender in the Truck Series and have proven so with championships and wins. I like what they are building here and am honored to have the opportunity to add to it. We are getting a bit of a late start, but I am excited about the caliber of talent we are talking to in being a part of this program for 2025.”
Daniel Hemric, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced on November 20th that Hemric will drive the No. 19 Chevrolet full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025, replacing Christian Eckes.
“This is a great opportunity for me to compete for wins and chase another championship,” Hemric said. “Thanks to Bill McAnally, Bill Hilgemann, NAPA, Chevrolet and everyone involved for the opportunity. It’s a big milestone season to be a part of with NAPA’s 100th anniversary and the 35th year of Bill’s partnership with them. We’re going to do everything we can to get the NAPA Auto Care Chevrolet in victory lane and be in contention for a championship.”
“I’m really glad to be staying at MHR with Mark and the entire LIUNA team,” Ankrum said in a released statement. “This last year was probably the best of my career with the consistency we showed throughout the season. Making the playoffs was a huge goal for us and we were in the mix all the way to Martinsville, so we want to take another step and make it to Phoenix in 2025. We all want to get back to victory lane, and I think keeping this group together and continuing to develop as a team will help us get there.”
Connor Mosack, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
On December 3rd, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing announced that Mosack had been signed to drive the No. 81 Chevrolet in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. Mosack’s resume includes 11 starts in the Truck Series and 28 in the Xfinity Series throughout his career.
“I’m ecstatic to start 2025 with everybody at MHR and want to continue this team’s success in the playoffs,” Mosack said. “All four MHR teams had great performances this past year, so this is a big opportunity to race with a winning organization. It’s great to continue being part of Team Chevy and appreciate NAPA Nightvison and everyone at MHR for making this a reality. I’m looking forward to working with Blake and we want to become one of the weekly contenders, compete for wins, and lock ourselves in the playoffs.”
Jack Wood, McAnally-Hilgemann Racing
McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) announced on December 3rd that Jack Wood will return to the team in 2025 to compete in the Truck Series full-time in the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado with crew chief Kevin Bellicourt.
“I’m definitely thankful and excited to be back at MHR next season,” Wood said in a released statement. “We had a lot of bright spots this past season and have a great foundation to build on. I have a lot of trust in Kevin [Bellicourt], [team owner] Bill [McAnally], and everyone at MHR, so that makes me excited for what’s ahead of us next year. It’s great to have Adaptive One Calipers board with us and looking forward to activating with their customers throughout the season.”
Kaden Honeycutt, Niece Motorsports
On Oct. 1, Kaden Honeycutt was announced as the full-time driver of the No. 45 Chevrolet for Niece Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025. It will be his first full-time ride in a national series.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how much this opportunity means to me,” Honeycutt said. “Before I got connected with Al (Niece) and Cody (Efaw), last year, I thought my career was over. Both of them took a big chance on me leading into this year and it’s kept me hungry to make them proud. My group of guys on the No. 45 team have become brothers to me, and we’ve been able to share such a good relationship.”
Christian Rose, Niece Motorsports
On December 16th, Niece Motorsports announced that Christian Rose would move up from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 44 Chevrolet Silverado full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2025.
“For me, it’s a huge opportunity to make the jump from the ARCA Series,” said Rose. “I got my feet wet a little bit in the Truck Series a few years ago, but I believe in everything that we have going on in this building and am very excited to get to Daytona. The speed that we’ve seen from this team is a big reason why we signed our deal, and I’m just excited to make that transition. I think if we do the right things and show up and put the work in, we can have a lot of great things to look forward to next year.”
Dawson Sutton, Rackley W.A.R.
On October 17th, Rackley W.A.R. announced that Sutton would compete full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series next year in the No. 25.
“This is really a phenomenal opportunity,” he said. “I’ve dreamed for this day to come, and my goal is to make it to NASCAR’s Cup Series that represents the best of the best. It’s all a little hard to believe right now, but I know I have a big job to do, and that’s exactly how I look at it.”
