Front Row Motorsports announced today that Stewart Haas Racing driver Noah Gragson has signed a multi-year deal with the team, starting in 2025. Gragson was linked with a move to Richard Childress Racing; however, a continued Ford partnership and an empty seat at FRM secured his ride for the next year.

With this announcement, three of the four SHR drivers have secured their Cup rides for the next year. Chase Briscoe is headed to Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 19 car, replacing Martin Truex Jr. Whereas, rookie Josh Berry landed at Wood Brothers Racing, leaving Ryan Preece the only driver without a secured future for 2025.

Truth be told, all three SHR drivers have shown promise and speed with their performances on the track. However, Preece just hasn’t been able to match his teammate’s output, and this is the prime reason he has yet to figure out his move. So is this the end of his Cup Series journey, or could there be a surprise deal waiting for the unfavored SHR driver?

Possible destinations where Ryan Preece could be racing next season

Although FRM has signed Noah Gragson in a full-time role, they do have another empty seat. They bought a third charter recently from the defunct SHR, so does Preece have a shot at landing in the new car? Probably not, as the likes of Zane Smith and Sam Mayer have been linked heavily to the team.

Next, Rick Ware Racing’s No. 15 car could be a good option for the SHR driver. Currently, multiple drivers swap seats, with Kaz Grala running a good chunk of races. However, Preece will have to bring in sponsorship if he wants to race in the No. 15 car for a full season. Essentially, these are the only two options as of now that could aid Ryan Preece. But again, that’s a long shot given the choices teams have on their table.

This now brings us to the possibility of him taking a step down and competing in the Xfinity Series. It has to be noted that Cole Custer is expected to make a switch to Cup level with the Haas Factory Team. And Gene Haas has announced that he will keep running the two cars in the Xfinity Series, so there could be an in-house opportunity for the 33-year-old.

AM Racing is another Ford team that he could tap into. Recently, the team announced that they had parted ways with Hailie Deegan, thus leaving everyone wondering who could land in this seat. Preece has two Xfinity Series wins to his name, and while he may not have burst on the Cup level, he is still a good enough race car driver who could perform well.

Again, a lot of things need to turn in Preece’s favor to allow him to either land a Cup or Xfinity Series ride. However, a move to a lower series looks likely for the SHR driver. As far as Noah Gragson is concerned, he has landed on his feat at FRM in what has been a roller coaster ride in his NASCAR career.

Gragson will look to settle at FRM after multiple team switches

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Starting off at JR Motorsports in 2022 was a big season for both the driver and the team, but they narrowly missed out on winning the championship. He had a streak of four consecutive wins, and this performance caught the attention of the Cup Series teams. Next thing you know, he found himself at Legacy Motor Club in 2023. But his stint driving the No. 42 car didn’t work out, and he had to vacate the seat for John Hunter Nemechek.

He was in a tough spot, and a move back to Xfinity wouldn’t make sense for him. Fortunately, Stewart Haas Racing got him onboard in their No. 10 ride. But with the team announcing its closure, he once again found himself stranded. Fortunately, he was able to show signs and potential of his talent racking in six top-10 finishes so far in 2024. Not only that, but with the backing of Bass Pro Shops, he was a front-runner to land a Cup ride, and it was only a matter of time until FRM confirmed his signing.

In four years, Noah Gragson has switched to four different teams. Thus, it hasn’t really allowed him to settle into his role and grow as a driver. And this is exactly what he is hoping for from his time at FRM. “Bob and Jerry have given me an opportunity, so I do feel like there’s an opportunity to grow as a leader, as a driver on and off the race track, and having that stability. I’ve jumped around from JR Motorsports in 2022, to Legacy last year, and at Stewart-Haas this year, Front Row next year that’s four teams in four years,” he was quoted saying this via NASCAR.

It will be interesting to see how Noah Gragson progresses during his time at FRM, as he certainly has the talent and the capabilities to break through as the next big NASCAR star.