Written by Gabriel Tsui, Edited by Sean McKean
NASCAR’s 2023-24 off-season was slightly uneventful, but the 2024-25 silly-season will features multiple moves, ranging from drivers to charters to crew chiefs.
In this article, DIVEBOMB gives you a brief breakdown of each move and projections for the 2025 season.
Spire Motorsports on the rise?
After a few disappointing seasons for the Mooresville-based outing, they decided it was time for a major overhaul in the managerial level, as they hired Matt McCall – a crew chief from RFK – as the Director of Vehicle Performance.
They also hired Dax Gerringer, a race engineer from Stewart-Haas Racing, to serve as the technical director.
Apart from bringing in major engineering talent from elsewhere, they also brought in drivers to finish the job on Sundays.
In May, it was announced that Michael McDowell would be moving to Spire to replace Zane Smith in the No. 71 car and bringing his crew chief, Travis Peterson, in from FRM with him to Spire in the 2025 season.
They also brought in Justin Haley from RWR, who will have Rodney Childers, a championship- winning crew chief with Kevin Harvick in 2014, coming in to lead the No. 7 car.
These moves are a major win for Spire, who will bring in two race-winning drivers into the team, the type of experience the team was lacking in the past. They project to be a part of the playoff hunt, contending for wins on the occasion.
Front Row Motorsports rebuild year?
FRM has been relatively successful when compared to their counterparts in the midfield, and they secured a deal to get a third charter from the foreclosing SHR in light of this successful run.
However, after McDowell announced his departure and now involved in a major lawsuit against NASCAR, they are now in the fog as to where the team will go in the future.
Luckily for them, their driver situation has a bit of clarity, as Noah Gragson will be joining ion their second seat alongside Todd Gilliland, while Zane Smith will join in the third seat recently acquired from the foreclosing SHR
These drivers aren’t exactly experienced, but they can make it up with their crew chiefs hires.
Chris Lawson worked in trucks and ARCA previously, and only has one year of Cup Series experience under his belt, leading the No. 51 RWR entry in 2024.
However, he has a great track record in the past when he worked with Todd Gilliland, so it will be interesting what they can achieve in the No. 34 car next season.
Gragson will get Drew Blickensderfer, a familiar face from SHR, who worked with Gragson in the 2024 season.
He also served in FRM as crew chief for McDowell in 2021, so it would be a relatively easy transition phase for both the crew chief and the driver.
It is expected to be a rebuilding year for FRM, as drivers and crew chiefs get a year to build up familiarity with the team, but the chase for playoffs is still possible if the stars align, and Gilliland could make a push for the playoffs if he can take the step to the next level heading into his fourth season in the Cup.
New team, who this?
Other than Spire and FRM making huge moves this off-season, other teams also made moves to beef up their talent pool.
One of the moves is 23XI bringing in Riley Herbst to drive for their third charter, while bringing his crew chief David Restivo in Xfinity to partner up in the No. 35 car.
23XI’s counterpart Joe Gibbs Racing also made a major move in light of Martin Truex Jr retiring, bringing in Chase Briscoe, former driver for SHR, to drive in the No. 19 car.
After a year of rotating part time drivers, Kaulig brought back AJ Allmendinger after an impressive season in Xfinity to pilot the No. 16 full time, while bringing in veteran crew chief Trent Owens from the No. 31 team to partner with Allmendinger.
The No. 31 car will be re-numbered to No. 10, and it will be piloted by Ty Dillon – who ran a part time operation in 2024. He will partner up with first year crew chief Andrew Dickeson, a lead engineer from Richard Childress Racing.
Apart from the aforementioned Gragson and Briscoe, the other two drivers of the foreclosing SHR also found a job, with Josh Berry joining Wood Brothers Racing and Ryan Preece joining RFK in a third charter.
It is confirmed that Berry will have former engineer Miles Stanley from Team Penske to crew chief the No. 21 team, while it is still unsure who will be the crew chief for Preece in the No. 60.
One of the charters from SHR will be converted into Haas factory team, with Cole Custer driving the No. 41, while former lead race engineer Aaron Krame will join Custer as crew chief from RFK, whom Haas will have a technical alliance with.
Fellow Xfinity driver Shane van Gisbergen will join Trackhouse Racing in a third charter, with Stephen Doran, former crew chief for Zane Smith in 2024, serving as his crew chief.
Most of these drivers aren’t expected to make the playoffs immediately, but there are a few exceptions.
Herbst, Preece and Van Gisbergen are joining perennial playoff teams in the midfield, while Briscoe joins a top-of-the-order team that is looking for a return to the championship.
These drivers all have the proper machinery and talent around them to make playoffs, and it is possible they make some sort of run into the playoffs.
Rest of the changes
Richard Boswell, a former crew chief and engineer for SHR, will replace Justin Alexander as the crew chief of the No. 3 team.
Brad Keselowski of RFK in the No. 6 will be reunited with Jeremy Bullins, a crew chief he worked with back in his Team Penske days.
Chris Gayle will replace the outgoing Chris Gabehart as the No. 11 crew chief, while the job opening Gayle left in the No. 54 will be filled in by Tyler Allen, a crew chief promoted from the Xfinity Series.
Bubba Wallace will have Charles Denike, who crew chiefed Christian Eckes in the Trucks in 2024 as his new partner as Bootie Barker moves to a management role.
Travis Mack, former crew chief of the No. 16, will head to Legacy Motor Club and serve as crew chief for John Hunter Nemechek in the No. 42.
Cody Ware will pilot the No.51 car for Rick Ware Racing.
This is one of the more eventful off-seasons in recent years, and with three charters, four drivers, and many talented engineers suddenly entering the market, it all but guarantees huge movements in the off-season.
Some teams improved, some not so much, but one thing that is for sure, is that with an increased number of drivers competing for playoff spots, the 2025 season will be even more competitive than 2024, and this will be an offseason for the ages.
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