Silly Season 2020

Bowman has been on a roll as of late, I would not drop him. He's been improving every week for the last month. Byron's form has turned around as of late. My issue with Jones is his car control sometimes, the increased downforce has minimized his issues, but he has a tendency to lose the car on his own more often than not.

Byron and Bowman are steady hands behind the wheel and don't wreck often.
 
I would venture to say that Bowman is more marketable than Jones, which is important in a tight sponsor market.
 
Privateer said:
The real issue here is Toyota and their strategy of having one giant factory team and nothing else outside of a car that is 25th in owner points means they have nowhere to put their high quality incoming talent. This is just dessert on their end for Furniture Row Racing shutting down.
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Toyota's response, or more correctly their lack of one concerning the closing of Furniture Row just baffles the crap out of me. You won't convince me that it wouldn't have been in their own best interest to keep that team intact, whether Visser was still involved or not. They may have to end up dumping a crapload of money into LFR just to TRY to duplicate what they already HAD.
 
Formerjackman said:
Toyota's response, or more correctly their lack of one concerning the closing of Furniture Row just baffles the crap out of me. You won't convince me that it wouldn't have been in their own best interest to keep that team intact, whether Visser was still involved or not. They may have to end up dumping a crapload of money into LFR just to TRY to duplicate what they already HAD.
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And that's why I disagree with some here. Gibbs is the Toyota factory team, and all the connotations the term "factory team" has from other forms of auto racing is correct. The satellites are not allowed to beat the factory. Furniture Row did.
 
I will say I am a little concerned with this younger crop of drivers. These last two years the true vets have been taking it to the field. Also doesn’t help Chevy is complete dog crap in racing rn
 
As for the young drivers who haven’t really won much or won at all in the cup series, yet...

I feel like it’s taking a bit longer for young drivers to really ‘break out’. For example, at the beginning of 2018 I would still be including Chase Elliott’s name with Erik Jones, William Byron, Bowman... but chase finally broke through and then it seems a couple more wins quickly followed his first... and now he’s cool as far as all that talk goes...

It also makes me think of Logano. A lot of folks were a little down on him after his first few seasons in cup. But then he goes to Penske and it was a totally different story for him, rather quickly.

I feel the same applies to some of these names like Jones, Byron, Bowman, even Blaney... I feel like they’ll keep pushing, running well. Then when they finally get a win... a couple 2 or 3 more will come to them fast after that.

For Blaney... I could imagine him switching teams at some point in the coming years. Then like lightening... he could be the guy to beat. There’s nothing wrong with his skill level. To me it feels like something is just simply not connecting on that 12 team. The chemistry just may not be ‘good enough’. It ain’t the driver.

Although... I do think Ryan is gonna have to get a little bit of a ‘mean’ side to his driving style. I like his approach... not wanting to cause waves and controversy with other drivers. But I feel like it’s going to be noticed... if you lean on his car a little bit... you can laugh with him after a race... and it will be cool.
 
Formerjackman said:
Toyota's response, or more correctly their lack of one concerning the closing of Furniture Row just baffles the crap out of me. You won't convince me that it wouldn't have been in their own best interest to keep that team intact, whether Visser was still involved or not. They may have to end up dumping a crapload of money into LFR just to TRY to duplicate what they already HAD.
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Well if you believe Jeffery Earnhardt that team he has driven for in Cup is supposed to get the FRR slot.
 
StandOnIt said:
not much of a silly season with Bell spoken for unless Jones gets the hatchet.
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Yeah, I agree. But Bell signing a one-year deal doesn't feel to me like Jones is getting axed. If Jones is getting axed, why just one year for his replacement?

It feels like Bell has said... OK, I'll give you one more year to figure it out, and maybe he's getting a paycheck bump in the meanwhile. Bell may figure that the best seats in Nascar are a year away from opening up. Just speculation.

Maybe Jones gets just a one-year extension? Maybe Hamlin's deal is up after 2020?
 
I think this is a combination of keeping Bell in Xfinity for another year and they want to see how Jones does with 1 more year.
 
AuzGrams said:
I think Bell caved to another year of Xfinity. Wow.

Better be hedging on a JGR or highly affiliated ride in 2021.
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This is all interesting IMO, but I'm still the crazy one thinking that 95 car will be open next season.

Someone might be sacrificed to the Racing Gods next year. Might as well try to get Bell some Cup seat time.
 
the only thing that has changed is that Bell has another year on the JGR gravy train. Looks like Jones is the last piece needed to solve the puzzle. He is the only one without a contract.
 
Kiante said:
This is all interesting IMO, but I'm still the crazy one thinking that 95 car will be open next season.

