Noah Gragson gets real about finding his voice in a 'politically correct' NASCAR

NASCAR Cup Series driver Noah Gragson recently shared how he has tried to stay true to his character following fellow driver Christopher Bell's comments about the sport's focus on political correctness. He said he has had to "walk that middle road" to keep peace with several parties in NASCAR.

When asked to comment on his outspoken personality, in reference to Bell's statement, by veteran NASCAR reporter Claire B Lang, the 26-year-old said:

"You answer to so many different partners that might have different views, you know, within the partners that you have, they have different views. So you kind of just got to tone it down and I'm probably a little more edgier than most drivers...I try to live every day like it's my last and I try to enjoy it. But at the same time, there's just there's so many partners that you kind of got to walk that middle road." (01:49 onwards).

Joe Gibbs Racing's Bell praised YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, who debuted in the NASCAR ARCA Menards Series this year, for being authentic and unfiltered and said:

"The name of the game has kinda fallen down a path of political correctness. You have to say the right things, do the right things, act a certain way. It's refreshing whenever you get a guy like that." (via FrontStretch).

McFarland had made his second start in NASCAR last week at Talladega.

Meanwhile, Gragson got his first top-5 finish for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday.

'Talladega in the spring has been pretty good to us' - Noah Gragson on fourth place finish last weekend

Noah Gragson is currently in his second full-time Cup season. He moved to Front Row Motorsports this year with his former Xfinity Series crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, after Stewart-Haas Racing shut down last season. Gragson had one top-10 finish earlier this season at the Circuit of the Americas.

Last week, after qualifying in 27th place, the No. 4 Ford driver avoided multiple crashes and finished the second stage in 14th. Gragson finished the race in sixth at Talladega Superspeedway, but the post-race disqualifications of Joey Logano and runner-up Ryan Preece landed him in fourth position.

"Talladega in the spring has been pretty good to us. Yeah, it’s good to get a top five," Noah Gragson said (via NASCAR reporter Claire B Lang | 01:07 onwards).

Noah Gragson had finished in third position at the 2.66-mile tri-oval in Alabama last spring, which was his best finish of the 2024 season.

The Cup Series will head to Texas Motor Speedway this week for the Würth 400. Gragson has had an 18th and 21st place finish in his two starts at the 1.5-mile track.