Bubba Wallace has become one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR this summer, earning his way into the playoffs with a Brickyard 400 win and consistently finishing near the front of the field. However, with his team’s future seemingly in peril, Wallace and Tyler Reddick could become free agents this offseason.
Amid an ongoing antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI and Front Row Motorsports, NASCAR has asked the court to allow it to sell one of the four charters that have been used by both teams for several seasons to another team. In response, 23XI said it will go out of business after this season if NASCAR sells its three charters.
Related: Lawsuit Reveals Heated Messages From NASCAR, 23XI Racing Executives
The legal battle has become contentious, with neither side giving any indication that it’s willing to settle despite the court repeatedly urging both parties to resolve this matter privately. If NASCAR goes through with selling the charters or an eventual ruling not being made in their favor, Wallace and Reddick would be free to sign with any of the chartered teams.
- Bubba Wallace stats (2025): 2,049 points, 1 win, 11 top 10s, 4 top 5s, 270 laps led, 16.296 average starting position, 18.407 average finishing position in 27 races
Considering that Wallace is coming off a season with a crown jewel win and he is tied for the sixth-most top-10 finishes (seven) this summer, there would certainly be plenty of teams interested in landing him.
Legacy Motor Club
The identity of what team NASCAR was planning to transfer a charter to is unknown, but team owner Jimmie Johnson has stated this year that he wants to obtain a third charter. If that’s the case, Wallace could be an ideal candidate for LMC. He brings plenty of sponsorships with him, funding that Legacy likely needs to start fielding better equipment and crew. Wallace would be downgrading in terms of pit crew and the speed of the car in the short-term, but John Hunter Nemechek and Erik Jones do have six combined top-fives and 12 combined top-10 finishes this season.
Related: NASCAR Lined Up Buyers to Sell 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports Charters
Spire Motorsports
Spire Motorsports has made it clear that Justin Haley is on the hot seat, even looking at potential replacements. While the team is allowing Haley to finish out the 2025 season in the No. 7 car, part of the calculus for that could be waiting to see what happens with 23XI with the hope that Wallace and Reddick become available. Reddick would likely land at Hendrick Motorsports (Alex Bowman replacement) or Joe Gibbs Racing (Ty Gibbs replacement), with Wallace going to a second-tier team. Spire doesn’t have a great track record recently, but pairing Wallace with Carson Hocevar would give the team two drivers capable of winning their way into the NASCAR Playoffs.
Related: Why NASCAR Says 23XI Racing is Suing Them
Richard Childress Racing
Austin Dillon recruited Kyle Busch to Richard Childress Racing and the driver of the No. 3 car is taking on a more active role in trying to turn the team around. With Busch returning next season and Dillon not getting out of his car, RCR could go after a third charter this offseason if Wallace becomes available. It would give them a much better shot at making the NASCAR playoffs every year, which, paired with the sponsorships Wallace brings, would be millions of dollars more brought in each season that could be reinvested into the team. When Dillon or Busch retires, then there would be a spot for Jesse Love.
Read More: NASCAR Playoff Predictions 2025
JR Motorsports
Dale Earnhardt Jr wants to be running a Cup Series team with JR Motorsports, but the costs of obtaining a charter make it unviable. If NASCAR is able to sell the six charters originally bought by FRM and 23XI, that fire sale would provide JR Motorsports with a unique opportunity to get into Cup at a discount rate. It would also be a win for NASCAR because fans would be thrilled to see a Cup team owned by Dale Jr. As for the fit, Dale Jr. has offered plenty of praise for Wallace for his driving this year and he’s offered advice to him in the past. JR Motorsports would get a competitive driver as they became a full-time Cup team and the money Wallace brings from his sponsorships would prove especially beneficial.
Related: Denny Hamlin Praises JR Motorsports, Dale Jr for Work in Broken NASCAR System
