'Tis the season to look back and reflect, while also making plans and wishes in hopes of making the new year even more eventful or spectacular. This time last year, I sat down and compiled a wish list of sorts to share with you, much like this one ahead of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. While some of my hopes did come fruition, others certainly didn't age well. Of the ten items on that list, about half of them came true. Of note, we finally got to see Brad Keselowski snap his winless streak, Denny Hamlin continues to embrace his villainous role, and a few more international racing stars ventured over into the world of stock car racing.
As for things that didn't pan out, Stewart-Haas Racing did not 'find its footing.' Instead, SHR shut its doors after 15 years of competition. But they did go out with one last moment of glory as Chase Briscoe won the Southern 500. All four drivers also found new homes in the Cup Series, which is a positive. While the Daytona 500 was thrilling, it did not have a clean finish with the winner taking the checkered and yellow flag together. And while the new NASCAR Netflix docuseries was extremely well done, it did not spark a DTS-esque response to the sport as I hoped it would.
With 2025 just on the horizon, what would you like to see in the next season? This year's wish list will try not to tread the same ground as one year ago, but there's still plenty to hope for this holiday season...
1. Format changes that aren't simply rearranging chairs
NASCAR has hinted at possible changes to the playoff format for 2025, which follows Penske's third consecutive Cup title and Joey Logano winning the crown with the lowest average finish of any champion in the history of the sport (17.1). However, if they're going to do it, actually change something significant. Don't add a few more bonus points or place certain protections around the regular season champion to help them avoid an early playoff exit. Be bold or don't bother. My suggestion: Extend the final round beyond a single race.
2. A resolution to the charter dispute before going to trial
The charter dispute has not gone away. In fact, it's now escalated into a full blown lawsuit between 23XI Racing/Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR. The France family has been accused of operating an unlawful monopoly that has violated antitrust laws, and the contentious court battle won't even go to trial until December of next year. I don't expect it to be resolved before then, but I am hoping that some sort of resolution can be reached and that this situation can be settled without a multi-year legal battle.
3. NASCAR has a successful trip down to Mexico
For the first time ever, the NASCAR Cup Series is going to race in Mexico next June. Competing at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the race will be a historic moment for the sport and hopefully, a successful one too. Please get the entire sport to Mexico City without logistical issues, put on a show in front of a packed house, and prove that NASCAR can be more than a US-centric racing series. It also wouldn't hurt if Daniel Suarez was up there battling for the win...
4. Kyle Busch puts the worst season of his career behind him
2024 was a painful year for Kyle Busch and his fans. The winningest driver in the history of the sport across all three national divisions did win two Truck races, but beyond that, there was little to be excited about. This year, Busch posted the worst average finish of his career across a season along with the lowest number of top-fives, top-tens, and laps led since he became a full-time driver in 2005. He also got punched in the face, so yeah, it's been rough. Busch did have moments in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet, coming agonizingly close to victory on multiple occasions. But in the end, his record win streak came to an end and KB ended the year 20th in points. No one wants to see a champion like Busch struggle. Hopefully, we get to see that classic victory bow at least once in next year's Cup Series.
5. Phoenix hosts the finale for the final time
Nothing against Phoenix, which is a great facility and a unique track that has earned its place on the schedule, but it's time to move the finale. It's partly the fault of the car, as passing is extremely difficult at slower, flatter tracks like Phoenix. Homestead would be preferred destination, but there are other options that are also promising locations for the title-decider. But please, don't just keep it unchanged for 2026 and beyond.
6. The 'Melon Man' back as a weekly contender
The Melon Man, the wall-rider, or public enemy No. 1 -- at one point referred to as the main character of NASCAR. Ross Chastain is just exciting to watch, but unfortunately, he didn't have the car to compete at the level we've seen in previous years. He did manage to win a race, but the No. 1 was absent from the battle for the win most of the year. In the few times we did see him near the sharp end of the field, he didn't disappoint, such as in his thrilling back-and-forth battle with Kyle Larson at Kansas or blocking the entire field in the Daytona 500 before crashing in a daring move up the middle for the win. A fast Chastain makes for a more entertaining race for all of us, and the sport is better for the drama he brings.
7. Getting manufacturer loyalty under control
The penultimate race of the 2024 season was overshadowed by some blatant race manipulation. It came as a result of manufacturer loyalties with NASCAR later penalizing three different teams for attempting to manipulate the outcome of the fight to make the Championship 4. While drivers will always help those from the same camp, Martinsville was a bridge a too far and I hope we see nothing like it again in the 2025 playoffs. NASCAR needs to draw a firm line in the sand and make the cost of such actions far outweigh the reward, or it will continue to happen moving forward.
8. Spire wins a race on merit
Spire Motorsports showed impressive speed over the course of the 2024 season. Carson Hocevar won Rookie of the Year honors and now, he'll be teamed up with Justin Haley and Michael McDowell for 2025. Veteran crew chief Rodney Childers has also joined Spire. It would make for a great underdog story if Spire could find their way to Victory Lane next year, and I think it might just happen.
9. Kyle Larson actually completes 'The Double'
Larson's highly anticipated attempt at running 1100 miles in one day between the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 didn't quite work out this year. Rain pushed the 500 to a later start time and by the time he arrived in Charlotte, the same storm hit the 600 and ended that race. It was a deflating end to Larson's attempt, but the good news is that he will get another try. McLaren and Hendrick have joined forced again for Memorial Day weekend in 2025.
10. Another wet-weather oval race
Okay, normally it's a very bad idea to hope for rain at a NASCAR race, but we saw that the wet-weather tires were perfectly capable of putting on a show at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. There was some fantastic racing. And sure, there were some incidents, but the race never turned into a wreck-fest. So, here's to hoping we get to see something like that again with the stars of NASCAR ripping around on an oval with some rooster tails behind them. Also, Shane van Gisbergen would be an absolute blast to watch in this situation...