Frankie Muniz, Reaume Brothers Racing
Reaume Brothers confirmed on October 22nd that Muniz will race the No. 33 Ford full-time in 2025.
Cody Dennison,Reaume Brothers Racing
On Jan. 21, Reaume Brothers Racing announced that Dennison will drive the No. 2 Ford in the Craftsman Truck Series part-time in 2025. He will make his debut at Martinsville Speedway on March 28th.
Tyler Tomassi, Reaume Brothers Racing
Reaume Brothers Racing announced on Jan. 14 that Tomassi would return and run two Craftsman Truck Series races in the No. 2 Ford. He will compete at Nashville Superspeedway on May 30 and Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 11.
Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports
On December 13th, Spire Motorsports confirmed that Caruth will return to Spire Motorsports in 2025 to drive the No. 71 Chevrolet for a second season in the Craftsman Truck Series with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.
“It is great to have a home and stability heading into next year,” Caruth said in a released statement. “I believe this is the first time in my career I won’t be with a new team or competing in a different series at the start of the season. I really appreciate the opportunity [owners] Jeff [Dickerson] and T.J. [Puchyr] have given me, and I’m excited to continue preparations for 2025. Our organization has really grown over the past year, and we have shown what we are capable of. We have set the bar high for the season, and the expectation is to win more races and compete for a championship.”
“I am excited to be back with TRICON for my third full-time year,” said Heim. He continued, saying, “I have developed so much alongside this organization in the last two years, and we have made some incredible memories along the way. I can’t wait to continue this journey in 2025 with my No. 11 crew.”
“TRICON has become a second home to me, and I am looking forward to another year as the driver of the 15,” said Gray. “I feel like we have some unfinished business after this past season, and I am as motivated as ever to compete in the postseason in 2025.”
Toni Breidinger, Tricon Garage
Tricon Garage announced on November 26th that Toni Breidinger will advance from the ARCA Menards Series to drive the team’s No. 5 Toyota full-time next year in the Craftsman Truck Series.
“Racing full-time with TRICON is a dream for me. It’s been a 15-year process to get here but I’m so excited for this moment and ready to capitalize on it,” Breidinger said. “I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for Toyota, Raising Cane’s, CELSIUS, and Sunoco. I’m beyond grateful to have these partners and team in my corner to take this next step in my career.”
Gio Ruggiero, Tricon Garage
On December 2nd, Tricon Garage announced that Gio Ruggiero, who claimed nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024, will drive the team’s No. 17 Toyota in 2025. Ruggiero earned nine top 10s in the ARCA Menards Series in 2024.
“I am super thankful to have the opportunity to run full-time with TRICON in 2025,” said Ruggiero. “I look forward to getting to work with all of the guys on the 17 team and contending for wins this season.”
Tricon Garage, No. 1 “All-Star” Entry
William Sawalich will begin the season as the driver of the No. 1 at Daytona International Speedway. He will also race at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Feb. 22), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 14), Nashville Superspeedway (May 30) and Watkins Glen International (Aug. 8).
Brandon Jones will drive the No. 1 for seven races, beginning at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 21. His schedule also includes the Bristol Motor Speedway spring race on April 11, Rockingham Speedway (April 18), Texas Motor Speedway (May 2), Kansas Speedway (May 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and Pocono Raceway (June 20).
Brent Crews will make nine starts beginning at North Wilkesboro Speedway on May 17 and followed by Lime Rock Park (June 28), Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25), Richmond Raceway (Aug. 15), Bristol (fall, Sept. 11), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 20), Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (Oct. 3), Martinsville (fall, Oct. 24), and the season finale at Phoenix Raceway (Oct. 31).
Lawless Alan will compete in four races in 2025 – Martinsville (spring, March 28), Michigan International Speedway (June 7), Darlington Raceway (Aug. 30) and Talladega Superspeedway (Oct. 17). Jake Hampton will lead the No. 1 team on the pit box.
