Front Row Motorsports is likely to return to being a three-car Cup Series team in 2025. With the announcement of owner Bob Jenkins’ investment coinciding with the sale of Stewart-Haas Racing‘s charters, many believe the team has purchased a charter from Tony Stewart and Co. But this is where a few of the community’s questions needed answers.
As rumors stand, charters belonging to Stewart-Haas Racing are expected to sell for anywhere between $15-20 million. While teams like 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing have significant backing behind them to pursue those charters, some NASCAR fans were more concerned with how Front Row Motorsports was funding their charter expansion despite being a relatively smaller team. According to Kenny Wallace, the answer also rings true for all of the top NASCAR teams.
Kenny Wallace highlights the importance of investment in NASCAR
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Many insiders expected Front Row Motorsports’ charter announcement, but it certainly surprised fans. Speaking of which, Kenny Wallace uploaded a video on YouTube to answer the question one individual raised on SiriusXM’s NASCAR Radio. Wallace shared, “I got to thinking about this guy this morning, he was so upset, that he said, ‘Where in the world did Front Row Motorsports get their money, to buy that charter already?”
Whilst teams such as Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports are some of the biggest names in the sport, how has Front Row Motorsports managed to attain a third charter? According to Wallace, the answer lies in the passion team owners have for the sport. Despite knowing that racing itself doesn’t deliver great returns on investment, men like Coach Gibbs and Rick Hendrick have invested fortunes in the sport just to win.
Wallace highlighted, “Rick Hendrick is one of the wealthiest men in America because he sells a lot of cars, and he’s got his dealerships. Now these dealerships make money. However, racing doesn’t….Let’s look at Jack Roush, where does he get money? He designs things, he’s a builder. He designs parts and cars for Ford Motorsport. He’s a brilliant man.”
Revealing that most prominent NASCAR team owners recovered funds to run their racing ventures from their other businesses, Wallace then speculated about Front Row Motorsports’ investment. He shared, “So where did Front Row Motorsports get all their money? Well, the man (Bob Jenkins) probably has a business. That’s where they got the money. Or they went and borrowed the money because they have a sponsor that’s going to start that third team.”
While Wallace believes Jenkins ‘probably’ has a business, the reality is far grander. Bob Jenkins is the owner of over 260 Taco Bell franchises. Along with that, he also runs and manages several Long John Silver’s and A&W restaurants across America. Through this partnership with the Yum! Brands chain of restaurants, Jenkins has built quite the portfolio to be able to afford a third charter.
With that said, it’s safe to assume Front Row Motorsports might just have completely funded the third charter internally. However, not much is public regarding the terms of the charter purchase. There is another dilemma that now concerns the fans. Which driver will take that new FRM seat?
The most likely prospects for a ride with Front Row Motorsports
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With Michael McDowell’s departure and the arrival of a third charter, Front Row Motorsports is now on the hunt to find two full-time Cup Series drivers. Fortunately, they do not need to search too far, as a few promising candidates have become free agents after the Stewart-Haas Racing debacle.
Recently, Noah Gragson was rumored to be in talks with Richard Childress Racing. But with Kyle Busch adamant about returning next year and Austin Dillon caught up in a multi-year contract, RCR would need to bring a third charter themselves to field Gragson full-time. This means Front Row Motorsports could still be a viable option. However, there’s another driver from SHR that could be an even better bet for Jenkins.
Chase Briscoe has showcased great resilience this season. Despite starting the year on the back foot, Briscoe has managed to bring home five top-10s and one top-5 with an average finishing position of 15.214. This makes Briscoe a viable option for FRM, considering he also has race-winning experience. Still, if it’s a veteran crew chief that’s more important for FRM, Josh Berry could be the perfect choice with his ties to Rodney Childers.
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Moving over to the Xfinity Series, Front Row Motorsports could sign 2020 Kentucky winner and Xfinity Series title contender, Cole Custer. With a dominant run of six top 5s and nine top 10s this season, Custer would be a great long-term investment for Bob Jenkins to pursue.
Whoever may end up in the two Front Row Motorsports seats, it’s safe to say that Bob Jenkins has quite the catalog to choose from. With that said, who do you think deserves a full-time shot with FRM the most?