“Gonna Be Extremely Odd”: Noah Gragson Gets Seal of Approval from Former Kevin Harvick Insider After the No. 4 Finds A New Home

Neha Dwivedi | 04/01/2025
Nov 10, 2024; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson (10) during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

After a year and a half of full-time racing with two different teams — Legacy Motor Club and Stewart-Haas Racing — Noah Gragson is set to join his third Cup team in as many years, this time taking the wheel for Front Row Motorsports, but this time with an iconic number. Starting in the 2025 season, Gragson will pilot the No. 4 Ford Mustang, as recently announced.

The #4, a number previously associated with SHR, found a new home after the team sold one of its charters to Front Row Motorsports following its dissolution.

Consequently, not only has the charter transferred, but the number has also been adopted by FRM. From 2025, the #4 will represent a completely revamped team, with Gragson at the helm and Drew Blickensderfer continuing as his crew chief in this new arrangement.

During the announcement, Gragson expressed his appreciation: “I’m grateful to have my crew chief, Drew, along with four members from last year’s team, join Front Row Motorsports. This gives us a strong foundation to hit the ground running in the 2025 season.”

Sponsorship details for the team have yet to be disclosed, though.

Kevin Harvick, the former driver of the #4 car, retired in 2023, and Rodney Childers, its previous crew chief, joined Spire Motorsports after the 2024 season. The car’s most recent driver, Josh Berry, has transitioned to Wood Brothers Racing.

Childers expressed his sentiments about no longer being part of the #4 team by posting on his X account: “Definitely gonna be extremely odd for me to see the 4️⃣ on track this year. But I’m super happy for @NoahGragson and @drewblick .. They will do great things. “

Harvick and Childers transformed the #4 into the number of excellence by winning the Cup Series championship in their debut season together at SHR in 2014. Harvick became the winningest #4 driver, amassing 37 victories. Rex White, who secured the Cup championship in 1960, previously held the record with 26 wins.

The previous #4 driver, Josh Berry, wrapped up his rookie NASCAR Cup Season in P27 place, achieving four top-10 finishes and two top-5s. Meanwhile, Gragson, who boasts 75 career starts in the premier division, secured the P24 position with an average finish of 19.55 by season’s end, notching seven top-10s and a single top-5 finish.

Blickensderfer, set to become Gragson’s crew chief for the No. 4 car, is no stranger to Front Row Motorsports. During his previous tenure at FRM, back in 2021, he had guided Michael McDowell and the #34 Ford Mustang team, playing an important role in the latter’s Daytona 500 victory. In a recent press release, Blickensderfer shared his enthusiasm about coming back to FRM:

“I’m excited to be back with Front Row Motorsports. I had a great experience working for Bob (Jenkins) and Jerry (Freeze) before, and now returning alongside Noah makes this opportunity even more special.”

However, Blickensderfer isn’t the only one transitioning his expertise from SHR to FRM; he will be accompanied by interior specialist Chris Trickett, engine tuner Matt Moeller, engineer Dillon Silverman, and transport driver Matt Murphy, who will all join Bob Jenkins’ team in 2025.

Post Edited By: Srijan Mandal
Drew Blickensderfer Kevin Harvick Noah Gragson Rodney Childers

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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