TRICON Garage, Crew Chief Lineup
On December 16th, TRICON Garage announced its crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Scott Zipadelli will return to lead the No. 11 team with rookie driver, Gio Ruggiero. Jeff Hensley will return and transition to the No. 15 team with driver, Tanner Gray. Jerame Donley will lead the No. 17 team with rookie Gio Ruggiero, and Derek Smith will serve as crew chief for Toni Breidinger in her first full-time season in the No. 5. Matt Puccia will be back as the team’s competition director.
Reaume Brothers Racing (RBR) will be fielding three full-time entries for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
The news comes as RBR took to social media on Thursday, January 9, to reveal its acquisition of the No. 2 from Rev Racing. As a result, RBR’s newly formed No. 2 Ford F-150 entry will be fielded alongside the Nos. 22 and 33 entries for the entire Truck schedule this upcoming season. While the drivers of the Nos. 2 and 22 entries remain to be determined, the team confirmed in mid-October that Frankie Muniz, a former actor and ARCA Menards Series competitor from Wood-Ridge, New Jersey, will pilot the No. 33 Ford entry for his first full-time Truck campaign in 2025.
The 2025 season will mark RBR’s eighth consecutive year participating in the Truck Series. This past season, Lawless Alan piloted the team’s No. 33 Ford entry on a full-time basis, where he recorded a fifth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway in October before he finished 24th in the final driver’s standings. RBR also fielded the No. 22 Ford on a full-time basis, where the entry was piloted between nine competitors, and the No. 27 Ford on a part-time basis, the latter of which was driven between Muniz, Stephen Mallozzi and Keith McGee.
Through a combined 250 starts, RBR entries have achieved a total of two top-five results, four top-10 results, three laps led and an average-finishing result of 26.5 as they strive to gain a competitive edge for the upcoming Truck season.
We have acquired the #2 and will be running 3 full time trucks 😎 see you at Daytona here soon! 🏁 #2025 pic.twitter.com/hWoBg59a4p
Over the previous two Truck seasons, Rev Racing fielded the No. 2 as a full-time Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for Nick Sanchez, the 2022 ARCA Menards Series champion. After Sanchez captured the 2023 Rookie-of-the-Year title, he claimed his first two series victories at Daytona International Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway this past season. Sanchez would also make the Playoffs during both seasons and notched a career-best fifth place in the final standings in 2024.
Entering the 2025 season, Sanchez has graduated to the Xfinity Series and is set to drive the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro entry for Big Machine Racing. Meanwhile, Rev Racing’s status of competing in the Truck Series for the 2025 season remains to be determined. The status of veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion, who was atop the No. 2 Rev Racing pit box in 2024, is also unknown.
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season for Reaume Brothers Racing is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, with the event’s broadcast time to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
TRICON Garage revealed its driver lineup for the organization’s No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro entry, dubbed the “all-star” entry, that will be fielded for the entire 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series schedule.
The competitors who will split the driving duties of TRICON’s No. 1 entry for the upcoming season are Lawless Alan, Brent Crews, Brandon Jones and William Sawalich.
Sawalich, the reigning two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, will first pilot the entry for the first three-scheduled events that include Daytona International Speedway (February 14), Atlanta Motor Speedway (February 22) and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 14). He will then return to compete at Nashville Superspeedway (May 30) before making his fifth and final scheduled start of the year at Watkins Glen International (August 8).
Sawalich, who is also set to campaign in his first full-time Xfinity Series season with Joe Gibbs Racing, is no stranger to TRICON as he has made a total of 16 Truck starts with the organization over the previous two seasons. Throughout his previous 16 Truck starts, he notched his first career pole at Talladega Superspeedway this past October and has finished in the top 10 three times.
Next, Jones, a 27-year-old racing veteran from Atlanta, Georgia, will make his first Truck start of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway (March 21) before he proceeds to compete at the spring Bristol Motor Speedway event (April 11), Rockingham Speedway (April 18), Texas Motor Speedway (May 2), Kansas Speedway (May 10), Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 23) and at Pocono Raceway (June 20).
