Chandler Smith started the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season on a high note, but lost some enthusiasm over the summer. In the last 12 races, Smith has just four top-10 finishes and hasn’t led many laps outside of Iowa Speedway. However, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver can walk away from the No. 81 Xfinity in 2025? Recent rumors suggest that this is a possibility.
According to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Smith is among the drivers in contention to take over Front Row Motorsports’ third-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series. This is a shocking development, as Smith moved from Toyota to Chevrolet and then back to Toyota.
That means he could join Ford despite a strong season in the Xfinity Series. Front Row Motorsports will only improve its performance over the next few seasons after raising its relationship with Ford to Tier 1. Perhaps Smith sees the potential in a move to Front Row Motorsports and has put his head on the arena. It will be interesting to see if Smith gets a Cup Series car or returns to the Xfinity Series for another season.
Hendrick Motorsports has tied up the surprise NASCAR Cup Series driver in 2024
Hendrick Motorsports has a great roster of drivers with two NASCAR Cup Series champions, a rising star and a consistent winner every year. However, when it comes to a possible change of driver, Alex Bowman is still the one mentioned, as the other three seem to have solid long-term plans.
Could Bowman be leaving the race for another NASCAR driver? In Bob Pockrass’ latest update on NASCAR driver lineup predictions for 2025, he mentioned the possibility that Justin Haley could be more in contention for a car at Hendrick Motorsports. Haley has already announced his commitment to Rick Ware Racing, but is considered the favorite to join Spire Motorsports, which has a close relationship with Hendrick Motorsports.
Pockrass said, “A good performance at [Spire Motorsports] could put [Justin Haley] in a better position for a job at [Hendrick Motorsports] (or another Chevrolet).” Could Haley join Hendrick Motorsports instead of Bowman in a few years? If the No. 48 car driver struggles and Haley thrives in Spire Motorsports, that could be a realistic scenario in 2026 or 2027.
