Earlier this season, Noah Gragson had one of the most unceremonious exits in recent NASCAR history, after being at the center of controversy. It didn’t take long for Legacy Motor Club to let go of Gragson while still in his rookie season. Now with just a couple of races remaining before the postseason dawns upon us, there have been lingering questions surrounding Gragson’s future prospects within the sport.
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Is it likely that he will return to Xfinity, or will any team be willing to give him another opportunity at the Cup level despite his abysmal performance? Discussing this topic, Bubba Wallace insider Freddie Kraft shared his thoughts regarding the former LMC driver and his possible future.
Bubba Wallace’s spotter discusses potential future avenues for Noah Gragson
While speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Freddie Kraft mentioned, “Silly season right now just revolved around… a couple of drivers. Noah Gragson being one of them. Noah’s there… He’s floating around…”
“JGR has obviously got open seats. There’s a lot of nobody really knows what’s going on over there Xfinity-wise. I think you’re gonna have one All-Star car and two full-time guys and the full-time guys can surprise a lot of people.” He further explained that was the only place with an opening where he could go and win a couple of races since JRM and RCR were already filled up.
Kraft added, “I would put JGR a step ahead of Kaulig as far as just raw speed in the XFINITY series. He could win races at Kaulig for sure… But you know, like if you’re going to step in somewhere and then Kaulig, he was at Kaulig last year he ran out the Cup car part-time. So it’s a natural fit there.”
“But he kind of, I think he controls some of the options there… If it’s not Noah is it Cole Custer probably getting back in the #10 or maybe a surprise guy? So it’ll be interesting to see how it plays out. But I think that you know, starting to wind down for sure.”
Can Gragson make a strong comeback soon enough?
Around last month, NASCAR made the decision to reinstate Gragson after he successfully completed a mandated program. Thereafter, the former LMC driver has been open for business. At the moment there have been several speculations regarding where he could potentially land come next season.
It’s important not to underestimate Gragson’s potential, given his impressive performances in the Xfinity Series last year. While no team seems to be making arrangements for Gragson to join their ranks yet, if a team were to take a chance on him, it could be a situation similar to that of Kyle Larson, who ultimately proved himself to be a championship-winning driver.
It’s difficult to predict what the future holds for him in NASCAR, but based on his impressive track record, it’s likely that he’ll receive an opportunity sooner rather than later. Whether it’s in the Xfinity series or elsewhere, Gragson might prove that he’s up for any challenge and would undoubtedly work hard to earn his way back to the top tier of NASCAR.
