3 struggling NASCAR teams needing a new direction in 2025
The 2024 NASCAR regular season has been a rollercoaster ride for teams, with some finding immense success, while others have struggled.
Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing have had top performances in the 2024 NASCAR season. Meanwhile, Kaulig Racing, Front Row Motorsport and Richard Childress Racing have struggled the most.
As the regular season comes to a close, here's a list of teams that need a new direction in 2025.
#3 Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing's performances in 2024 can be termed statistically unsatisfactory, as the drivers of the Matt Kaulig-owned team finished their race mostly outside the top 10. As a result, they are out of the playoffs race, with one race to go in Darlington next weekend.
Kaulig Racing's Chevrolet neither had the fastest qualifying nor a formidable race pace. They failed to register a victory to secure NASCAR playoff spot. Their only full-time driver, Daniel Hemric, managed four top-10 finishes but no stage wins or top-5s.
Hemric is 28th in the NASCAR regular-season with 365 points after 25 races. Kaulig Racing also fields another car in the Cup Series, with Shane van Gisbergen, AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon as its driver, but they couldn't make much inroads.
#2 Front Row Motorsport
Front Row Motorsport's performance peaked when two of its drivers started the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race from the first row. FRM only fields two full-time Cup Series drivers, and both Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland were leading the race at Daytona last weekend.
However, fortune didn't favor them, as they failed to register victory. Both Gilliland and McDowell didn't finish the race, losing yet another chance to qualify for the playoffs. With the final regular-season race left at Darlington, it's a do-or-die situation for them.
Gilliland and McDowell are respectively 20th and 22nd in the regular season with 480 and 459 points. Together, they have had nine DNFs in 25 races. Only a stage win at Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta in February was the Front Row Motorsport driver's highlight of the season.
#1 Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing's highlight of the season was Austin Dillon's victory at Richmond during the Cook Out 400.
It was the only race win by RCR in 25 outings this season, but Dillon's move on Joey Logano on the final lap proved to be very costly. Despite winning the race, Dillon lost the chance to take part in the playoffs.
Furthermore, NASCAR deducted 25 driver and owner points and suspended spotter Brandan Benesch for three races, which exacerbated the situation. As things stand, both RCR cars are out of playoffs with one race to go, after Kyle Busch's underwhelming performances all season.
The #8 driver has been winless since claiming the 2021 Credit Karma Money 250 in Atlanta. He's 16th in the regular-season standings with 552 points and stands 103 points outside the playoff cutline. Dillon, meanwhile, is 29th with 360 points in the NASCAR driver standings.