Noah Gragson and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Continue Playful Banter on Social Media
Hyak Motorsports’ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Front Row Motorsports’ Noah Gragson have been engaging in lighthearted trolling on social media throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Their friendly back-and-forth began after the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA, when Gragson posted on X about a lap 5 slide that nearly took out Stenhouse Jr., jokingly referencing the Hyak Motorsports driver’s block at the Daytona 500.
Stenhouse Jr. fired back, teasing Gragson for failing to execute the move properly. Gragson responded by mocking Stenhouse Jr.’s lower championship standings position, implying he couldn’t hear him from the back.
The latest jab came before Sunday’s Martinsville race, when Gragson posted a selfie with Stenhouse Jr. visible in the background, captioning it:
“This guy is always behind me. It’s like clockwork.”
However, Stenhouse Jr. had the last laugh on race day, finishing 20th, while Gragson placed 30th. The championship standings tell a similar story, with Stenhouse Jr. sitting 20th and Gragson in 32nd.
Stenhouse Jr.’s Daytona 500 Wreck That Started It All
The friendly rivalry traces back to the 2025 Daytona 500, where Stenhouse Jr. was involved in a major crash that collected multiple cars, including Gragson’s No. 4 FRM Ford. With 14 laps to go, Joey Logano attempted to pass Stenhouse Jr., resulting in contact that triggered a chain reaction, taking out several competitors.
After the race, Stenhouse Jr. defended his actions, saying:
“I haven’t seen the replay yet, but the holes he was trying to fill were pretty small. I was hoping he’d stick with me… I pushed him for 10-12 laps, and we were really fast.”
Gragson, despite being caught in the crash, has kept the mood light, continuing to poke fun at his friend. He later revealed that he gave Stenhouse Jr. a heads-up before starting their playful “fake beef” online.