While he is new to the TRICON organization, Jones is no stranger to the Truck Series division as he has made a total of 49 career starts over eight part-time seasons (2013-20). Within the span, he scored his first career victory at Pocono while driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2020. He has also registered five runner-up results, 14 top-five results, 24 top-10 results, 85 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.1 as he strives to add more Truck victories to his resume. Aside from his part-time Truck campaign, Jones is set to reunite with Joe Gibbs Racing for a full-time Xfinity campaign after spending the previous two seasons at JR Motorsports.
Alan, a 24-year-old native from Van Nuys, California, will make his first Truck start of the 2025 season at the spring Martinsville Speedway event (March 28) before he returns to race at Michigan International Speedway (June 7), Darlington Raceway (August 30) and at Talladega Superspeedway (October 17).
Alan’s part-time Truck campaign with TRICON comes hours after he was announced to be scaling back down to the ARCA Menards Series and contending for the 2025 series’ title with Venturini Motorsports. Previously, the Californian, who claimed the 2018 NASCAR Home Tracks championship at Irwindale Speedway, spent the previous three seasons as a full-time Truck competitor for Niece Motorsports (2022-23) and Reaume Brothers Racing. This past season, he recorded his first top-five career finish in the series after finishing fifth at Talladega.
Lastly, Crews, a 16-year-old racing prospect from Hickory, North Carolina, will campaign in his first nine Truck Series career events that commence at North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 17) before he returns for the series’ inaugural event at Lime Rock Park, Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25), Richmond Raceway (August 15), the fall Bristol Motor Speedway event (September 11), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (September 20), the series’ inaugural event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (October 3), the fall Martinsville Speedway event (October 24) and the season-finale event at Phoenix Raceway (October 31).
Crews, who is also a Toyota Driver Development competitor, is coming off a productive 2024 season, where he claimed the World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model and CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour Rookie-of-the-Year championships. Over the previous two seasons, he earned his first two ARCA Menards Series career victories while driving for Venturini Motorsports. To date, Crews is the youngest Trans-Am Series champion at age 15 years, seven months and three days, and the youngest Trans-Am winner at age 14 years, three months and six days.
As announced in mid-December, the No. 1 Toyota team will be led by crew chief Jake Hampton, who was atop the pit box for returning full-time TRICON competitor Tanner Gray for a single event in 2021 and for Tanner’s younger brother, Taylor, for 10 events in 2023. Each of TRICON’s “all-star” competitors (Alan, Crews, Jones and Sawalich) will compete alongside the organization’s full-time competitors which include Tanner Gray, Corey Heim and rookies Toni Breidinger and Gio Ruggiero.
With the No. 1 Toyota entry’s driver lineup set, which completes its full driver lineup, TRICON Garage’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14. The event’s broadcast time is scheduled to commence at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Chandler Smith will be returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division and will drive a Ford F-150 entry on a full-time basis for Front Row Motorsports (FRM) in 2025.
The news comes as the 22-year-old Smith from Talking Rock, Georgia, is coming off a full-time Xfinity Series campaign at Joe Gibbs Racing, where he notched two victories, three poles, 17 top-five results, 22 top-10 results, 664 laps led and an average-finishing result of 10.3 throughout the 33-race schedule. He also made the 2024 Xfinity Playoffs before settling in fifth place in the final standings. Previously, he was competing in his first full-time Xfinity season at Kaulig Racing in 2023, where he notched his first career victory at Richmond Raceway, made his first Playoffs and finished in ninth place in the standings.
The 2025 season will mark Smith’s first appearance in the Truck Series since he last competed at Talladega Superspeedway in a one-race stint with Rackley W.A.R. in 2023 and first piloting a Ford. It will also mark his first as a full-time series competitor since 2022 when he was driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM).
“I’m excited to join Front Row Motorsports truck program,” Smith said in a released statement. “They are a top contender in the Truck Series and have proven so with championships and wins. I like what they are building here and am honored to have the opportunity to add to it. We are getting a bit of a late start, but I am excited about the caliber of talent we are talking to in being a part of this program for 2025.”
Smith made his Truck Series debut at Iowa Speedway in June 2019, where he piloted the No. 51 KBM Toyota entry to an eighth-place result. He would make three additional starts for KBM throughout the season, where he finished in the top four in all starts, before he returned for 12 starts in 2020, the latter season of which he recorded five top-five results.
