NASCAR announcement leaves two open seats for 2025

Amid ongoing litigation stemming from their decision not to sign the new NASCAR charter agreement, 23XI Racing have confirmed that they do indeed plan to expand from two to three cars for the 2025 Cup Series season.

The Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned team, long believed to have acquired a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, announced that they have added the No. 35 Toyota to their roster for the 2025 season, and Riley Herbst is set to drive it full-time.

Herbst is set to join Bubba Wallace, who is set to enter his fifth season behind the wheel of the No. 23 Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, who is set to enter his third season behind the wheel of the No. 45 Toyota.

The move leaves two open seats for the 2025 season, among the (expected) charter entries.

Following the announcement that RFK Racing would be adding a third car for Ryan Preece by leasing a charter from Rick Ware Racing, Rick Ware Racing have just one seat to fill for the 2025 season. Whether they run the No. 15 Ford or the No. 51 Ford remains to be seen, but it's not hard to imagine that they will have multiple drivers in the car throughout the year.

Then there is Front Row Motorsports, which find themselves in almost the exact same spot as 23XI Racing. They acquired a third charter from Stewart-Haas Racing, but they too did not sign the new agreement.

It has long been expected that Zane Smith, who won the 2022 Truck Series championship for the team, will return after losing his Spire Motorsports ride to former Front Row Motorsports driver Michael McDowell.

Former Stewart-Haas Racing driver Noah Gragson is effectively set to replace McDowell, but it is current Front Row Motorsports driver Todd Gilliland who is set to move to McDowell's No. 34 Ford. It is unknown whether Gragson will drive the No. 36 Ford or the No. 38 Ford that Gilliland has driven, but one of them remains open.

Among teams that have actually signed the charter agreement for 2025, 30 of the 36 charters are accounted for since both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are planning to enter three cars on a full-time basis.

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to get underway with the 67th annual Daytona 500. Fox is set to provide live coverage of the race from Daytona International Speedway starting at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 16.