For Noah Gragson, the strange part of this NASCAR season was not knowing what came next. Front Row Motorsports had not locked down his future, his new crew chief, Grant Hutchens, was still settling in, and the results gave everyone another reason to ask questions. Now, thankfully for him, at least one of those problems is gone.
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Gragson has a 2027 seat, and he says the relationship within the organization is finally starting to feel like it should. After struggling for months, Gragson now sees a different Front Row Motorsports.
“The Cup Series, it’s been rocky, it’s been shaky,” he told Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.
That is how Gragson described the season. After 24 races, he’s 31st in the points with 307 points. He has no wins, no top-five finishes and one top-10, a ninth-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway. His average start is 28.7, and his average finish is 24.3. Just two laps led and four DNFs to his name. It’s been a rather forgettable season.
The No. 4 team has had another adjustment to make. Hutchens took over as Gragson’s crew chief this season after Drew Blickensderfer moved into a competition director role. Finding a new rapport in this driver-crew chief relationship takes time, especially when the car is not giving them much to work with.
Gragson says that part is finally moving forward. He feels the team communicates better now, and he is seeing more of the chemistry that was missing earlier in the year.
“It takes building that camaraderie and that communication. It certainly takes time. And I’m starting to see the turning point right now,” he continued.
The results still lag behind that feeling. Todd Gilliland is 23rd in points for Front Row Motorsports, while Zane Smith sits 24th. Gilliland also won the million-dollar In-Season Challenge, and Smith has two top-five finishes and six top-10s. Gragson has only three finishes inside the top 15. Even so, he believes the No. 4 group is getting closer.
“And we’re really making strides on, you know, our relationship and our communication, and we’re almost firing on, you know, all cylinders now,” Gragson stated.
That is where the new contract factors in. Gragson will remain with Front Row Motorsports through the 2027 Cup season, with options that could keep him there longer. After moving through JR Motorsports, the Cup ranks and Stewart-Haas Racing, he finally knows where he will be next year.
“Getting an extension with Front Row Motorsports is great just as far as the stability side. Not having to do that restart process once again. It’s been tough, no doubt.” But I know that Bob Jenkins and Jerry Freeze and Drew Blickensderfer and the whole team in particular, you know, we’re hungry. We want to go to work,” Gragson declared.
The results still need to change. But Gragson no longer has to build a future while wondering whether he will even be there to see it. And with that uncertainty gone, some of the frustration that came with it should hopefully fade as well.
With results not going his way, Gragson often found himself showing his emotions during races, whether over on-track incidents or struggles within his own team. One of the more notable moments came at Indianapolis, where a run-in with rookie Connor Zilisch quickly turned into a heated exchange.
Gragson and Connor Zilisch Turned One Block Into a Heated Fight
The clash with rookie Connor Zilisch came at the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 26. The two were running 32nd and 33rd when Zilisch returned from a green-flag pit stop and moved down the backstretch to protect his position.
Gragson stayed in the throttle and hit the rear of Zilisch’s No. 88 Chevrolet, with the two making more contact into Turn 3. Zilisch saved the car, while Gragson washed up the track. Gragson’s spotter, Adam Fournier, quickly tried to calm things down over the radio.
“Watch yourself. Don’t play games with him. Just let him mind his own business… Just stay off of him… Just stay high and go slow. Boots on the ground.”
His crew chief Hutchens added, “10-4. I see it. Big picture here, bud.” But the situation was not over.
Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson’s spin brought out a caution on Lap 44. Under yellow, Gragson drove back toward Zilisch and hit the side of his car. He then let Zilisch go by, pulled alongside again and flipped him off. Zilisch’s radio response was this: “I’m not the one running into him.”
NASCAR later brought both drivers to the official hauler. Gragson did not receive a formal penalty for the contact under caution. Zilisch also made it clear he had no interest in repairing the relationship. When asked whether he would call Gragson, he dismissed the idea as “like trash versus garbage.”
That Indianapolis episode was different from the contract issue, but it did capture the tension that has followed Gragson this season. He has shown plenty of frustration when races go wrong.
Now, with his future settled, the next step is turning that frustration into something useful. The No. 4 team finally has time to build around the relationship Gragson says is starting to click.