Ranking 3 big NASCAR Silly Season moves as the 2025 Daytona 500 inch closer

With the 2025 Daytona 500 right around the corner, NASCAR's driver market has reportedly undergone changes that will impact next season's racing. The off-season has seen major changes with Stewart-Haas Racing's closure forcing drivers to find new teams, while other teams expand their operations.

Stewart-Haas Racing a longtime NASCAR powerhouse, is closing down, with Gene Haas retaining one charter to launch Haas Factory Team in 2025. The organization's other charters were sold to Front Row Motorsports and Trackhouse Racing

Spire Motorsports, which is making aggressive moves to become more competitive, expanded to three Cup Series teams and took on Kyle Busch Motorsports' truck program in 2024.

Drivers like Michael McDowell and Justin Haley are set to take on new challenges, while Chase Briscoe looks for a fresh start at Joe Gibbs Racing after Martin Truex Jr.’s retirement.

Here are the top three moves during the NASCAR Silly Season.

#3 Ryan Preece to RFK Racing

Ryan Preece will join RFK (Image Source: Imagn)

RFK Racing confirmed that Ryan Preece would drive their new No. 60 Ford next season. The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver joins the team as they add a third full-time entry, backed by Kroger. After showing promise in subpar equipment throughout his career, Preece finally lands with a team on the rise. RFK has shown steady improvement under Brad Keselowski's leadership, bagging multiple wins in 2024 through both Keselowski and Chris Buescher.

Preece's background in modified racing, where he has over 25 wins, makes him an interesting addition to RFK. The Connecticut native has proven particularly strong at short tracks and superspeedways during his Cup career. His career-best Cup finish was a fourth-place result at Daytona in 2021. With RFK's recent success at superspeedways, including Buescher's 2023 Daytona summer race win, Preece could finally break through for his first Cup victory.

#2. Riley Herbst Steps into the NASCAR Cup Series with 23XI

Riley Herbst will join 23XI Racing (Image Source: Imagn) NASCAR: NASCAR Cup Series Championship/Michael McDowell - Source: Imagn

23XI Racing is taking a chance on Xfinity Series regular Riley Herbst, putting him in their new No. 35 Toyota for 2025. The Monster Energy-backed driver earned three Xfinity wins and showed steady improvement over five seasons. His move to Cup comes as 23XI expands to three cars despite ongoing charter discussions with NASCAR. Herbst joins veterans Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, giving the Toyota team a mix of youth and experience.

The Las Vegas driver performed impressively in his Cup debut, scoring a top-10 in the 2023 Daytona 500. Herbst comes from a racing family - his grandfather Jerry and father Troy both competed in off-road racing. The 24-year-old showed his potential in 2024, making the Xfinity Series Championship 4 and scoring multiple wins.

23XI's expansion shows their commitment to developing young talent, with co-owner Denny Hamlin specifically praising Herbst's progression through NASCAR's ranks.

#1. Spire Motorsports rope in Michael McDowell

Michael McDowell will race for Spire Motorsports in 2025 (Image Source: Imagn)

The biggest splash comes from Spire Motorsports. They landed Michael McDowell for their No. 71 Chevrolet and added championship crew chief Rodney Childers to lead Justin Haley's No. 7 team. McDowell brings a decade of Cup experience and a Daytona 500 win to the growing organization. The Arizona native enjoyed his best season in 2023, scoring his second career win at Indianapolis and making the playoffs with Front Row Motorsports.

Meanwhile, Childers' arrival from Stewart-Haas Racing gives Spire elite technical leadership after winning a title and 40 races with Kevin Harvick. Their partnership was one of the most successful in NASCAR history, dominating the 2020 season with nine wins. Childers will work with Haley, who showed promise with Kaulig Racing before joining Spire mid-2024. The young driver already has a Cup win at Daytona and four Xfinity victories to his name.

Spire's growth from a single-car underdog to a multi-car contender is one of NASCAR's most remarkable recent success stories. The team purchased its first charter in 2018 for $6 million, a value that has since significantly gone up.

These three moves will shake up NASCAR's competitive makeup heading into next season. While RFK and 23XI grow their operations, Spire's aggressive expansion stands out as the one to watch when cars hit the track at Daytona.