Manufacturer: Chevrolet
Engine: Hendrick Motorsports
Driver-Crew Chief Pairing: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-Mike Kelley (No. 47)

Team Outlook: A new era dawns in 2025 as JTG Daugherty Racing transforms into Hyak Motorsports, with the name derived from the Chinook word for “fast.” While the rebrand marks a significant shift for the veteran organization, key elements remain in place, including driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and the team’s crucial Hendrick Motorsports alliance. Though 2024 saw the team miss the playoffs after their 2023 Round of 16 appearance, they still managed to create memorable moments – most notably playing spoiler with a thrilling victory at Talladega during the Round of 12. Stenhouse’s proven ability at superspeedways (including his 2023 Daytona 500 victory) provides ample optimism for the newly-named team heading into 2025. With strong technical support and a hunger to return to playoff contention, Hyak Motorsports appears poised for a competitive campaign.

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 CHEVROLET

Experience: 12 full seasons in NASCAR Cup Series
2024 Stats: 25th in final Cup Series standings; 1 win, 3 top fives, 6 top 10s
2025 Championships Odds (DraftKings): 200-1

Outlook: Though Stenhouse’s 2024 numbers showed declines in several categories compared to 2023 – including top 10s (nine vs. six), average start (21.8 vs. 25.7) and average finish (17.8 vs. 22.1) – there were still bright spots to build upon. His dramatic 0.006-second overtime victory at Talladega during the playoffs gave him back-to-back seasons with wins, while his three top fives actually marked a slight improvement over 2023’s two. The continuity with crew chief Mike Kelley entering their third year together provides stability, building on a relationship that dates back to Stenhouse’s Xfinity Series days from 2010-12. With consistent strength at superspeedways (three of his six top-10 finishes in 2024 came at Atlanta and Talladega) and the driver-crew chief chemistry firmly established, the No. 47 team appears well-positioned to bounce back into playoff contention in 2025.

BOLD PREDICTION: Look for Stenhouse to capture multiple victories in 2025, which would mark his first multi-win season since 2017. While his superspeedway prowess is well-documented (all four career Cup wins have come on such tracks) and he led 21 of his 28 total laps in 2024 at Daytona and Talladega, don’t overlook his potential elsewhere. His charge from 33rd to sixth at the Chicago Street Course demonstrated the team’s ability to excel on various layouts. With a slight uptick in overall performance, Stenhouse could very well find himself celebrating in Victory Lane multiple times in 2025.