NASCAR: 5 drivers who could earn their first playoff spot
By Asher Fair
Drivers who could steal their first playoff spots: No. 4 – Noah Gragson
Perhaps no up-and-coming team flew under the radar as much as Petty GMS Motorsports, which have since been rebranded as Legacy Motor Club following the addition of seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson, did late in the 2022 season.
Everyone wanted to talk about how Martin Truex Jr. finished in fourth place in the regular season standings but wasn’t one of the 16 playoff drivers. There was another driver in the top 16, however, who was denied a playoff spot, and that was Erik Jones.
Jones responded by winning the opening playoff race, finding victory lane for the first time since 2019 and becoming a two-time winner of the famed Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Richard Petty hadn’t won a race as a team owner since 2014.
Unfortunately, teammate Ty Dillon had an underwhelming season in 2023, finishing more than 300 points behind Jones in the standings.
But his replacement, Noah Gragson, should be able to capitalize on the team’s resurgence. Gragson won a series-high eight Xfinity Series races, including four in a row at one point, and competed in select Cup Series races (including some at Hendrick Motorsports as Alex Bowman’s replacement). Now a full-time driver, he is poised for success from the get-go.
And this almost goes without saying, but don’t underestimate the impact of the addition of Johnson as not only a co-owner but as a part-time driver. Adding the 83-time winner to an organization that is already on the up could pay off in a big way.