It's time for these NASCAR drivers to hit the panic button early in the 2025 season

The start of a new NASCAR season brings a clean slate for every team. Unfortunately for a few drivers, the first three weeks of the 2025 season have taken a wrong turn. These are drivers who should be hitting the panic button three races into the 2025 NASCAR season. 

Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing (Cup Series)

A disappointing conclusion to 2024 has been magnified for Gibbs, who sits 35th in the Cup Series standings following Sunday's race at Circuit of the Americas. Gibbs has been involved in incidents in all three races this season, and while none of them have been his fault, he needs to start being in a position to avoid the mid-pack melees that often ensue. A good run at Phoenix on March 9 is a must for Gibbs, who is still searching for his first Cup Series victory. 

Kris Wright, No. 5 Chevrolet, Our Motorsports (Xfinity Series) 

Perhaps no NASCAR driver has had a worse start to the 2025 season than Xfinity Series driver Kris Wright. A bizarre crash at Daytona started Wright's first full-time Xfinity Series season off with a 32nd-place finish, and finishes of 26th at Atlanta and 33rd at COTA followed. Wright isn't making any friends on the track, either, as evidenced by his social media dispute with fellow driver Josh Bilicki. At Phoenix, Wright's goal should be to bring his Chevrolet home in one piece without making any new enemies. Wright currently sits 35th in the standings and is behind six drivers who have only made one start this season. 

Cole Custer, No. 41 Ford, Haas Factory Team (Cup Series) 

Custer and the No. 41 team weren't expected to light the world on fire this season, but they failed to take advantage of superspeedway races at Daytona and Atlanta. Custer sits 34th in points three races into the season, and if the lack of speed at COTA was any indication, Custer may be in for a long season. 

Brandon Jones, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing (Xfinity Series)

Like Gibbs, Brandon Jones has been in the wrong place at the wrong time multiple times this season. Jones was involved in crashes at both Daytona and Atlanta and finished 30th at COTA on Saturday. Time is running out for the 28-year-old to make his case for a Cup Series ride, and a poor showing in 2025 won't help things. The good news? Jones is a former winner at Phoenix. A win at Phoenix on March 8 would lift him from 29th in the standings to a playoff berth in an instant.