NASCAR Rumors: Noah Gragson Poised to Rejoin Chevrolet Alongside Kyle Busch Divides Racing Fandom

Speculations are afoot regarding Stewart-Haas Racing’s drivers. As they wield their cars every weekend for a crumbling team, tensions rise about their future. Noah Gragson is only in his first full-time NASCAR Cup year with the team and is bound for a bumpy road ahead. Yet Gragson has shown stellar performances in recent races and is drawing some likely employers.

NASCAR’s Silly Season projects several teams hoping to buy new charters and recruit fresh faces. But Richard Childress Racing was initially not one of them until Jordan Bianchi floated around some rumors. Gragson might end up beside veteran Kyle Busch and rejoin his old car manufacturer. But fans have offered mixed responses towards this possibility.

NASCAR Insiders talked about Noah Gragson’s rumor

Noah Gragson had ties with Richard Childress Racing before joining SHR. In 2022, Gragson made 10 of 18 starts under Kaulig Racing’s banner in the Xfinity Series. Kaulig and RCR are deeply connected, with the former housed on RCR’s campus. Kaulig also buys engines from Richard Childress-owned ECR. Despite the loose, indirect bond, Gragson is familiar with the RCR fold.

Recently, The Athletic journalist Jordan Bianchi claimed Noah Gragson may replace Austin Dillon in the No. 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr explained why he thought this was just a ‘rumor’. However, he also admitted Dillon’s suitability for a management role. “That’s really kind of far-fetched. Even though, I don’t know, Austin retiring and sending him to a managing role at RCR is something I see in his future…They’ve made some changes on his own team, to try and get him better, and he had a great run this past week. So maybe he still believes that there’s something left in the tank.”

Just in time, another rumor began to float, which cemented Noah Gragson’s future in RCR alongside Kyle Busch. But it all depends on a Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Martin Truex Jr‘s retirement plans. A NASCAR expert tweeted on X: “Per @SpotterBrett, there are rumors floating that @NoahGragson & @BassProShops head to @RCRracing with a 3rd charter. Truex retiring or not retiring could play a factor in this deal with the Bass Pro sponsorship.”

This significantly adds to the debate, as Martin Truex Jr recently admitted that 2024 may be his last show. DBC host Brett Griffin observed that if Truex does not retire, that would leave Gragson in a tight spot. “There’s a lot of rumors out there that Noah Gragson and Bass Pro Shops could even be going to RCR, and that could be an added Charter. And obviously, Bass Pro Shops has ties to Martin, so if Martin does retire that probably helps Noah’s scenario. If he doesn’t retire, I think it probably hurts Noah’s scenario, so you know there’s a lot of cards to fall.”

Ultimately, the sponsor will take the call on Noah Gragson’s future. But if he does end up competing beside Kyle Busch, it will be a unique team. And fans are not so sure about how good that would be.

The NASCAR community is split about Gragson

In 2023, Noah Gragson made a disgraceful exit from his former team, Legacy Motor Club. When Stewart-Haas Racing inducted him, people thought it was a huge gamble and lost all faith in the young driver. However, Gragson is turning around his fortunes. With two top-five and four top-ten finishes, he is restoring his credibility.

Hence, the rumors of entering Richard Childress Racing boosted some fans’ excitement. One fan was pumped at the idea of Gragson going back to a Chevrolet car, which he drove for JR Motorsports till 2022. “Would love to see Noah in a Bass Pro 33 car and back in a Chevrolet!” Another fan equated Gragson’s temperament with the RCR fold. “Makes sense. Noah Gragson fits RCR’s culture and Bass Pro Shops has been longtime backers of both.”

However, other fans threw cold water on the prospect, questioning RCR’s possible move to buy a third charter. One Kyle Busch fan highlighted financial concerns: “It’s probably a no brainer to add a third charter. Now you’ll have a third stream of income. Makes sense over just paying out KFB. Honestly, I would love to just see RCR be really competitive.” Keeping Busch’s streak of misery aside, his teammate Austin Dillon has not been a brilliant driver. One fan hilariously warned Richard Childress: “A third baby won’t save the marriage, Richard.”

The NASCAR community is obviously divided about Noah Gragson’s future in RCR. But let us wait and see if Martin Truex Jr retires, as that would ultimately determine Gragson’s direction.