INDIANAPOLIS — On Tuesday, Legacy Motor Club announced that Mike Rockenfeller would replace Noah Gragson in the No. 42 Chevrolet for the next two NASCAR Cup Series races at Indianapolis and Watkins Glen. Two days later, they found out they’d need to find someone else for the final 11 races as Gragson told the team that he won’t be returning.
Gragson was suspended by his team, Legacy Motor Club last weekend for a costly social media mistake. While most wondered how long “indefinitely” was when NASCAR stepped in to also suspend Gragson as well, we now knew the other day at least two weeks.
Now, he’s not coming back at all.
This puts an early end to Gragson’s dismal rookie season with the team as he sits 33rd in points. He missed a race at Sonoma for concussion like symptoms stemming from a crash a World Wide Technology Raceway. His best finish is 12th to where the other races he’s finished 20th or worse.
There’s even become some chatter that he’d be let go by the team at seasons end after just one season and replaced by John Hunter Nemechek for 2024. Now with this move, it opens up a seat not only now, but definitely for next year too.
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