If NASCAR wins the Monopoly lawsuit between themselves and 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports, there will be six full-time Cup Drivers in free agency. So, let’s speculate. Obviously, each and every one of these drivers would be a prime candidate for a new team if they were to purchase these charters, but where do they end up if an existing team were to jump at them?

Image Credit: Patrick Vallely

Zane Smith/ Front Row Motorsports

Zane has been a great driver for Ford Performance. Zane has scored 9 Craftsman Truck Series victories and the 2022 CTS Championship for Ford before moving up full-time into the Cup Series. As seen at Spire last season, he has proven able to work his equipment into better-than-expected finishes, with four Top 10s and two Top 5s. Zane could prove to be a solid young driver for any team.

Teams: Spire, Future RWR, a solid Xfinity ride

Riley Herbst/ 23XI Racing

Riley finally broke through and won his first Xfinity race in 2023, and he would run on and win a pair of races in 2024 before moving up to Cup. Riley is a rookie this season, so underperforming is entirely expected, and being the third of three cars doesn’t help. However, he has a future in this sport for sure, and the money that the driver’s family earns can 100% help ensure that. Riley ran for Ford up until this season, so I could see a Ford team keep an eye out for him, such as the new Rick Ware Racing ownership.

Teams: Spire, a top tier Xfinity ride

Noah Gragson/ Front Row Motorsports

Noah was once the hottest thing in the Xfinity Series and the most promising prospect coming into the Cup Series. That has since fizzled away with the loss of and incredible underperformance by Stewart-Haas Racing, as well as less-than-expected results from Front Row this season. However, Noah holds a massive place in the hearts of the fans. He is by far a fan favorite, and that can make big waves when a team is searching for a new driver. Mate that to his fantastic performance on superspeedays in the NextGen car, he finds a spot. Should Spire let Haley go, I see Noah as one of the top of the short list.

Teams: Spire, a New JR Motorsports team?

Bubba Wallace/ 23XI Racing

A proven winner who has improved year over year, Bubba is without question one of the top-2 drivers in the equation here. Fresh off a Crown Jewel win at Indy, Bubba has demonstrated significant growth in maturity both on and off the track compared to several seasons ago. Bubba is also one of the best-funded drivers in the entire NASCAR series. One way or another, Legacy Motor Club will add their third charter; they would be foolish not to pursue Bubba, especially with his history with Gazoo Racing and Toyota. Should he move away from Toyota, the new RWR team could make a jump at him.

Teams: Legacy MC, Future RWR, Spire

Todd Gilliland/ Front Row Motorsports

Although he may be quiet, this FRM driver is the leader of the group. One of the cleanest drivers in the series, Todd manages to get his cars to the finish line far more often than not. A team such as Legacy could make a jump at Todd due to his Toyota ties via his father’s truck team (TRICON Garage). There’s also a slight chance that TRICON makes the jump to Cup; they ran the 500 this year as a 5th Joe Gibbs Racing car, but that’s less than likely. Todd would be a fantastic choice for any team that wants their cars back in one piece at the end of the weekend. RWR’s replacement could very well be the next Spire, and that could be a great landing spot for the young veteran.

Teams: Legacy MC, Spire, Future RWR

Tyler Reddick/ 23XI Racing

Tyler is the hot commodity here. He came into the Cup Series with Richard Childress Racing in 2020 and, in 2023, blew the team’s sub-par showings out of the water with RCR’s first multi-win season in years, winning three times. He was a surprise announcement for 23XI Racing for the 2024 season and scored that team’s first-ever multi-win season, winning twice. He now has eight career Cup wins, and although winless so far in 2025, he has only slightly outperformed both of his teammates. Should Reddick end up on the free agency market, I could see a team with no openings create one for him. Although I don’t see him making a backward move, the team would have to be a Tier 1 type of team, or one that could easily make it happen. Showing their growth, should he end up at Legacy, with the chemistry he has with teammate Bubba Wallace, I could easily see the duo moving over together, with the team moving John Hunter out of his ride to make room. The only team I see not considering that would be RCR, following their 2023 drama.

Teams: Legacy MC, Hendrick Motorsports, Spire, a new JR Motorsports team