Beginning in 2021, Smith competed as a full-time Truck competitor in KBM’s No. 18 Toyota entry. Over the next two seasons, he notched five victories, one pole, 15 top-five results, 25 top-10 results, 662 laps led and two Playoff appearances. During the span, he claimed the 2021 Rookie-of-the-Year title and made the Championship 4 round in 2022, where he settled in a career-best third place in the final driver’s standings.
Through 62 events as a Truck Series competitor, Smith has recorded five victories, one pole, 24 top-five results, 35 top-10 results, 755 laps led and an average-finishing result of 12.5. To date, the Georgian has also made 69 starts in the Xfinity Series events and three in the Cup Series.
The 2025 racing season will mark Front Row Motorsports’ first season fielding two full-time entries in the Truck Series after the organization debuted in the series in 2020. Over the previous five seasons, FRM has notched one championship, which occurred with Zane Smith in 2022. The team has also tallied 10 victories, nine of which have come from the No. 38 Ford entry while one was recorded by the No. 34 Ford entry that made a single-race appearance with Brett Moffitt at Talladega in 2023. To go along with the race victories, the team has recorded three poles, 46 top-five results, 66 top-10 results and 1,359 laps led through 115 combined starts.
This past season, Layne Riggs piloted FRM’s No. 38 Ford entry to his first two career victories in back-to-back weekends at the Milwaukee Mile and Bristol Motor Speedway, respectively, during the Playoff’s Round of 10. He would proceed to capture the Rookie-of-the-Year title. Both he and Chandler Smith will represent FRM with combined efforts to notch their first respective title in the series and the first for the team in three seasons.
Additional plans involving Smith’s number, crew chief and sponsorships along with FRM’s Truck Series program in 2025 will be revealed at a later date.
With his racing plans for next season set, Chandler Smith’s return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division with Front Row Motorsports is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Jack Wood has been named a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) for the 2025 season.
The 24-year-old Wood from Loomis, California, will pilot the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado RST entry that will be sponsored by Adaptive One Calipers and led by crew chief Kevin Bellicourt.
The news comes as Wood is coming off a part-time Truck Series campaign at MHR, where he drove MHR’s No. 91 entry to seven top-20 results and an average-finishing result of 20.8 through 13-scheduled starts. He also competed on a full-time basis for Bill McAnally Racing in the ARCA Menards Series West division, where he notched five top-five results and seven top-10 results before he finished in fourth place in the final driver’s standings.
The 2025 season is set to mark MHR’s second consecutive season fielding four full-time entries in the Truck Series as Wood will compete alongside teammates Tyler Ankrum, Daniel Hemric and Connor Mosack. The upcoming season is also set to mark Wood’s second as a full-time competitor in the Truck Series and first since the 2022 season.
“I’m definitely thankful and excited to be back at MHR next season,” Wood said in a released statement. “We had a lot of bright spots this past season and have a great foundation to build on. I have a lot of trust in Kevin [Bellicourt], [team owner] Bill [McAnally], and everyone at MHR, so that makes me excited for what’s ahead of us next year. It’s great to have Adaptive One Calipers board with us and looking forward to activating with their customers throughout the season.”
Wood made his Truck Series debut at Circuit of the Americas in May 2021, where he drove the No. 24 GMS Racing Chevrolet entry to a 28th-place result. He proceeded to make 11 additional starts throughout the 2021 season, where he notched his first top-10 result by finishing 10th at World Wide Technology Raceway in August, before he assumed the No. 24 entry on a full-time basis in 2022. During his first full-time Truck campaign, he recorded an average-finishing result of 25.2 and settled in 24th place in the driver’s standings. Prior to joining MHR on a part-time basis in 2024, Wood piloted the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Chevrolet entry in 13 events in 2023. During the stint, he recorded two top-10 results, a career-best ninth-place run at Texas Motor Speedway in April and an average-finishing result of 21.3.
Through 61 current starts in the Truck Series, Wood has recorded three top-10 results, five laps led and an average-finishing result of 23.6 as he strives to both achieve his first series victory and make his first Playoffs in 2025.
