Noah Gragson signs with Stewart-Haas Racing after reinstatement, will replace Aric Almirola

Noah Gragson is returning to NASCAR Cup Series races next year.

The 25-year-old driver inked a multiyear deal with Stewart-Haas Racing, his new team announced Wednesday. Gragson, who’s won 13 Xfinity Series races, has made 39 Cup starts over the past two seasons. He will drive SHR’s No. 10 Ford Mustang, previously driven by Aric Almirola.

Gragson was released by Legacy Motor Club following an indefinite suspension from NASCAR, stemming from liking a meme mocking the death of George Floyd on Instagram. He was reinstated in September after completing “diversity and inclusion training.”

“I’m grateful for this opportunity with Stewart-Haas Racing and while most people in the industry are happy that the offseason is here, I want to get started on 2024 and go racing as soon as I can,” Gragson said in a release. “Stewart-Haas is filled with racers and I saw that and felt it as soon as I walked onto the shop floor. There are high expectations here and a strong desire to compete and win races. I have high expectations for myself and I want to deliver for Tony and Gene and everyone at Stewart-Haas.”

Gragson’s best finish at the Cup level was in the 2022 regular season finale, a fifth-place performance at Daytona. He spent four seasons in the Xfinity Series full-time from 2019-2022, when he finished among the Top 10 in points each year and reached the Championship 4 twice.

“Noah deserves to be in the NASCAR Cup Series and we’re very happy to have him as the driver of our No. 10 Ford Mustang,” said Tony Stewart, SHR co-owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer. “Noah has performed at every level where he’s competed and has regularly been in championship contention. That’s the kind of driver we need at Stewart-Haas and that’s why Noah is a part of our team.”