2021 Silly Season

I'm listening to Sirius and Corey Lejoie has already thrown his hat in the ring for the 43. Not going to lie he's the first driver I thought of when I heard Bubba wouldn't be back.

Odd thing is RCR said they don't expect RPM to be an alliance next year, but I would think that relied heavily on Bubba sticking around. From a business standpoint if Jones isn't going to the 48 I would think he'd be the front runner for the 43
Ty Dillon to the 43 with Germain shutting down.
 

Wow. I hope Bubba hasn’t let recent corporate success go to his head and he lands with another flat team. Was hoping he’d have another job lined up prior to putting his 9 week notice in.
For me all the new sponsors who were "Bubba" sponsors, not necessarily RPM sponsors was a "tell". I hope my guy lands in some top tier equipment and shows us his full potential.
The #43 car has had some solid runs recently and I was hoping it was a result of some stronger funding and that next season would be a performance year. Would have been really cool to see the #43 near the front consistently again. Oh well.
 
I think Chastain's development would be best served by at least one more full year of Xfinity.
Bubba Wallace has 5 seasons in Xfinity with 6 top 5s and 35 top 10s. IIRC he got snookered out of the series when Roush shut the program down.

Ross Chastain has 7 seasons in Xfinity with 2 wins, 16 top 5s and 40 top 10s.

If we are gonna use the Xfinity series as a determination of experience and Cup readiness, Ross has Bubba beat on seat time and clobbered on performance. This is not to say Ross is ready for Cup, but in terms of Xfinity careers, Ross is far and away the better performer.
 
Bubba Wallace has 5 seasons in Xfinity with 6 top 5s and 35 top 10s. IIRC he got snookered out of the series when Roush shut the program down.

Ross Chastain has 7 seasons in Xfinity with 2 wins, 16 top 5s and 40 top 10s.

If we are gonna use the Xfinity series as a determination of experience and Cup readiness, Ross has Bubba beat on seat time and clobbered on performance. This is not to say Ross is ready for Cup, but in terms of Xfinity careers, Ross is far and away the better performer.
Ross has 4 full seasons and a half season in Xfinity. Bubba has 2 full and one half season. And only 5 less top 10s. That's not a clobbering.
 
Ross has 4 full seasons and a half season in Xfinity. Bubba has 2 full and one half season. And only 5 less top 10s. That's not a clobbering.
Doesnt really matter how it’s spun, Ross has more xfinity seat time and more success. Remember my comment was made in response into the argument that Ross needs more time in Xfinity. My argument is that if we are using xfinity experience as a way to determine how Cup ready a driver is, why excuse Bubba’s lack of experience and performance compared to Ross’s?

Because it’s a bad determination of “Cup readiness”.
 
You can take it to the bank tha hell be going to the 42. Well see what he can do in top equipment but I doubt hell do nearly as well as Larson did in that car.
 
A couple puzzle pieces seem like they’d make sense on the surface... The 43 becoming a toyota with possible JGR alliance, and Erik Jones stepping in as the driver...

it seems like it would line up
 
Is everyone just gonna ignore the tweet that Chip offered Bubba a ride and Bubba didn’t give a response so the offer was rescinded?

I wonder about that too...

Surely bubba knows what he’s gonna do. I find it hard to believe there isnt some sort of deal in the works at the moment. There has to be.

however I’m really stunned we are this far into September and no word on the 48 driver, ect...

might be any day now obviously, but still surprised it’s gotten this far.
 
If Bubba heads to the 42 that's a huge disgrace to Ross Chastain


The massive corporate response to BLM after the death of George Floyd made Bubba the face of NASCAR. Hes gonna ride that to an elite ride and its gonna be the 42. If that hadnt transpired Chastain would most likely have gotten the 42 ride.
 
I wonder about that too...

Surely bubba knows what he’s gonna do. I find it hard to believe there isnt some sort of deal in the works at the moment. There has to be.

however I’m really stunned we are this far into September and no word on the 48 driver, ect...

might be any day now obviously, but still surprised it’s gotten this far.
I believe a few weeks ago Jeff let it slip that he already knew who was driving the #48 next season.
 
Bubba Wallace has 5 seasons in Xfinity with 6 top 5s and 35 top 10s. IIRC he got snookered out of the series when Roush shut the program down.

Ross Chastain has 7 seasons in Xfinity with 2 wins, 16 top 5s and 40 top 10s.

If we are gonna use the Xfinity series as a determination of experience and Cup readiness, Ross has Bubba beat on seat time and clobbered on performance. This is not to say Ross is ready for Cup, but in terms of Xfinity careers, Ross is far and away the better performer.

I wasn't making a comparison to Bubba Wallace. I agree that the younger Wallace would have benefited from more time in a quality Xfinity seat also. That obviously isn't going to happen now.

My statement was that Chastain's development is best served by at least one more Xfinity year. 2020 is essentially his second full Xfinity season in quality equipment. There seems to be a widespread assumption that if he isn't advanced to Cup ASAP, that is a show of disrepsect. Earlier isn't always better. Getting thrown into the deep end now in a series deep with more seasoned drivers isn't necessarily doing him a favor long-term.
 
I believe a few weeks ago Jeff let it slip that he already knew who was driving the #48 next season.

I believe it, I think Rick Hendrick did something similar as well during an interview recently.

