The 2021 NASCAR Season is coming and a number of seats aren’t claimed yet. As the summer roars on teams and drivers will start working on deals for next season. Some deals predicate on a driver re-signing their sponsor or bringing sponsorship to the team. Some seats, however, we’ll they’re looking for talent and talent only.
Take a look at what the grid COULD look like for the 2021 season;
Hendrick Motorsports
#9 Chase Elliott – The present and the future, he’s not going anywhere.
#24 William Byron – Byron is on thin ice but HMS doesn’t want to replace two drivers in one year.
#48 Tyler Reddick – Rick Hendrick wants talent, and wants the future of HMS secure. Reddick gets bought.
#88 Alex Bowman – 1-year deal for Bowman, he needs a stellar 2021 to attract sponsors.
Gibbs
#11 Denny Hamlin – Ole’ runner up isn’t going anywhere, he’s never been better.
#18 Kyle Busch – This is like the Chiefs letting Patrick Mahomes go, KB is here forever.
#19 Martin Truex Jr. – 2021 could be Martin’s last at JGR.
#20 Christopher Bell – Bell has a three-year deal with JGR, he moves to the big team in 2021.
Penske/Wood Brothers
#2 Ryan Blaney – Brad K. is out at Penske, Blaney moves to the Captain’s marquee ride.
#12 Matt DiBenedetto – Matty D. did so well with The Wood Brothers he moves to big Penske.
#21 Chase Briscoe – Briscoe is asserting himself as a force in the Xfinity Series. People are pointing at Austin Cindric for this ride but he has to beat Chase Briscoe first. Briscoe’s Ford connections put him in the #21.
#22 Joey Logano – Joey Slowgano isn’t going anywhere.
Stewart-Haas Racing
#4 Kevin Harvick – SHR can’t afford to lose Harvick so he’s signed for three more years.
#10 Brad Keselowski – Brad K. stays in the Ford camp but he’s over at Tony Stewart’s team now and the SHR looks to secure their competitiveness outside of Harvick.
#14 Kyle Larson – Rusty Rush won’t have a problem with Larson taking over for Clint Bowyer. Larson and SHR is a match made in heaven.
#41 Cole Custer – Custer is the future of SHR.
Chip Ganassi Racing
#1 Kurt Busch – Kurt is on the last year of his deal in 2021, he remains competitive and CGR may try to keep him another year.
#42 Ross Chastain – Ross has a deal with CGR, he moves up to Cup in 2021.
Richard Childress Racing
#3 Austin Dillon – AD is keeping his seat warm for Ace in 18 years.
#8 Noah Gragson – Gragson replaces the departed Reddick with help from Bass Pro and others.
Roush Fenway Racing
#6 John Hunter Nemechek – Newman retires and JHN moves up to a more competitive ride.
#17 Chris Buescher – Buescher is being held hostage at RFR.
Front Row Motorsports
#34 Michael McDowell – Don’t think he’s ever going to leave. At least not until he tweets “fake news” at a rumor and then actually gets replaced.
#38 Corey LaJoie – LaJoie wanted the #48 car, he got the #38.
Richard Petty Motorsports
#43 Bubba Wallace – Bubba would like a more competitive car but will be back with RPM.
Leavine Family Racing
#95 Erik Jones – That Jones boy moves to LFR in 2021 but remains in the Toyota camp.
JTG-Daugherty Racing
#37 Daniel Hemric – Hemric returns to a full time ride replacing the struggling Ryan Preece.
#47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – He and Brian Pattie will find a way to victory lane.
And just like that the competitive grid for the 2021 season is set.
Let us know what we got wrong and where your sources say people are going.
