MRM
Team Owner
There isn't as much drama this year as there was last year over driver changes. I think because of the economy, there aren't going to be too many changes with the top team. The mid-level and field filler teams will shuffle around trying to secure a driver to bring in sponsorship.
Below is a list of confirmed or pretty much confirmed drivers for 2010, including the Truex move that has already been moved.
00 – David Reuitimann
07 – Casey Mears
1 – ???
2 – Kurt Busch
5 – Mark Martin
6 – David Ragan
7 – Robby Gordon
8 – ???
9 – Kasey Kahne
11 – Denny Hamlin
12 – ???
14 – Tony Stewart
16 – Greg Biffle
17 – Matt Kenseth
18 – Kyle Busch
19 – ???
20 – Joey Lagano
21 – Bill Elliott (partial schedule)
24 – Jeff Gordon
26 – ???
29 – ???
31 – Jeff Burton
33 – Clint Bowyer
34 – John Andretti
36 – ???
39 – Ryan Newman
42 – Juan Pablo Montoya
43 – Reed Sorenson
44 – A.J. Almendinger
47 – Marcos Ambrose
48 – Jimmie Johnson
55 – Michael Waltrip (partial schedule)
56 – Martin Truex Jr.
66 – ???
71 – David Gilliland
77 – Sam Hornish Jr.
78 – ???
82 – Scott Speed
83 – Brian Vickers
87 – Joe Nemechek
88 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
96 – Bobby Labonte
98 – Paul Menard
99 – Carl Edwards
Plug in the drivers you think will be in the rides that are open or could be open. Here are mine.
I think if Harvick gets out of his RCR contract to go with SHR, that will set off the last wave of dominoes for the major teams. The #29 will be open and I think Brian Vickers will get that one. I think that's why he's not done anything with Red Bull yet.
It's almost a certainty that McMurray will go to the #1. Not sure who would take the #26 ride with Yates. It could be Erik Darnell or they could someone like a Matt Crafton from the truck series.
David Stremme will probably be dumped out of the #12. Justin Allgaier is the logical choice as far as having someone in place from the organization, but he needs another year in NNS and Penske may fill the same way. They may take an Elliott Sadler or Aric Amirola to keep the seat warm for a year if they can keep Verizon happy for a year.
I think Sadler will finally get the boot from the #19. This could be a team that closes with Best Buy and Stanley going to the #43 and or #44. If not and the #19 stays around, they may plug in a veteran driver like a Sterling Marlin or Dave Blaney.
The #36 and #66 will get whoever doesn't have a ride that wants one. Blaney may stay with the #66, but could after a Sadler, Amirola, or Regan Smith if one of those drivers can attract a sponsor or two.
I'm not really sure what the #78 does past what they are doing now.
If Vickers leaves Red Bull, not sure where they'd go unless they try to go after another young driver like Kesolowski.
The wild card is Brad Kesolowski. Hendrick wants to keep him in the fold. But he doesn't have an open ride and Junior Motorsports is in no position to move to Cup. They may move up and be another SHR, but with the one car. I don't think SHR is interested in Kesolowski for their 3rd team. He could parlay some of his NNS success into a ride with another team, such as Red Bull or RCR if Vickers stays put with the #83.
Below is a list of confirmed or pretty much confirmed drivers for 2010, including the Truex move that has already been moved.
00 – David Reuitimann
07 – Casey Mears
1 – ???
2 – Kurt Busch
5 – Mark Martin
6 – David Ragan
7 – Robby Gordon
8 – ???
9 – Kasey Kahne
11 – Denny Hamlin
12 – ???
14 – Tony Stewart
16 – Greg Biffle
17 – Matt Kenseth
18 – Kyle Busch
19 – ???
20 – Joey Lagano
21 – Bill Elliott (partial schedule)
24 – Jeff Gordon
26 – ???
29 – ???
31 – Jeff Burton
33 – Clint Bowyer
34 – John Andretti
36 – ???
39 – Ryan Newman
42 – Juan Pablo Montoya
43 – Reed Sorenson
44 – A.J. Almendinger
47 – Marcos Ambrose
48 – Jimmie Johnson
55 – Michael Waltrip (partial schedule)
56 – Martin Truex Jr.
66 – ???
71 – David Gilliland
77 – Sam Hornish Jr.
78 – ???
82 – Scott Speed
83 – Brian Vickers
87 – Joe Nemechek
88 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
96 – Bobby Labonte
98 – Paul Menard
99 – Carl Edwards
Plug in the drivers you think will be in the rides that are open or could be open. Here are mine.
I think if Harvick gets out of his RCR contract to go with SHR, that will set off the last wave of dominoes for the major teams. The #29 will be open and I think Brian Vickers will get that one. I think that's why he's not done anything with Red Bull yet.
It's almost a certainty that McMurray will go to the #1. Not sure who would take the #26 ride with Yates. It could be Erik Darnell or they could someone like a Matt Crafton from the truck series.
David Stremme will probably be dumped out of the #12. Justin Allgaier is the logical choice as far as having someone in place from the organization, but he needs another year in NNS and Penske may fill the same way. They may take an Elliott Sadler or Aric Amirola to keep the seat warm for a year if they can keep Verizon happy for a year.
I think Sadler will finally get the boot from the #19. This could be a team that closes with Best Buy and Stanley going to the #43 and or #44. If not and the #19 stays around, they may plug in a veteran driver like a Sterling Marlin or Dave Blaney.
The #36 and #66 will get whoever doesn't have a ride that wants one. Blaney may stay with the #66, but could after a Sadler, Amirola, or Regan Smith if one of those drivers can attract a sponsor or two.
I'm not really sure what the #78 does past what they are doing now.
If Vickers leaves Red Bull, not sure where they'd go unless they try to go after another young driver like Kesolowski.
The wild card is Brad Kesolowski. Hendrick wants to keep him in the fold. But he doesn't have an open ride and Junior Motorsports is in no position to move to Cup. They may move up and be another SHR, but with the one car. I don't think SHR is interested in Kesolowski for their 3rd team. He could parlay some of his NNS success into a ride with another team, such as Red Bull or RCR if Vickers stays put with the #83.
