NASCAR Rumor: After Gene Haas’ Bombshell, Richard Childress Could Acquire a Third Charter From ‘Mystery Team,’ Eyeing Noah Gragson

This NASCAR silly season has been one for the record books. Although it is usually an entertaining prospect for the community to engage with, this year, it’s already running on overdrive. Gene Haas announced on Thursday that he will retain one of the SHR charters, running his own NASCAR racing operation: “My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement.”

The Haas Factory Team will field one Cup Series car and continue operating their two-team operations in the Xfinity Series. This news has opened multiple opportunities for both teams and drivers. This move could potentially allow Richard Childress to make his move on Noah Gragson, who has long been linked with the team since SHR’s exit announcement. The straightforward path to onboarding Gragson would be to buy one of the two remaining SHR charters. However, Childress has another route and option to consider.

Kaulig Racing could be putting out a charter for sale

Now that only two charters are available on the market, it makes it hard for RCR to get their hands on them. Notably, 23XI Racing and Trackhouse have long been linked to buying a charter each. Currently, it is hard to see RCR indulge in a bidding war against its rival teams. But, according to NASCAR content creator Eric Estepp, Kaulig Racing might just help RCR get a third charter.

In a video on his YouTube channel, Estepp said on Friday, “Originally, there were rumors that RCR might be interested in buying that fourth charter, but now there’s rumors that they could be getting that charter from someone else. There are at least one or two supposed mystery teams open to selling. My guess is Kaulig is one of them as much as they say they’re not interested in selling.”

Back in January, Kaulig Racing president Chris Rice told SiriusXM NASCAR, “We’re not looking to sell. We never have been, we never will be. Does that mean we’re not looking for partners and different things? We’re always looking for partners. We’re looking for people who want to partner with us.” Estepp mentioned how Kaulig’s potential charter “sale” may not be called that. It’ll likely just be called a “partnership,” which is precisely what Rice said.

It’s also important to note that Kaulig Racing already has a partnership with Richard Childress Racing. Not only does the team have a technical alliance with RCR, but it also houses its race shops on Childress’ campus. Considering this, it is possible that RCR could get that third charter from Kaulig and get Gragson on board. However, Richard Childress must be wary of other rival teams that could play spoilsport in his grand scheme.

Legacy Motor Club and Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing are also in the running to add another charter. Recently, Keselowski let slip his desire to steal Trackhouse Racing’s Connor Zilisch if he was to get his hands on one. But it’s unclear how invested or aggressive the two teams are in acquiring an additional charter. As mentioned earlier, even if RCR manages to forge ties with Kaulig, it could result in some sort of strategic partnership that allows Richard’s team to field a third car.

When news of SHR’s shutdown surfaced, rumors were already tying Gragson to RCR. Journalist Jordan Bianchi claimed, “Noah Gragson might replace Austin Dillon in the No. 3 car at RCR.” However, Dale Earnhardt Jr didn’t believe that would happen. In an episode of Dale Jr Download, the veteran said, “I’ve heard rumors that Noah could be going to the #3. I don’t believe those rumors. That’s really kinda far-fetched. Even though Austin retiring and setting into a managing role at RCR is something I see in his future, I don’t know if that time has come.”

If these rumors about Kaulig ‘selling’ a charter to RCR are true, that may not need to happen for Noah Gragson to get a seat there. Meanwhile, with this recent shuffle in the driver market amidst the silly season, there are also a lot of rumors and speculations about the drivers and their potential landing spots before the start of the 2025 season.

Here’s the latest on the rumors surrounding drivers’ movements

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Even if Richard Childress Racing somehow managed to get hold of a third charter, they would have only managed to fill the easy part of the puzzle. Adding a driver to a new team is demanding, as it can make or break a particular team’s racing project. Fortunately, the teams won’t have to tussle for one or two options available on the market, as there are plenty of drivers looking for a seat.

One of the biggest rumors circulating online is that 2023 Xfinity champion Cole Custer is seen as the favorite to take on the Cup ride at Haas Factory Team. Even Estepp said, “I think Cole Custer will drive for Haas Factory Team in Cup.” Custer already had his run in the Cup Series with SHR, and Haas already sponsors his Xfinity #00 car. So, this move could very well be on the cards and would make sense. As a result, Ryan Preece could find himself in Xfinity, replacing Custer. His chances of finding a Cup ride are pretty slim at the moment.

With Gragson linked to RCR and Chase Briscoe presumed to replace Martin Truex Jr at JGR, which was all but confirmed by a slip-up from Christopher Bell, this opens a door for Josh Berry to find his next team. With Front Row Motorsports now in need of two drivers, Berry is a good option to consider. Moreover, it would be a good pick on FRM’s part if veteran crew chief Rodney Childers decides to come on board with his driver. On the other hand, Riley Herbst is also linked with a move to 23XI Racing if they add that third charter.

The 2024 silly season has already lived up to its billing. However, considering that all the puzzle pieces have yet to be put in place, this is expected to deliver more twists and turns.