Noah Gragson to join Front Row Motorsports

Noah Gragson is set to join Front Row Motorsports on a multiyear deal starting in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, the team announced Wednesday at the NASCAR Productions Facility.

At 25, Gragson remains within the Ford Performance Organization after Stewart-Haas Racing, his current team, announced its closure at the end of the 2024 season. Front Row Motorsports will later reveal the crew chief, car number, and sponsors for Gragson. “It’s definitely exciting times,” Gragson said during Wednesday’s 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 [co-owners] Bob (Jenkins) and Jerry (Freeze).”

Front Row Motorsports announced on May 29 its expansion to a three-car operation from the current two-car setup. Michael McDowell, the current driver of the No. 34 Ford, revealed on May 8 he would join Spire Motorsports next season on a multiyear deal. Todd Gilliland will continue driving the No. 38 car, having announced on June 5 his return to FRM on a multiyear contract beginning in 2025.

Gragson and Gilliland will reunite, having previously been teammates at Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series from 2017-2018. “Todd and I have been racing each other for the past, probably, 10 years,” Gragson said. “We had some fierce battles on the race track, became teammates over at Kyle Busch Motorsports and it’s going to be nice to be able to rekindle that relationship on the race track as teammates now. It’s been a few years in between, but I think from all our learnings from the past organizations that we both had been at we can definitely work together and help each other to become better.”

In his second full-time season in the Cup Series, Gragson has secured one top-five finish, six top 10s, and an 18.3 average finish through 20 races in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. His rookie campaign was in 2023 with Legacy Motor Club, competing in 21 races in the No. 42 Chevrolet before an indefinite suspension sidelined him for the remaining 15 races of the year. Gragson also participated in 18 races in 2022, racing part-time for Kaulig Racing and as a relief driver for Hendrick Motorsports.

As Front Row Motorsports looks to a younger roster for the coming years, it aims for long-term success. Despite recent successes like playoff appearances and multiple wins, the team feels ready to be a consistent contender with Gragson on board.

Gragson is the third Stewart-Haas Racing driver confirmed to remain in the NASCAR Cup Series despite the team’s closure. Joe Gibbs Racing announced on June 25 that Chase Briscoe will drive the No. 19 Toyota next season, replacing the retiring Martin Truex Jr. On July 3, Wood Brothers Racing announced Josh Berry will replace Harrison Burton in the No. 21 Ford next season.

Front Row Motorsports will announce the driver of their third car for 2025 at a later date. While the identity of the third driver remains unknown, Jenkins hinted at another “young, experienced” driver to complement Gilliland and Gragson.