The 2024 NASCAR silly season isn’t just restricted to the moves made by the drivers but also team executives and talents. And it seems like Trackhouse Racing has lost out on one of their vital executive leaders owning to the shuffle. Ty Norris, who joined Justin Marks as the partner, is reported to be heading to Kaulig Racing.

This is one of the big changes for an organization that has expanded to a three-car team going into 2025. Shane van Gisbergen will pilot the third entry for Trackhouse Racing in 2025, but Norris’ exit from the team could be vital in how they operate in the future.

Ty Norris is one of the most influential figures in NASCAR

The 59-year-old veteran has played a crucial role in building the NASCAR teams from the ground up. It all started in 1996 when Dale Earnhardt scouted Norris to assign him a leadership role at Dale Earnhardt Inc., which was a new team at the time. He led DEI for the next eight years, serving as the team’s VP, and it was a successful project. Four championship wins and 65 wins helped DEI become the top dogs of the sport.

However, after Dale Earnhardt’s death, Norris found his new home at Speedway Motorsports and helped them build a new brand with ownership of the racetracks. After working with the old guard, he joined Spire Motorsports as the team president and then made his way to Trackhouse Racing in 2020.

But, according to a report from the Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi, it seems like his time at Trackhouse is up, and is ready for a new project. “Trackhouse Racing president Ty Norris has amicably left the team, sources tell The Athletic. Hearing Norris may be headed to Kaulig Racing in an unknown capacity.”

It has to be noted that SVG’s arrival wasn’t the only big change made by the team. To facilitate the Kiwi driver’s arrival, Zane Smith, the driver who was loaned out to Spire Motorsports, was let go. Therefore, this move by Ty Norris reported to be moving to Kaulig could somehow indicate Smith’s continued run at the Cup level.

Could Zane Smith manage to retain his Cup ride for 2025?

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The team had already announced that the young Trackhouse Racing driver would be offloaded back to his team after the end of the loan spell. Michael McDowell has been confirmed to replace him in the No. 71 Chevy next year. This left Smith high and dry to continue his journey racing in the Cup Series, but the dynamics at Spire have changed.

Like Smith, the higher-ups at Spire Motorsports decided that Corey LaJoie won’t be continuing with them for the next year. While Justin Haley from Rick Ware Racing has been touted to be the front-runner to take this ride, nothing of the sort has been confirmed yet.

Moreover, Ty Norris’ potential move to Kaulig could also open the door for a new opportunity. The team is looking for potential options to replace Daniel Hemric in the No. 16 car. However, Smith will have to compete against Ty Dillon for this seat, and going by his recent performance, it looks like he’s hard at the task.

It is as if Smith knows that he is auditioning for his future ride, given the run of recent performances. Up until the Michigan race weekend, he only had a single top-10 finish, but in his last five starts, he has racked up two top-10 results. This includes last weekend’s P5 finish at the Watkins Glen. So, keep an eye out for further developments at Spire, as silly season just might deliver the fans a new surprise.