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 and continue running his own NASCAR racing operation. The Haas Factory Team will field one Cup Series car and also continue operating their two-team operations in the Xfinity Series.

This news has now opened the door for multiple opportunities for both teams and drivers. And going by the recent rumor mills, this move would now allow Richard Childress to make his move on Noah Gragson, who has long been linked with the team, since SHR’s exit from NASCAR. The straightforward path to onboarding Gragson would be to buy one of the two remaining SHR charters. However, Richard Childress has another route and option to consider to add a third team and a driver to his roster.

Kaulig Racing could be putting out a charter for sale

Now that there are only two charters 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. And in the current circumstances, it is hard to see RCR indulge itself in a bidding war against its rival teams. But, according to a NASCAR insider, Kaulig Racing might just help RCR get a third charter.

“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 somewhere 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,” NASCAR Insider Eric Estepp shared via his YouTube channel.

However, Richard Childress will need to 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. But it’s not clear how invested or aggressive the two teams are in acquiring an additional charter. Even if RCR does manage to forge ties with Kaulig, it could result in some sort of strategic partnership that allows Richard’s team to field a third car.

Meanwhile, with this recent shuffle, there are also a lot of rumors and speculations about the drivers and where they could land before the start of the 2025 season.

Here’s the latest on the rumors surrounding drivers movement

Even if the team did somehow manage to get hold of the charter, they would have only managed to fill the easy part of the puzzle. Adding driver to a new team is certainly an arduous task, as it can certainly make or break the racing project of a particular team. 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 Cole Custer is seen as the favorite to take on the Cup ride at Hass Factory Team. Custer already had his run in the Cup Series with SHR, and his Xfinity No. 00 car is already sponsored by Haas. So, this move could very well be on the cards and would make sense. As a result of this move, 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 is 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 onboard 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. But considering all the puzzle pieces are yet to be put in place, this it is expected to deliver more twists and turns.