“We’re glad to have Jack return next season and excited to see him build on the groundwork from 2024,” Bill McAnally added. “The No. 91 team did a great job last season with multiple drivers and Jack managed the year well with splitting time between the truck program and the west series. It’s tremendous to have continued support from everyone at Adaptive One Calipers and allowing Jack to focus on the entire truck schedule next year will pay dividends for the whole team.”
With his plans for next season set, Jack Wood’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
TRICON Garage took to social media to reveal its crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
The host of names that will occupy TRICON’s crew chief lineup for next season features the return of four names from the previous season and one new name returning atop the pit box for the first time in two seasons.
Beginning in 2025, Jake Hampton will work as a crew chief for TRICON’s No. 1 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro team. The No. 1 entry will be fielded as the team’s “all-star” entry for a third consecutive season and piloted by multiple competitors who haven’t been named. Hampton had previously served as a crew chief for TRICON’s Nos. 15 and 17 entries through 11 of the remaining 12 events on the 2023 schedule.
For the list of familiar names returning in 2025, Derek Smith and Scott Zipadelli will remain as crew chiefs for TRICON’s Nos. 5 and 11 Toyota entries, respectively. Smith, who spent the previous two seasons working with driver Dean Thompson, will be paired with Toni Breidinger, the latter of whom replaces Thompson and is set to make her first full-time campaign in the Truck Series after she competed on a full-time ARCA Menards Series basis for Venturini Motorsports in 2024. Meanwhile, Zipadelli, the 2018 Truck Series championship-winning crew chief who enters his third consecutive season with TRICON, will remain paired with driver Corey Heim. Together, the duo of Zipadelli and Heim have notched nine victories, five poles, 26 top-five results, 37 top-10 results, the 2023 Truck Series Regular Season Championship and two Championship 4 appearances, where they settled in the runner-up spot in the 2024 driver’s standings.
Lastly, crew chiefs Jeff Hensley and Jerame Donley will return to TRICON as both will also switch teams in 2025. Hensley, a veteran crew chief with 22 Truck victories who first joined TRICON and worked atop the No. 17 pit box for driver Taylor Gray a year ago, will transition to TRICON’s No. 15 Toyota team and work with Tanner Gray, Taylor’s older brother. As a result, Donley, who first joined TRICON in 2023 to crew chief the No. 15 entry and Tanner Gray, will assume Hensley’s former position atop the No. 17 pit box for newcomer Gio Ruggiero, the latter of whom is set to make his first full-time campaign in the Truck Series after spending this past season competing in the ARCA Menards Series East division for Venturini Motorsports.
This past season, Donley was replaced by Jason Burdett at the No. 15 team before the seven-race Playoff stretch. However, he did work as the crew chief for the No. 1 entry piloted by William Sawalich for the remaining three scheduled events.
In addition to the crew chief lineup, Matt Puccia, a three-time race-winning crew chief in the Cup Series, will remain as TRICON’s competition director for a third consecutive season.
The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is set to mark TRICON Garage’s third season of existence since being rebranded from David Gilliland Racing and changing manufacturers from Ford to Toyota. Since 2023, the organization has notched nine victories, all of which have been recorded by driver Corey Heim, crew chief Scott Zipadelli and the No. 11 team. In addition, the organization has also recorded a combined eight poles, 48 top-five results, 150 top-10 results and 1,467 laps led. This past season, Heim and Taylor Gray represented TRICON in the Playoffs as the organization continues to pursue its first championship in the Truck Series division.
TRICON Garage’s 2025 Truck Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Rajah Caruth will return as the driver of the No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado RST entry for Spire Motorsports for the 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.
The news come as the 22-year-old Caruth from Washington D.C. is coming off his second consecutive full-time campaign in the Truck circuit, where he achieved his first career victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. In doing so, Caruth joined Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace as the only African-American competitors to win across NASCAR’s top three premier series. In addition to the Vegas victory, Caruth notched his first two career poles, five top-five results, 12 top-10 results, 56 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.6. After qualifying for his first Truck Playoffs this past season, he settled in seventh place in the final driver’s standings and was named the 2024 Most Popular Driver in the series.