Based on ganassi’s tweet we know bubba isn’t his #42 driver, so honestly I guess the Ross to the 42 rumors could start up again.

kinda seems on the surface like the 48 might be the current target for Bubba.

the pieces are starting to line up slowly. Another tweet or two it might give everything away.
 
I wasn't making a comparison to Bubba Wallace. I agree that the younger Wallace would have benefited from more time in a quality Xfinity seat also. That obviously isn't going to happen now.

My statement was that Chastain's development is best served by at least one more Xfinity year. 2020 is essentially his second full Xfinity season in high quality equipment. There seems to be a widespread assumption that if he isn't advanced to Cup ASAP, that is a show of disrepsect. Earlier isn't always better. Getting thrown into the deep end now in a series deep with more seasoned drivers isn't necessarily doing him a favor long-term.
Understood.

I personally believe that if Chip does not pick him up next season, someone else will. He’s too good a talent, as seen across trucks, xfinity and cup, to just “develop” in the lower series.
 
I think Fryer is out to lunch. And why would they tell her current discussions anyway? She says, CGR offer rescinded weeks ago then comes back with offer could be resurrected at anytime.

Highly doubt Bubba cut loose of RPM without knowing where he was going.
 
I think Fryer is out to lunch. And why would they tell her current discussions anyway? She says, CGR offer rescinded weeks ago then comes back with offer could be resurrected at anytime.

Highly doubt Bubba cut loose of RPM without knowing where he was going.
corey lajoie also said on whatever nascar radio show he is on that he heard CGR supposedly made a second offer to Bubba after he didn't take the initial one

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
I can't blame Bubba for going after the best possible ride.
But in my heart of hearts I wanted to see him develop into one of the greats while also restoring the 43 to greatness as well.
The pairing of the new and the old was a great imo.
 
What if the Hamlin rumors are actually a way to help keep his teammate and possible friend (Eric Jones) with the Toyota group.

Since so many people believe that he will be in the 48, that would leave to question who drives it.

I would guess Ross Chastain, with Bubba in the 42.
 
updating my silly season predictions

48- Bubba
43- switches to toyota with JGR alliance, Erik Jones as driver
42- Chastain
21- Cindric
 
I wasn't making a comparison to Bubba Wallace. I agree that the younger Wallace would have benefited from more time in a quality Xfinity seat also. That obviously isn't going to happen now.

My statement was that Chastain's development is best served by at least one more Xfinity year. 2020 is essentially his second full Xfinity season in quality equipment. There seems to be a widespread assumption that if he isn't advanced to Cup ASAP, that is a show of disrepsect. Earlier isn't always better. Getting thrown into the deep end now in a series deep with more seasoned drivers isn't necessarily doing him a favor long-term.

I highly disagree. He's got more Xfinity and Truck series starts than Elliot, Bryon, Jones, Bell, Preece, Custer- any of these guys.
 
I think this is the beginning of the end (of course that applies to everything) for Bubba. At RPM he really wasn't faced with high expectations. An occasional good run would get attention and bring hope to those that wanted to see him and RPM be successful. Wherever he goes, the expectations are going to be very high. I don't think he is going to the 42, but if he does, CGR has had some great drivers that didn't perform all that well. He would just be another. At Hendrick expectations will be much higher and while I like Bubba and think he is a good driver, I don't sense he is a great driver. At the cup level with Hendrick I would not be afraid to wager he never gets a win and the same with CGR. Whatever happens his best chance for a win will be the 2021 Daytona 500. NASCAR loves a dramatic story line nd has successfully produced them in the past.
 
I know current talk is about a Wallace...but another Wallace got booted for some social media post nascar deemed offensive. I haven’t seen post in question, does anybody know what he wrote that got him in time-out?
 
I know current talk is about a Wallace...but another Wallace got booted for some social media post nascar deemed offensive. I haven’t seen post in question, does anybody know what he wrote that got him in time-out?
He has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR for:

“You know as I fly across the United States today I’m ready various people’s political views and I have to say a famous four star Military General that I spent time with in the MidEast told me Mike let me give you some advice don’t ever get in a conversation about politics or religion unless you are really smart. I said why do you say that comment His response it’s like being balanced on a single edge razor blade if you slip you will get cut! Think about that before we all make foolish uneducated post! Moral of this story is most of us just repeat what we have heard we really don’t know. Have a great positive day!”
 
I think this is the beginning of the end (of course that applies to everything) for Bubba. At RPM he really wasn't faced with high expectations. An occasional good run would get attention and bring hope to those that wanted to see him and RPM be successful. Wherever he goes, the expectations are going to be very high. I don't think he is going to the 42, but if he does, CGR has had some great drivers that didn't perform all that well. He would just be another. At Hendrick expectations will be much higher and while I like Bubba and think he is a good driver, I don't sense he is a great driver. At the cup level with Hendrick I would not be afraid to wager he never gets a win and the same with CGR. Whatever happens his best chance for a win will be the 2021 Daytona 500. NASCAR loves a dramatic story line nd has successfully produced them in the past.
I think he'll contend for wins at short tracks at any team better than RPM. I think hes kinda average everywhere else but he's shown real strength at short tracks with wins in trucks, and running in top 10 at them in cup.
 
The massive corporate response to BLM after the death of George Floyd made Bubba the face of NASCAR. Hes gonna ride that to an elite ride and its gonna be the 42. If that hadnt transpired Chastain would most likely have gotten the 42 ride.
If Larson hadn't put his foot in his mouth, we wouldn't be having this conversation, regardless of Bubba's increased profile.
 
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