Another domino has fallen in NASCAR's Silly Season as Front Row Motorsports has added a third Cup team to its operation.
Front Row Motorsports, which currently fields two full-time entries, announced Wednesday afternoon that it had purchased a third charter for the 2025 Cup Series season. The team will have three full-time Cup entries and a full-time Truck Series entry next season.
The charter is NASCAR's version of a franchise. It guarantees entry into every race and secures a larger portion of each race's prize purse.
"We have a very positive outlook on the future of NASCAR and as the sport plans for success, so do we," said team owner Bob Jenkins in a statement.
"Today that means having a plan for expanding back to three cars in the NASCAR Cup Series. I always have the vision to continue to grow and improve our team and that commitment and desire never changes. I am committed to the sport and its passionate fans and partners."
The announcement comes one day after Stewart-Haas Racing said it would cease operations after the 2024 season. Front Row Motorsports was long-rumored to be one of the teams interested in acquiring one of SHR's four charters.
The purchase of a third charter is only the latest move made by Front Row Motorsports this season. Prior to the Daytona 500, FRM announced a competition alliance with Team Penske and an expanded partnership with Ford Performance.
FRM said in its press release that there will be later announcements about the driver lineup.
Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland both drive full-time for FRM in Cup. McDowell, who has won two races in the No. 34 Ford, previously announced that he will move to Spire Motorsports on a multi-year deal after the 2024 season.
Gilliland does not have a contract for next season but he has shown signs of improvement while setting career highs in laps led (95) and average finish (21.7).
There will also be multiple other options available heading toward the 2025 Cup season, including the current SHR lineup.
Chase Briscoe has one Cup win. Josh Berry and Noah Gragson have both led laps and posted multiple top-10 finishes. Ryan Preece has 165 starts at NASCAR's top level split between two teams. Though the ability to bring in sponsors will potentially play a role in determining which drivers secure an opportunity for 2025.
On the Xfinity side, Cole Custer has Cup experience and a Cup win on his resume. Riley Herbst has made limited starts in Cup but has a major sponsor, Monster Energy, and two top-10 finishes in six starts. One of these top-10s was in a Front Row Motorsports Ford.
"It is good to get the news out now as we have a lot of work to do to prepare a new team," said FRM General Manager Jerry Freeze. "All of us on the leadership team will be working through that, obtaining the parts and pieces needed for the new team. And, most importantly, adding to the dedicated and talented staff and culture that exists today within our organization.
"Starting a new team from scratch is always a challenge, but with the opportunities in front of us, the talent we have in our leadership, and a bit of a runway to get there, I am confident that we can produce three competitive programs out of the box for the 2025 season. We haven't lost sight of what our goals for 2024 are, to get our teams into the playoffs for both series. If we can keep up the speed on track and have a little bit of luck to come our way, we can achieve our objectives."