Caruth’s announcement of his 2025 racing plans also occurred on December 13th, the day he graduated from Winston-Salem State University with a Bachelor of Science in Motorsports Management.
“It is great to have a home and stability heading into next year,” Caruth said in a released statement. “I believe this is the first time in my career I won’t be with a new team or competing in a different series at the start of the season. I really appreciate the opportunity [owners] Jeff [Dickerson] and T.J. [Puchyr] have given me, and I’m excited to continue preparations for 2025. Our organization has really grown over the past year, and we have shown what we are capable of. We have set the bar high for the season and the expectation is to win more races and compete for a championship.”
Caruth, whose racing career started virtually through iRacing in 2018, made his Truck Series debut at World Wide Technology Raceway in June 2022, where he piloted the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet entry to an 11th-place result. After making three additional Truck starts with Spire for the remainder of the 2022 season, he campaigned in his first full-time season in the series with GMS Racing in 2023. During the season, he notched four top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 18.2 and settled in 16th place in the final standings before he returned to Spire on a full-time basis in 2024.
Through 50 current starts in the Truck Series, Caruth has achieved one victory, two poles, five top-five results, 16 top-10 results, 57 laps led and an average-finishing result of 15.7. He has also made 19 career starts in the Xfinity Series and 25 in the ARCA Menards Series, the latter of which he notched 14 top-10 results and finished in third place in the final driver’s standings during the 2022 season while competing for Rev Racing.
“I’m thrilled to confirm that Rajah Caruth will be back with us in 2025 driving the No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado,” Jeff Dickerson, co-owner of Spire Motorsports, said. “He took the incredibly high expectations we placed on him to start the year and exceeded them in every way. I’m impressed with how he’s balanced his commitments to his race team, his craft, the media and his growing fanbase while managing a full workload at Winston-Salem State University. Our organization believes in Raj and he has consistently shown the leadership, form and work ethic that every team looks for in a driver. Everyone at Spire Motorsports is really happy to run it back with him next season.”
As part of Caruth’s return to the Truck Series, HendrickCars.com, which sponsored Caruth for the entire schedule in 2024, will also return to sponsor him for the entire 25-race schedule in 2025. Caruth was also sponsored by HendrickCars.com when he competed in the 2023 Xfinity Series finale at Phoenix Raceway for Hendrick Motorsports, where he finished 14th after starting 13th.
“Rajah is a young man of tremendous character and has proven to be a great representative of HendrickCars.com and our nearly 11,000 teammates across the country, Rick Hendrick, chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group and owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said. “In addition to being extremely talented, he has an incredible work ethic. We couldn’t be prouder to make this announcement on the same day Rajah and his family celebrate his college graduation. He has a very bright future in the sport, and we are thrilled to continue supporting his journey in 2025.”
The remainder of Spire Motorsports’ driver and crew chief lineup for the 2025 NASCAR season remains to be determined.
With his plans for next season set, Rajah Caruth’s 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season is scheduled to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Connor Mosack has been named a full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series competitor for McAnally-Hilgemann Racing (MHR) for the 2025 season.
Mosack, a 25-year-old native from Charlotte, North Carolina, will be driving the No. 81 MHR Chevrolet Silverado RST and will be paired with crew chief Blake Bainbridge for his first full-time campaign in the series, where he will contend for the Rookie-of-the-Year title. In addition, Old World Industries and NAPA Nightvision will be sponsoring him for five Truck races, beginning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March.
The news comes as Mosack is coming off an 11-race stint between the NASCAR Xfinity and Truck Series divisions, where he competed for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity circuit and between Niece Motorsports and Spire Motorsports in the Truck division. He also made five starts in the ARCA Menards Series between Pinnacle Racing Group and Sigma Performance Services, where he notched a victory at Kansas Speedway in May while driving for the former organization.
