Noah Gregson ends 2023 Cup Series deal: Report

A hunk of NASCAR Silly Season is about to fall, at The Athletic. The outlet reported that Petty GMS Motorsports is finalizing a contract with JR Motorsports driver Noah Gragson.

Reporting by Jordan Bianchi In an article that covers Silly Season’s biggest questions. He said Petty GMS Motorsports is “working on a contract” that would put Gregson in the 42nd Chevrolet Camaro for the 2023 season. “An official announcement is expected soon,” Bianchi added.

There have been questions about the #42 Chevrolet Camaro since July 15. Ty Dillon and Betty GMS Motorsports have announced that they will be parting ways at the end of the 2022 season. Gragson was a name often cited as a potential replacement at the time, and now looks like he’ll actually take over.

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Gragson is refreshed by a solid performance

GTNoah Gregson was in position to win early on the Michigan International Speedway.

Gragson, who started part-time in the Cup Series in 2022, is in the midst of championship conversation at the Xfinity Series. He has the second most playoff points behind T. Gibbs and 10 times in the first stage.

Gragson recently started with a solid performance at Michigan International Speedway. He won the pole in the August 6 race, sweeping the first two stages to add more break points to his total points. This includes a drag race with AJ Allmendinger on the last lap of Stage Two.

Gragson had the best car in MIS, but failed to take his fourth win of the season. The reason is that his strategy did not work. Gragson stayed late in Stage 2 after a warning while the majority of the field headed to pit-and-fuel road. He won the stage but returned to the middle of the pack after pitting during the break.

This strategy would not traditionally raise concerns, especially with an entire stage remaining in the race. However, the remaining New Holland 250 laps turned green. Gragson was unable to complete his comeback and had to settle for third.

Questions remain about the crew chief

If Petty GMS Motorsports announces the new contract as Bianchi reports, there will be some questions about the crew chief. Will he work with Jeram Donnelly, or will he meet with the former Xfinity Series crew chief?

Dave Elenz served as Xfinity Series Crew Chief for seven seasons (2015-2021), arriving at Victory Lane 15 times while working with a diverse group of drivers. This includes championship winning seasons with William Byron and Tyler Riddick. He also served as Gragson’s Chief of Staff from 2019-2021.

Elenz left JR Motorsports after the 2021 Xfinity Series season, and moved to the Cup Series. He joined Petty GMS Motorsports and started working with Erik Jones. Since then, he has mentored the Michigan native to several Top 10 finishes and two Top Five finishes.

Petty GMS Motorsports is unlikely to dismantle the Elenz-Jones coupling, which means Gragson could join the Dillon team. Donnelly is currently in his first season on top of the box after years of working as a racing engineer, and has led the #42 team to the top ten.

Petty GMS Motorsports clearly has multiple options. The team could pair Gragson with Donley, or they could hand the responsibilities over to someone else. Petty GMS Motorsports will not provide this information until it makes the official announcement.

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