With the 2024 NASCAR season coming to a close, all the eyes will now be focused on driver movement in the garage across the three series. Although the closure of Stewart Haas Racing at the Cup level has concluded most of the business, there might be a few surprising moves by teams or drivers. It’s called silly season for a reason.
For the time being, it’s the Xfinity Series that is making all the noise and has captured the attention of rumor mills. Going by the latest updates, it looks like Jordan Anderson Racing might have found their replacement for Parker Retzlaff. The driver who is touted to take command of the full-time ride at JAR had a huge hand in Justin Allgaier’s maiden Xfinity championship!
Anthony Alfredo might have found a new ride for 2025
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For those still pondering as to what Anthony Alfredo had to do with Allgaier’s redemption, cast your mind back to the Xfinity finale. Allgaier was struggling after going a lap down because of multiple penalties during the race, and with 44 laps to go, all hope seemed lost. That was until Anthony Alfredo crashed into a wall, causing a caution and allowing Allgaier to get back on the lead lap! This was the catalyst to the #7’s comeback which saw him take home the championship. Now Alfredo is rumored to switch teams in a move to JAR as Parker Retzlaff leaves the organization under dubious circumstances.
Parker Retzlaff had been driving the No. 31 Chevrolet for JAR for the past two years. While he didn’t stand out as a race-winning driver, he was consistent and delivered some solid results on the superspeedway tracks. He has two top 5 finishes at the Daytona races, and for the most part, he dug deep to get his team the best possible finish.
However, after the conclusion of the 2024 season, he announced that he wouldn’t return to drive the #31 ride for the team next year. A few fans believed that Chevrolet had a role behind his exit from the team after he didn’t help Kyle Busch and RCR at the crucial Daytona race in the Cup Series. Now that’s just a theory, but fans were sold on it. After seeing the power OEMs wielded during the final playoff race in the Cup series, it’s understandable why fans have latched onto this theory.
While there’s no clarity as to why Jordan Anderson Racing parted ways with Retzlaff, they are now on the lookout for a replacement. The options are few, and far as, like the Cup Series, many of the drivers had already secured their rides for the 2025 season. But, it looks like Anthony Alfredo from Our Motorsports could be next in line to lead the #31 team.
“I have heard Blaine Perkins and possibly Anthony Alfredo could move to JAR,” a NASCAR fan page shared this update via Instagram. Alfredo has been competing in the Xfinity Series with the Chevy camp for three straight years. He drove the #5 Our Motorsports ride for the 2024 season, finishing the season 15th in the driver’s standings.
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Is Anthony Alfredo the game-changer Jordan Anderson Racing needs, or just another driver in the mix?
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However, he was recently reprimanded by NASCAR for wrecking Stefan Parsons during the Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix. He was fined $25,000 for his egregious act and was penalized further by docking 25 driver points. There was a debate about whether or not Alfredo’s actions on the track were deliberate or not, but NASCAR certainly had the final say in the matter.
He did clear things out with Alpha Prime Racing president Tommy Joe Martins to apologize and bury the hatchet. However, what’s interesting is that Jordan Anderson Racing was willing to let go of Retzlaff, who so far has been solid for them. In case Alfredo does turn out to be his replacement, what exactly does JAR get from him as a driver?
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Is Alfredo a right fit for Jordan Anderson Racing?
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Right off the bat, the first thing JAR will gain from the arrival of Anthony Alfredo is experience. Despite being only 25, Alfredo has a good amount of races under his belt. He’s run over 100 races in the Xfinity Series and also completed one full season with Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series. Considering the JAR has a technical alliance with RCR, Alfredo might be able to get the most out of their race car going into 2025.
In 2024, Alfredo bagged five top 10 finishes and two top 5 results to his name. The highest he’s ever finished in points after the season is 15th, which is better than Retzlaff. The young driver could only muster a 21st-place finish after the end of the season. JAR’s superspeedway program looks to be a hit, and if we are to combine them with Alfredo’s consistent run, it might lead to more optimal results for the next year.
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For the time being, Alfredo’s links to Jordan Anderson Racing are mere speculation. Who knows, the driver or the team might be considering different options.
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Is Anthony Alfredo the game-changer Jordan Anderson Racing needs, or just another driver in the mix?