Written by Gabriel Tsui, Edited by Vyas Ponnuri
As the NASCAR season comes to a three-week break for the Olympics coverage, it is a great time for drivers and crew members alike to take a break from the wear and tear of constant travelling, and for teams with an open seat next year to scout prospective drivers for the 2025 season.
While lateral moves within the Cup Series such as Chase Briscoe heading to Joe Gibbs Racing or Michael McDowell to Spire Motorsport have already been announced, prominent seats are still up for contention, such as the third Front Row Motorsport charter and the rumoured third 23XI charter up for contention.
In the XFinity Series, there have been a couple of rising stars who have been performing beyond all expectations, and their performance all warrant a promotion. So, let’s look at three young drivers in the XFinity Series who have had exceptional performances, and should be expecting a move to the Cup Series in 2025.
Chandler Smith, Joe Gibbs Racing, #81
The 22-year-old Smith has been a part of the TRD’s development program since 2018, and is having one of his best racing seasons in the XFinity Series. He has already secured two wins and eleven top-ten finishes so far into the season, with six more regular season races to go.
He has been one of, if not the most consistent drivers on the XFinity grid. An average start position of 8.4 and an average finish of 12.7 is among the best of the best. He started the season with seven consecutive top-ten finishes, six of them being up in the top five.
Lately, he has slowed down a bit during the few road course races, a type of race track around which he hasn’t found much success. However, his performances on intermediate tracks have been undeniable, something that will be greatly valued at Toyota teams.
Currently, it is rumoured that one of Stewart-Haas Racing’s charters will be sold to the 23XI team, and a possible breakup between Legacy Motor Club and Erik Jones, opening up multiple opportunities in 2025 for Smith.
Riley Herbst, Stewart-Haas Racing, #98
Herbst is one of the most sought after junior drivers in the XFinity Series, amidst a breakthrough season in the XFinity Series. After finishing in first round playoff exits for three consecutive seasons, he endured his worst yet in 2023, missing the playoffs entirely, but secured his first XFinity win in Las Vegas during the playoffs period.
This season, he has been met with near misses with a win and unfortunate accidents that led to four DNFs so far. However, he turned it all around, with a last-minute move over Aric Almirola in Indianapolis to take the lead, the win, and the playoff sticker heading into the playoff break.
While he has been a part of the SHR junior system for the past four years, he has a strong connection to the Toyota family, most notably when he was a Joe Gibbs Racing driver in the ARCA Menards Series for two years and the Xfinity Series in 2020.
Given his significant experience and his performance this season, alongside huge sponsorship opportunities he brings with him, he will be the most likely option for the third 23XI seat in 2025.
Sam Mayer, JR Motorsports, #1
The third and final spot on this list has been of great debate, with other options who have been equally deserving of a potential call up, but we settled on Sam Mayer, one of the more intriguing drivers on the grid.
He joined JR Motorsport mid-2021, taking over the #8 car for the second half of the season. His performance impressed Dale Earnhardt Jr., which secured a full time ride in the #1 car. He had a solid first season, making the playoffs and getting to the Round of Eight.
In his second season, he burst onto the scene with four wins, two of those coming within the playoffs, earning him his first championship four appearance.
This season, he has already secured two wins, multiple top five finishes, but 12th place in the standings. Mayer has had an up and down season to say the least, five DNFs and incredible inconsistency is something he has to iron out for the rest of the season.
Possible Chevrolet seats will open up at Front Row Motorsport, Spire Motorsport and Kaulig racing, if he can improve his consistency further down the season with the addition to his Hendrick ties and huge sponsorship backing, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t secure a seat for 2025.
Honourable Mentions
Before ending the article, here are a few honourable mentions to the list, those who didn’t make the list due to various reasons, but could have a chance at a 2026 promotion.
One of those would be Jesse Love in the #2 car of Richard Childress Racing, who has been performing beyond all expectations in his rookie season. The 2023 ARCA Menards champion has already secured a win, a whopping nine top-ten finishes, albeit in a competitive car, still an impressive feat no less.
Love does still needs a bit more time to develop, projected to have a potential call up in 2026 instead with a few retirements and contracts ending after the 2025 season.
Another name worth a mention would be Christian Eckes, who drives for MHR in the #19 car in the Trucks Series. He has been the most consistent driver in the Trucks field, with three wins, 14 top-ten finishes in 15 races.
However, it could be the case of the 2019 ARCA Menards champion requiring a season or two in the XFinity Series to progress, and the limited sponsorship certainly doesn’t help his case. If he can prove himself as a winner in XFinity, the openings in 2026 will be great opportunities for Eckes to secure a top ride.
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