“I’m ecstatic to start 2025 with everybody at MHR and want to continue this team’s success in the playoffs,” Mosack said. “All four MHR teams had great performances this past year, so this is a big opportunity to race with a winning organization. It’s great to continue being part of Team Chevy and appreciate NAPA Nightvison and everyone at MHR for making this a reality. I’m looking forward to working with Blake and we want to become one of the weekly contenders, compete for wins, and lock ourselves in the playoffs.”
Mosack, who commenced his racing career competing in Legends cars and worked his way up to compete in CARS Tour and Late Models, made his Truck Series debut at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in July 2022, where he finished 34th while driving for Bret Holmes Racing. He made an additional Truck start at Bristol Motor Speedway two months later before he returned this past season for nine events. During the nine-race stint, he logged in his first four top-10 career results and notched a career-best third-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway in October.
To go along with 11 Truck starts to date, Mosack has also made a total of 28 starts in the Xfinity Series, where he notched three top-eight results and a career-best fifth-place run at Watkins Glen International in August 2023. The Charlotte native has also made 22 career starts in the ARCA Menards Series, four in the ARCA East division and two in the ARCA West division. Within the ARCA division, he claimed his first career victory at Kansas Speedway in September 2023 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing and would double down both at Kansas and in the series this past May. He also recorded two ARCA poles, including the 2023 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Mosack’s addition to MHR adds another missing element to the organization’s 2025 Truck Series lineup as the driver will compete alongside teammates Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Hemric.
“I was impressed with the job Connor did last season and wanted him to be part of our lineup in 2025,” Bill McAnally, team owner of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, added. “He showed he has the talent and commitment to compete and win at this level and we’re excited about the potential that he has joining our group. He and Blake will make a great pair and create opportunities for us to win races.”
With his plans for the 2025 season set, Connor Mosack’s first full-time campaign in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series division is set to commence at Daytona International Speedway on February 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
Toni Breidinger will elevate her racing status to new heights in 2025 by joining TRICON Garage for her first full-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series campaign in 2025.
For her rookie Truck season, Breidinger will be driving the No. 5 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, an entry that was formerly piloted by Dean Thompson, and receive partnership support from CELSIUS, Raising Cane’s and Sunoco.
The news comes as Breidinger, a 25-year-old racer from San Francisco, California, is coming off her second full-time season in the ARCA Menards Series, where she drove for Venturini Motorsports. Through 20-scheduled events, she recorded 11 top-10 results, an average-finishing result of 12.2 and a career-best fourth-place result in the final standings.
“Racing full-time with TRICON is a dream for me. It’s been a 15-year process to get here but I’m so excited for this moment and ready to capitalize on it,” Breidinger said. “I wouldn’t have this opportunity if it wasn’t for Toyota, Raising Cane’s, CELSIUS, and Sunoco. I’m beyond grateful to have these partners and team in my corner to take this next step in my career.”
Breidinger, who grew up competing in go-karts, claimed the USAC Speed2 Western US Asphalt Midget Series Rookie-of-the-Year title in 2014 before she claimed the championship two years later. In 2018, Breidinger made her first three career starts in the ARCA Menards Series with Venturini Motorsports. Since then, she made a total of 65 career starts in the ARCA division in five seasons (2018 & 2021-24). Throughout her starts, she recorded four top-five results and 27 top-10 results, with her best result being a third-place run at Kansas Speedway in September 2023.
During the 2023 season, Breidinger made her Truck Series debut at Kansas Speedway while driving the No. 1 Toyota entry for TRICON Garage, where she finished in a career-best 15th place. She made two additional Truck starts with TRICON throughout the 2023 season before she made her recent series’ start at Daytona International Speedway in February 2024, where she finished 27th.
Breidinger’s addition to TRICON’s 2025 Truck Series lineup adds another missing piece to the team’s roster as Corey Heim and Tanner Gray were already announced to return for next year’s Truck season. Additional plans for TRICON’s driver lineup and Dean Thompson have yet to be determined.
With her plans for next season set, Toni Breidinger’s first full-time campaign in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is set to commence at Daytona International Speedway to commence the 2025 racing season. The event is scheduled to occur on February 14 and air at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
