The Majors Garage Cup Series is only six races into the 2025 season, and already the paddock is buzzing with drama that suggests the Silly Season is far from over. This time, the turbulence isn’t about driver suspensions or off-track antics—it’s brewing inside one of the sport’s powerhouse teams, Factory Motorsports. After a seismic shakeup earlier this year, the garage is once again a hotbed of tension, and it’s all boiling down to a clash of egos among some of the series’ brightest talents.
The latest chapter in this saga began when veteran driver Ben Lawson parted ways with Factory Motorsports to strike out on his own, forming the independent Rip CO Racing team. His departure left a vacancy in the Factory lineup, promptly filled by newcomer Boyd Hoggan. Hoggan wasted no time making his mark, piloting the #20 Ford Mustang Dark Horse to victory in last night’s thriller at Homestead-Miami Speedway. It was a statement win for the rookie, but sources close to the team suggest that his rapid rise has only intensified an already volatile dynamic within the garage.
Factory Motorsports, led by owner and driver Stephen Menke, has assembled a formidable roster for 2025. Alongside Menke in the #6 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, the team boasts Hoggan, the steady Zander Short in the #2, and the seasoned Nic Vasquez rounding out the quartet in the #22. On paper, it’s a dream team capable of dominating the Cup Series. But as Menke himself acknowledged post-race, talent of this magnitude comes with its own set of challenges.
“When you have this much talent on the team, it’s inevitable that drivers are going to bump heads from time to time,” Menke said after Hoggan’s Homestead triumph. “We are just going to work through this and figure it out going forward.”
The friction reportedly stems from early-season accusations and critiques about unequal treatment in the garage, particularly regarding setup changes. Sources indicate that not all drivers felt they were getting the same level of attention or resources during race weekends. Whispers of favoritism and disagreements over car setups have fueled tensions, with some insiders pointing to Hoggan’s arrival as a tipping point. His win at Homestead may have solidified his standing, but it’s also amplified the spotlight on the team’s internal dynamics.
Adding to the pressure, Factory Motorsports is locked in a fierce chase to catch Dallas Pataska, who has stormed out to a commanding lead in the standings behind the wheel of the #17 Majors Garage Esports entry. Pataska’s consistency and speed have set a blistering pace, leaving Menke’s squad scrambling to close the gap. Hoggan’s victory at Homestead was a step in the right direction, but the team knows it’ll take a unified effort to dethrone Pataska, whose early-season dominance has made him the man to beat.
Hoggan, for his part, has remained tight-lipped about the rumors, focusing instead on his on-track performance. “I’m here to race and win,” he said in the victory lane. “The rest is just noise.” Meanwhile, Short and Vasquez have kept a lower profile, though their silence hasn’t quelled speculation about where they stand in the growing rift.
If the ego battles weren’t enough, Menke might soon have another option to consider. Tyler Justice, a rising star in the Team Conti Sim Performance Dash Series, has been turning heads with back-to-back victories—first at Las Vegas and then again on Tuesday night at Homestead. Justice’s success in the feeder series has put him on the radar as a potential call-up if Factory Motorsports decides to shake things up further. With his stock rising, Justice could be the wildcard Menke needs to either unify his current lineup or send a message to his feuding drivers.
Six races into the season, Factory Motorsports is sitting pretty in the standings, thanks in large part to Hoggan’s win and consistent performances from Menke, Short, and Vasquez. But beneath the surface, the battle of egos threatens to derail what could be a championship-caliber campaign—especially with Pataska pulling away in the points. Menke’s leadership will be tested as he navigates this storm, balancing the personalities and ambitions of his star-studded roster while keeping the #17 in their sights.
For now, the team is focused on the next race, but the paddock is watching closely. Will Factory Motorsports resolve its internal strife and harness its potential to challenge Pataska, or will the Silly Season chaos spill over into more roster changes? One thing is clear: with talent this explosive, the drama is far from over.