Columbia, SC – March 28, 2025 – The Majors Garage Cup Series’ Silly Season is proving it’s far from over, with a flurry of driver and charter moves sending shockwaves through the paddock ahead of this weekend’s race at Martinsville. The latest news broke early Friday, confirming that Nic Vasquez, driver of the #22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is packing his bags and heading to Palmetto Motorsports. Vasquez isn’t traveling light—he’s bringing his charter with him, and the #22 will trade its Ford roots for a Toyota Camry starting this week.
But Palmetto Motorsports’ team owner, Cory Mott, wasn’t done shaking up the roster. Sources reveal Mott had his sights set on Hollywood Motorsports’ Garth Griswold, hoping to lure the veteran driver to “the dark side.” After intense negotiations, Griswold opted to stay put, citing potential legal headaches from a breach of contract with Hollywood Motorsports. It seems the bright lights of Tinseltown still shine too strong for Griswold to leave.
With Vasquez making the trek from Texas to the Carolinas, Palmetto faced a numbers crunch. The odd man out? None other than Vince Mitchell, the rookie who joined the team just six races ago. Mitchell’s stint at Palmetto was anything but a fairy tale—amassing a mere 52 points, including a lone stage win worth 10. Sitting 32nd in the standings, the homesick driver is returning to his old stomping grounds at Tipton Harding Motorsports (THM), taking the #18 charter with him.
That homecoming, however, spelled tough news for someone at THM. When pressed for comment, team co-owner Stewart Harding struggled to articulate the difficult decision. Eventually, the bombshell dropped: Pete Morales, driver of the #95 charter, is out. The #95 is being transferred to Factory Motorsports, where Dash Series standout Tyler Justice—whose promotion was predicted by insiders—will step into the Cup Series spotlight. Justice takes over the vacancy left by Vasquez, sliding into the #95 seat like a hand in a glove.
For Morales, currently 22nd in the standings, the news stings. Being replaced by a driver currently sitting 32nd in the standings is a bitter pill to swallow. Morales now finds himself without a Cup ride, his future uncertain as Silly Season churns on.
The league’s relentless nature is on full display, and these moves raise the question: Is this the grand finale of Silly Season, or just the opening act of an even wilder shake-up? With charters swapping hands and drivers on the move, the Majors Garage Cup Series is proving once again that nothing is set in stone until the checkered flag falls.
Stay tuned as the drama unfolds at Martinsville this weekend.