“I want stability, a home,” that’s Noah Gragson’s wish for 2025, and for good reason. He doesn’t seem to catch a break at all! He was driving for Stewart Haas Racing, but since then the team has shut its doors. When he finally had a team in Front Row Motorsports, there were complications. For the 26-year-old, this ride might not be without some jolts since the team is mired in a lawsuit.

But Gragson is happy with the stability that a full-time team provides. What about not having a charter? Let’s take a look at what he has to say.

Noah Gragson’s desire for stability, bad luck, and lawsuits

The year was off to a rocky start for Gragson. Right after establishing himself in SHR, the team announced it would be closing operations after the 2024 season. Without a direction for the team and no seat, Gragson immediately began looking for a spot for 2025. Now that he has a multi-year contract with Front Row Motorsports, his fans are happy for him. However, since Front Row Motorsports is suing NASCAR regarding the new charter agreements, there is uncertainty surrounding the team and its drivers. And how does Noah Gragson feel about it?

“I am so disconnected,” Gragson told Matt Weaver for Sportsnaut. “I’m probably not the guy to ask but I do feel confident we’re going to race. I’m not the most educated guy on what’s going on with the lawsuit and I’m not even just saying that because you’re recording me right now. Like, I have no idea what’s going on and I just do what I’m told.”

To gain a clearer insight into the situation, it’s essential to note that the team had two chartered teams in the previous season, 23XI Racing, and Front Row Motorsports chose not to extend the governing agreement with NASCAR. Instead, they are currently tangled in an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR regarding the whole charter agreement process and clauses. Now, before Noah Gragson’s arrival, FRM already had two charters, but because of the lawsuit, the status of the team racing next year remains up in the air.

This might mean that the team will have to race without a charter, which can be expensive. However, Bob Jenkins, the team owner, is open to the idea. Again, there is some uncertainty around structuring the legal process for placing the three cars on the tracks. But, Weaver said in Sportsnaut that Gragson does not seem too bothered, “He says he just expects to show up when and where he is told.” Gragson added that he doesn’t even know if he is gonna race in the next season right now, but he will be happy with whichever number of cars he gets.

Despite Gragson being asked for comments, he remains out of the legal picture. At the moment, things don’t look good for the plaintiffs, according to Larry McReynolds. What’s more strange is seeing Noah Gragson take a backseat when it comes to the team. During his time with Haas, he became something of a senior leader figure in the team, with his fellow teammates respecting his opinions. Instead, as the silly season heads to its next phase, Noah Gragson chose to focus his energy on racing, participating in the Snowball Derby.

Snowball Derby and a smooth FRM transition are Gragson’s priorities

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Who can blame him? With the uncertainty surrounding FRM and 23XI, it might just be better for him to enjoy one of the classic races in American motorsports, and that’s what he intended to do. He explained, “There is so much history there. I missed this race in 2020 and I came here like 3 hours before the race and I’d had to park 2 miles down the road, there’s pickup trucks lined up all the way down the road. I wasn’t around during the 90s Cup races, we heard stories about them, and it felt like that.”

Coming back to his Cup Series seat, if FRM does race, Gragson has some things already set in place. NASCAR driver Noah Gragson has announced that he will be bringing along his crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, and several members of his No. 10 team from Stewart-Haas Racing. Throughout his time in the Cup Series, Gragson has faced challenges with consistency, so maintaining the bond with his crew chief and team members is a positive step. Blick has held the position of crew chief at Front Row once before, where he guided Michael McDowell to victory in the Daytona 500 in 2021.

Since moving up to the Cup Series, Gragson has shown growth as a driver, experiencing both successes and setbacks. However, Gragson remained confident his move to FRM will be seemless.  “I don’t know what the deal is with the third charter but I know Bob is invested in growing the team. We have Drew and a lot of our #10 guys going over there so we should hit the ground running.” The evidence of the team working well together is present. The #10 car had several top 10 finishes until May, after which they saw a dip in their form.

How do you feel about Gragson’s take on his future?