*I want to start this article by saying this is complete rumors as of the posting of this article, no clickbait is intended!
According to spotter Brett Griffin, the NASCAR rumor mill is swirling with speculation that fan favorite Noah Gragson and his major sponsor Bass Pro Shops could be heading to Richard Childress Racing (RCR) in 2025 along with a third NASCAR Cup Series charter.

Per @SpotterBrett, there are rumors floating that @NoahGragson & @BassProShops head to @RCRracing with a 3rd charter.

Truex retiring or not retiring could play a factor in this deal with the Bass Pro sponsorship. pic.twitter.com/KNGt96RN3l

— Opinions on NASCAR (William Richard) (@nascar_opinion) June 11, 2024

Gragson, who currently drives the No. 10 Ford for SHR (who is shutting down at the end of 2024) in the Cup Series, is considered one of the top “free agents” for a Cup ride next season. The 24-year-old Las Vegas native has eight career Xfinity wins and finished a career-best second in the 2022 championship standings.

Meanwhile, Bass Pro Shops has been Gragson’s primary sponsor throughout his NASCAR national series career dating back to 2018. The major outdoor retailer brand could prove to be a lucrative funding source for RCR but Bass Pro Shops already sponsors the No. 3 car for Austin Dillon

If this rumor materializes, RCR would need to acquire an additional Cup Series charter to field a third full-time entry alongside its current No. 8 and No. 3 teams driven by Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon respectively, this would likely come from Stewart Haas Racing and their program shutting down.

Furthermore, the future status of JGR’s veteran driver Martin Truex Jr. could also play a key role in this potential deal. Truex, 42, is in the final year of his contract and there has been speculation he could elect to retire after 2024. If Truex does choose to hang up his helmet, that would open up a charter and major sponsorship for Gragson and Bass Pro Shops to potentially take over in 2024.