As “Auld Lang Syne” is performed everywhere in the globe this New Yr’s Eve, the beginning of the 2025 NASCAR season is barely somewhat greater than a month away.
Each NASCAR staff — even these on the high of the totem pole — has a minimum of one space wherein they will enhance in 2025. Listed here are New Yr’s resolutions for 3 of one of the best organizations within the NASCAR Cup Sequence: Crew Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing.
Crew Penske: Discovering constant pace
Sure, Penske might have gained the championship three years in a row, however the best way wherein they’ve performed it has been quite unconventional. Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney gained their titles by catching fireplace on the finish of the season, and whereas that is factor, it additionally signifies that they sacrifice efficiency all through the remainder of the 12 months.
Logano’s 2024 marketing campaign is arguably the worst season ever out collectively by a NASCAR champion, and if the staff carried out to their full potential for 36 weeks, it might be a way more frequent customer to victory lane.
With that being stated, Penske should not sweat it if this decision does not come to fruition, because the staff appears to be doing simply wonderful. In any case, the championship is the tip purpose of each group, irrespective of the way it’s attained.
Hendrick Motorsports: Stepping up within the championship race
This decision will take 35 weeks to play out, and it is under no circumstances a assure that HMS could have a automobile competing for the championship at Phoenix. If one among Rick Hendrick’s 4 entries does occur to make the Championship 4, nevertheless, it nearly appears crucial that his driver takes house the Invoice France Cup.
Over the previous three seasons, Hendrick has been house to the winningest driver in NASCAR for that given season (Chase Elliott in 2022, William Byron in 2023, Kyle Larson in 2024) however has but to take house the championship, regardless of Elliott and Byron competing for it in 2022 and 2023, respectively. For a corporation constructed by championship trophies, closing the deal within the sport’s second-most essential occasion is a should in 2025.
Joe Gibbs Racing: Getting one other automobile into the Championship 4
Joe Gibbs Racing is in an attention-grabbing spot going into 2025. Its most tenured and profitable driver in Denny Hamlin hasn’t made the Championship 4 since 2021. Its youngest driver in Ty Gibbs is coming into simply his third season of Cup Sequence competitors, whereas Chase Briscoe is coming into his first season with JGR.
Christopher Bell — who made the Championship 4 in 2022 and 2023 and was a nook away from doing so once more in 2024 — appears to be the staff’s finest hope at a title in 2025. If Gibbs needs to get again to dominant kind, nevertheless, its purpose needs to be to place half of its automobiles into the championship race.
