Noah Gragson’s multi-year deal with Stewart-Haas Racing turned into a short-lived dream when the team announced its closure after the 2024 season. Gragson, who joined SHR in 2023, thus found himself back on the market as a free agent. With a resume that includes stints at Joe Gibbs, JR Motorsports, Legacy Motor Club, and SHR, Gragson has now signed a multi-year contract with Front Row Motorsports. This move marks a new chapter for Gragson, but his challenges are far from over.

Noah Gragson might face turbulence with FRM next season!

Noah Gragson is all set to join Front Row Motorsports next year, and the team announced it on Wednesday. This move is a significant boost for him, especially after the uncertainty left behind by Stewart-Haas Racing’s mid-season shakeup. With that pressure of “what’s the future gonna look like” out of the picture, he can focus more on the races—and mostly he has. And he is one of those drivers who has shown immense growth over the past 8-9 months. 

Noah Gragson had one of the most turbulent times last year in NASCAR. He was with Legacy and every race seemed a struggle for him. But this year things are different. Last week in Chicago, for example, when the rest of the SHR drivers were struggling, he managed to finish at a decent 14th. This is in stark contrast to last year when he was in the tire barriers half a dozen times! Moreover, he is 23rd on points. Joining Front Row Motorsports at this point can do him good. Even though Front Row Motorsports is no championship-winning team, they can give him multi-year contract stability and room to grow. However, there is a problem!

Right now, at Front Row Motorsports, a crucial element is glaringly absent- veteran guidance. Just recently we saw how Hailie Deegan was on the outs, because of her poor performance and we know that it was because she, a rookie, had no one to guide her. After all, rookie talent, no matter how promising, needs seasoned mentors to flourish. Hence, Gragson needs a team of people, starting with a great crew chief, someone who is known to be great for drivers who are just starting. But he seems to have a problem in hand because FRM’s ace crew chief, Travis Peterson, is expected to leave the team and head out with the #34 driver. And Front Row Motorsports was supposed to hire Rodney Childers, one of the best crew chiefs ever in NASCAR. But Spire won the lottery and even he is off the market! 

In his YouTube video, content creator Eric Estepp raised the same concern with the team’s internal dynamics. He said, “They lost Blake Harris to Hendrick a couple of years ago, now they’re losing Travis Peterson, and obviously lost out on Rodney Childers. They need veteran leadership on the competition side to guide all of these young talents. That’s the only thing that concerns me.”

But the team does show promise. Todd Gilliland is 19th in the points and he, in fact, hasn’t finished any race outside the top 20 in two months. But the fact that veterans are missing to guide the team might be an alarm bell when Gragson joins. As for Gragson, this seat matters a lot, given that he was ready to give up. 

Noah Gragson recalls almost giving up racing, and his plans forward with FRM! 

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The pressure to do the best in every race gets on everyone’s nerves. Last year was particularly tough on Noah Gragson. He was a rookie driver with Legacy Motor Club and had more than a turbulent time with them. And to make matters worse, he was even suspended by NASCAR and the team for liking a meme related to George Floyd’s murder on social media.

Recalling the year, he said on Wednesday, “Last year, I was probably the most down on myself. I was ready to move back to Vegas and go do landscaping or build pools out there. I didn’t enjoy racing anymore. This year, I found my love for the sport again. I found out why I wanted to do it, and I found myself. My appreciation for the sport has flipped 180 in the last 12 months. A big part of that is the people that I have around me.”

However, he is leaving the past where it belongs and is excited about the future he has with FRM. He definitely has big plans. He believes that there has been immense growth in the team, that the team is capable of winning and he is ready to give his all. However, he did mention that right now, his immediate goals are to be true to SHR and finish the races with only one intention—to win. 

He said, “I think a lot of people have seen the growth of Front Row Motorsports over the past several seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. This team, with Ford Performance, has shown it is capable of winning and wants to win more. Meeting Bob (Jenkins) and Jerry (Freeze), there is a determination and plan to continue to grow and compete against the absolute best. There is a strong commitment on their part, and I am ready to give it my best next season.”

Well, he has matured as a driver and a person and it will be eye-opening to see what he does with the new team. Hopefully, the team will have enough veterans around. We all saw what happened with Deegan without the presence of an expert on board!