The 2025 Silly Season looks a whole lot different than it did at this time one month ago.
It started on May 28, when Stewart-Haas Racing announced that it would shut its doors for good at the end of 2024. The loss is not only monumental to the Cup Series, as the two-time champions will not see the green flag for the first time in 16 years, but also for manufacturer Ford.
With the closure, four of its Cup teams are out the window, as well as two of its Xfinity Series teams. That leaves Ford’s developmental pipeline in absolute shambles. In the Craftsman Truck Series, the only Ford teams are ThorSport Racing, Reaume Brothers Racing and Front Row Motorsports.
ThorSport either has veterans locked in long term or young guns who need another year or two of development before even being considered for promotion. FRM’s driver Layne Riggs has a multiyear deal in place, while RBR doesn’t have any drivers in its stable worthy of promotion.
Ford’s Xfinity pipeline isn’t much better. With SHR’s demise at season’s end, that leaves AM Racing’s one-car team and RSS Racing’s four-car team (counting its offshoot team of Viking Motorsports), plus the part-time team of Rette Jones Racing, as the manufacturer’s only organizations going forward in Xfinity.
Much like ThorSport, RSS is full of drivers either in its stable for the long haul or not quite ready for promotion. AM’s driver Hailie Deegan has had a rookie season from hell, and it will be a little bit before she’s even considered for promotion — if that day even comes.
That leaves its Cup Series teams. FRM will have at least three cars by way of purchasing one of SHR’s charters. With Michael McDowell leaving at season’s end, Todd Gilliland will have two new teammates yet to be determined or announced. Rick Ware Racing has two rides, one of which is occupied by Justin Haley with the other split between Kaz Grala, Riley Herbst and Cody Ware (however, RWR would be fools to not consider Grala for a full-time ride with the job he’s done so far this season).
RFK Racing’s two-car operation is filled for the foreseeable future, while the same goes for Team Penske. That leaves Wood Brothers Racing and its one-car operation with Harrison Burton. Burton is on the flaming hot seat, and has been for years. There’s a more than high probability that Burton will not return to the No. 21 next season.
The name that has been most attached to the ride for 2025 is Chase…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at …