“He’s very relatable to fans”: Front Row Motorsports owner explains factors behind Noah Gragson's signing

Noah Gragson is ready to join Front Row Motorsports on a multi-year deal, starting with the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. The announcement was made on Wednesday at the NASCAR Productions Facility. Bob Jenkins, the owner of the Front Row Motorsports team, also explained why Gragson is an ideal fit for the team.

Gragson debuted in the Cup series in 2022, participating in 18 races with Beard Motorsports, Kaulig Racing, and Hendrick Motorsports. His 2023 full-time stint with Legacy Motorsports was abruptly halted when Jimmie Johnson's team and NASCAR suspended him after screenshots emerged showing Gragson "liking" an Instagram meme that trivialized the death of George Floyd, an event that triggered global outrage in 2020.

NASCAR reinstated Gragson later that year, and he soon signed with SHR for the 2024 season. However, with SHR closing its doors at the end of the season, Gragson needed a new team, and FRM eventually signed him. When asked about the decision to sign Noah Gragson as a replacement for Michael McDowell, Jenkins explained to Claire B Lang:

"He's [Noah Gragson] not quite as conservative as some of the other drivers we've had in the past. I think the fans, you know, obviously he's one of the most popular drivers out there in only two years. And so I think he's very relatable to fans and they respond to him."

"I've watched him go to the garage, he never walks past a fan who wants an autograph. So, he just so appreciates being a part of NASCAR and loves this opportunity and I feel the same way. So, I think in that regard we're equal," Jenkins added.

Next season will also see Gragson reunite with Gilliland, his former teammate at the now-defunct Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series, where they raced together from 2017 to 2018.

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Who is going to be the third FRM driver after Noah Gragson?

Noah Gragson will replace Michael McDowell, who is moving to Spire Motorsports next season. Meanwhile, Front Row Motorsports will acquire a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing and is on the lookout for another driver to complete their lineup. When Bob Jenkins was questioned about filling the third car after Noah Gragson, he said [via NASCAR]:

"Without knowing exactly who’s going be driving our third car, it’s hard for me to say everything. But I think this is what you can expect. I think you’re going to have three young but experienced drivers that they’re youthful, that they’ve gotten that first couple of years out of the way and I think people will look at Front Row Motorsports and say ‘this is a team that could be together for a long time.’"

In his second official full-time season in the Cup Series, Gragson has managed one top-five finish, six top 10s, and an average finish of 18.3 in 20 races while driving the #10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.