Noah Gragson faced a tumultuous 2023 season after being indefinitely suspended by NASCAR and Legacy Motor Club for conduct violations tied to inappropriate social media behavior concerning a sensitive social issue. However, the 2024 season marked a fairly good resurgence for him with Stewart-Haas Racing, culminating in a P24 finish overall.
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He managed to secure one top-5 and seven top-10 finishes throughout the year. In contrast, his stint with Legacy Motor Club in 2023 saw him competing in 22 races, with his best performance being a P12 finish at Atlanta, without securing any top-5 or top-10 placements.
Reflecting on his journey, Gragson shared, “I still ride the waves of the highs are good and the lows are low and get frustrated like anybody. But to be able to have a bad run the prior week and bounce back the next week and put yourself back on the map. Last year … I don’t think we had a good run. Not one. It wasn’t fun. I’m having more fun.”
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Gragson kicked off the season with promise, securing a ninth-place finish during the 2024 Daytona 500. However, his momentum stumbled at Atlanta, where he finished in P36 after a pre-race inspection led to an L1-level penalty for himself and his team, stripping him of 35 owner and driver points due to unapproved roof rails.
Yet, he made a swift comeback the following week in Las Vegas, claiming a P6-place finish, and later achieved a career-best P3-place finish at Talladega. With Stewart-Haas Racing winding down its NASCAR operations, Gragson is set to steer towards a new course with Front Row Motorsports, taking the wheel of one of their entries for the upcoming year.
Gragson shared his mindset entering the 2024 season
Revealing the uncertainty that clouded his future after he departed from Legacy Motor Club in 2023, Gragson’s career received a lifeline from Tony Stewart, culminating in a multi-year contract that revitalized his spirits. Reflecting on the transition, Gragson expressed,
“I think getting an opportunity for next year with everything going away, the goal was to just get back on the map. The main goal was to get back on the map and show we can run competitively. With that being said, it’s been a privilege to be in this opportunity.”
Now aligned with his third team in as many years, it’s a waiting game to see if Gragson can maintain his current form and continue to secure more top-5 and top-10 finishes.
