When it comes to NASCAR, being a “teammate” is something in a different context. Sure, drivers may have a shared garage, team meeting, or even pit strategy, but as soon as the green flag waves, every man is for himself. That being said, it’s always interesting to see which drivers would actually want to be teammates—and, let’s be honest, whose friendships could make it through the high stakes of Cup Series racing.
Recently, some of NASCAR’s best drivers named their dream teammates, and the answers provided a look into the friendships, respect, and occasional ridiculous uncertainty that come with the sport.
Elliott, Blaney, and Bubba—The ultimate NASCAR bromance?
When queried about with whom he’d want to work together, Chase Elliott didn’t think twice in calling out his friend, Ryan Blaney. Elliott opined. “It’d be fun to have a buddy like that to work with, you know, on a weekly basis.” Blaney, ever ready with a good-hearted comeback, had an identical response—but with a bit of self-doubt included for good measure. “I’d want to be teammates with, like, Chase and Bubba,” he confessed. “We’re just really good buddies and stuff. That’d be great to be working on the same crew together. Or it could be the worst thing in the world. I don’t know. I don’t know if some of your closest friends are your teammates.”
That level of honesty is why Blaney is so popular. He understands that racing with your best friends might be either a huge benefit or a complete disaster. It’s easy to picture Elliott, Blaney, and Bubba Wallace planning together, partying after victories, and perhaps even playing pranks on one another in the garage. But add some on-track tension—such as a bit too much bumping at Talladega—and that friendship might become very complicated.
Team Bros: Chase. Bubba. Blaney. We asked drivers to pick a new teammate. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/moMzuxA3CP
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 15, 2025
Bubba, for his part, kept it short and sweet when asked the same question: “I’d go Blaney.” And when he found out Blaney had already named him? “I’m out.” Classic Bubba—funny, a little unpredictable, and always keeping things light. While Elliott, Blaney, and Bubba were weighing the merits of racing with their closest friends, Kyle Larson was considering talent and experience. His choice? None other than Kyle Busch.
Larson responded. “And I think I sort of am, kind of, in a sense, you know, with the Chevrolet partnership. I just feel like he’s so veteran, and I’ve been able to work with his brother at my time at Ganassi. Yeah, I would love to get to work closer with him.” For the fans, this is a thrilling notion. Larson and Busch are two of the most naturally talented drivers in the sport—both aggressive and fearless, driven by an almost pathological desire to win. The prospect of them officially joining forces is both heart-stopping and terrifying.
And what does Kyle Busch have to say? His response was similarly blunt: “Kyle Larson.” That’s a lot of Kyle power. The “Double-Kyle Alliance” would undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with, blending Busch’s experience and relentless racing style with Larson’s sheer raw talent. Imagine them bouncing ideas off each other in team meetings—or, let’s be real, possibly clashing over a last-lap battle at Bristol.
Would these dream teams work out on track?
History has shown that friendships can quickly turn into rivalries in NASCAR. Just ask Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson—once the closest of allies at Hendrick Motorsports, their battle for dominance created plenty of tension over the years. Would Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Bubba Wallace handle it differently, or would their bond break under the weight of constant competition?
The Elliott-Blaney-Bubba trio may be either NASCAR’s greatest buddy team or friendship put to its ultimate test. Blaney and Elliott have a long-standing friendship, often seen joking around off the track. Wallace, too, is part of that tight-knit group, as seen in their friendly banter during media sessions. The thought of them working together weekly sounds like a dream for fans, but as Blaney put it, They’d undoubtedly have a ball, could they remain level-headed when one of them always bumped the other aside for a win?
In contrast, a Larson-Busch super-team would be business only. No jokes, no tricks—just two of the greatest drivers in the world giving it their all. They might not be the most affectionate of partners, but you can be sure they’d accumulate a ton of victories.
In the end, NASCAR is as much about personalities and friendships as it is about horsepower and race strategy. And whether it’s Blaney teasing how getting into a super-team with his buddies might turn out, Bubba cutting to the chase, or Larson fantasizing about a super-team with Busch, one thing’s for sure: The banter in the NASCAR garage is as much fun as the racing.
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