A P9 finish at Daytona, DNF at Atlanta, and then P6 at Las Vegas—that’s how the journey has been so far for the newest Stewart-Haas Racing driver, Noah Gragson. After sitting out last year because he broke social media rules, the driver has bounced back, landing in the top 10 in two of the last three races. His latest run in Vegas marks his best performance yet on that 1.5-mile track.

Reflecting on his ride from last year’s setback to this year’s comeback, Noah Gragson recently spilled the beans during a chat with SiriusXM NASCAR, sharing what’s changed for him since joining Tony Stewart‘s team and how he’s turning things around.

SHR gave Noah Gragson a car that he was confident in

Noah Gragson’s move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024 has really paid off, showing everyone what he’s made of. But last year? Not so much. His first year in the Cup Series with Legacy Motor Club, owned by Jimmie Johnson, was a bumpy ride. Gragson opened up about it, saying, “There’s a lot of reasons why last year just didn’t work. We had some guys from JR Motorsports that came with us, so it wasn’t a lack of communication by any means.“

Then came a game-changer. Aric Almirola left the No. 10 Ford at Stewart-Haas Racing wide open, and Gragson jumped in. After landing a P6 in Vegas, it’s clear Gragson is catching a new groove. The key, according to him, is the ride Stewart-Haas Racing hooked him up with. Those Ford Mustangs are a whole different beast compared to what he was driving at LMC. Gragson pointed out:

“The cars at Stewart-Haas, they’ve got really good pace. And as a driver, that allows you to be more patient, because you know that you’re going to have more than one opportunity to pass a car, instead of just taking the first opportunity, when you might not have as much pace. I didn’t take every opportunity and I was driving over my head quite a bit last year. I was just trying to keep up. This past Sunday at Vegas, that’s the most fun I’ve ever had in a Cup Series race.”

This year, with the ability to zip past other cars without feeling like he’s holding on for dear life, Gragson’s got a newfound confidence in his ride. He’s sure now that when he decides to make a move, the car’s going to have his back and stay on course. On top of that, he’s really pumped about how his team has bounced back in style.

#10 is elated to see his team recovering from last year’s setback

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Kicking off in Las Vegas from a less-than-ideal 30th place, Noah Gragson wasn’t about to let that set the tone for the rest of the race. He couldn’t stop praising his crew for their brilliant strategy that shot him up to a top-10 finish. Chatting with Frontstretch after the race, he couldn’t help but feel proud of how they duked it out with Ty Gibbs and Ross Chastain, fighting their way from 30th to 6th. 

Noah Gragson also gave a shoutout to his manufacturer, noting how the Ford Mustang Dark Horse has been tearing it up with speed, especially in qualifying [while Chevy still keeps the winning lead], despite him admitting to not pushing it hard enough.

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“[…] This Mustang Dark Horse is bi*chin’. It’s fast, and it’s been really good. You can see the speed that it’s had in qualifying. Not for me, because I drove like a sissy out there. But with the other guys, they have three poles so far this year, so we’re going good.”

Yet Gragson’s got a hill to climb, sitting 34th in the points standings after a 35-point penalty for not meeting specs at Atlanta. But with the momentum they’ve got, especially after Vegas, Gragson’s confident they can make up ground and maybe even snag a win.