5 NASCAR storylines to watch in 2025: Kyle Busch's future, Denny Hamlin's title quest
2025-01-08
Category: sports

The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season will have fans wondering who is hot and who is not — and whether that comes at the right time. As Joey Logano turning a regular season finish of 15th in the standings into a championship run proved last year, finding the mojo at the right time is key. As we look ahead to a new season, here are five storylines that will have people talking, and possibly talking all year: 1. Kyle Busch's future Busch is in a contract year with Richard Childress Racing, and after a solid first season at RCR in 2023, he went winless in 2024, snapping a streak of 19 years with at least one victory. He came close and the team showed promise and improvement at times, but one would think he'd have to see more results early in 2025 to sign a contract extension. If the struggles continue, where would he go? That's a great question with no obvious answer. 2. Denny Hamlin on track Hamlin continues his quest to win that ever-elusive Cup championship, and he'll do it with a new crew chief in Chris Gayle. The change in crew chiefs was a shock to Hamlin, who thought Chris Gabehart would remain with him, but Gabehart moved into a role as competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing. A driver-crew chief relationship sometimes takes time to develop, and the one thing Hamlin doesn't have is time on his side to win a title. 3. SVG's first Cup season Shane van Gisbergen will compete in his first full Cup season, and all eyes will be on him to see whether a championship-winning driver from Australian Supercars can make an effective transition. Yes, he will be a factor on road courses (he won in his Cup debut at Chicago in 2023) but whether he can perform consistently on ovals will show whether Trackhouse Racing made the right move. 4. Short-track tires NASCAR and Goodyear seemed to take a step in the right direction with the Martinsville tire in the fall, which was a softer tire than had previously been used at short tracks. If they can keep developing the tire to a point where drivers on all short tracks will have to manage tire wear, that would go a long way in providing compelling racing on those tracks. 5. 23XI/FRM-NASCAR lawsuit Ah, yes, the lawsuit. Unless the two sides settle, there will be a steady stream of legal briefs and arguments over major issues and the most minutia of procedures. One major thing to watch over the next month is whether any rulings would impact how many chartered cars there are in a race and whether 23XI and Front Row Motorsports have to field any cars as open entries. The lawsuit has the potential to change the way the NASCAR-operating France family does business — or serve as a validation, as far as the legality, of its business model. Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.