Someone might be sacrificed to the Racing Gods next year. Might as well try to get Bell some Cup seat time.
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Yeah the 95 is still possible. Wonder if Matt drove his ass off at Sonoma knowing the circumstances
 
NBC Sports is reporting that Joe Gibbs Racing has exercised their option on Bell for 2020, which is a distinctly different twist on Bell's decision making process. The implication is that Bell had no control or any decisions to make; it was a unilateral JGR decision. In other words, Bell gave up his control over the 2020 season several years ago when he signed a contract that awarded an option for 2020 to JGR.

So the posts above commenting on what Christopher was thinking, settling for another year in xfinity, angling for the HMS 48 or 88, etc, etc... we probably should forget those posts if NBC is correct that JGR had an option year.

https://nascar.nbcsports.com/2019/0...icks-up-option-on-christopher-bells-contract/
Joe Gibbs Racing picks up option on Christopher Bell’s contract

Joe Gibbs Racing has picked up the option on Christopher Bell‘s contract for the 2020 season, but Bell admits that he doesn’t know where he’ll be racing next year.


“I’m good for another year,” Bell said Friday at Chicagoland Speedway. “I don’t know what I’m going to be racing, but I will be somewhere...”
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^ this makes a lot more sense than Bell just accepting 1 more year in Xfinity.
Having said that, I think Toyota and JGR are learning from past mistakes.
They rushed Joey to cup and he failed at JGR.
They rushed Suarez to cup and he failed.
Jones forced JGR to move him to cup and he is failing.
Many teams are rushing young drivers to cup that just haven't honed their skills to
be competing at that level and many are failing because of the pressure. In the meantime
the older drivers seem to be doing all the winning. Why? because their competition
isn't up to par yet even though their cars are. How can a young driver tell his CC what he needs when he doesn't know himself?
I think some good drivers are just not going to make it to cup because their are no more rides available UNLESS you have a big sponsorship in your pocket.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
Wasn’t Suarez only with JGR at the Cup level for a single season? With Edwards quitting, I don’t recall what other options they had.

I otherwise agree with your point.
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Suarez was at JGR for 2 seasons. His rookie season honestly was fairly decent, and then I think the fact that he actually regressed from his rookie year is part of the reason (not the only one) that he left.

Daniel looks a bit better in the 41 than the 19 for sure.
 
Team Penske said:
^ this makes a lot more sense than Bell just accepting 1 more year in Xfinity.
Having said that, I think Toyota and JGR are learning from past mistakes.
They rushed Joey to cup and he failed at JGR.
They rushed Suarez to cup and he failed.
Jones forced JGR to move him to cup and he is failing.
Many teams are rushing young drivers to cup that just haven't honed their skills to
be competing at that level and many are failing because of the pressure. In the meantime
the older drivers seem to be doing all the winning. Why? because their competition
isn't up to par yet even though their cars are. How can a young driver tell his CC what he needs when he doesn't know himself?
I think some good drivers are just not going to make it to cup because their are no more rides available UNLESS you have a big sponsorship in your pocket.
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Except Bell is the best thing to come along in a while....imho
 
There has always been more good drivers than available cars. Very, very seldom does a new driver show up in cup and immediately start winning races, way too much too learn. Can a new driver learn, get more competitive is the unknown question. Larson is a good example of a driver who was a champion on dirt but knew nothing about Cup racing. 2,3 years in cup and everybody is wondering if he was going to win a race. Today 7 years later he is having his worst season since he came on the scene 5 wins in 6 full seasons. Logano on the other hand grew and got better with more experience. Logano broke out his 6th season with 5 wins for a total of 8 wins in the same time period. Nobody knew for sure either would have those records when they were signed.
 
Hard to tell how good Bell is...he definitely is very good but JGR Xfinity and KBM are the absolute best equipment out there in the lower series and if you aren't winning like he is then you don't deserve a cup ride. With that being said how good are Custer and Reddick???
 
Fordracing7 said:
Hard to tell how good Bell is...he definitely is very good but JGR Xfinity and KBM are the absolute best equipment out there in the lower series and if you aren't winning like he is then you don't deserve a cup ride. With that being said how good are Custer and Reddick???
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Reddick is currently #1 in Xfinity in Production in Equal Equipment Rating (PEER). Right now he looks like RCR's best prospect since Harvick.
 
So they're saying the hold up with getting Erik Jones' contract extension done is DeWalt. I know corporate reviews and approvals can be frustratingly slow. And I can't remember if Joe Gibbs has said, "He's Family" about Erik lately...

 
I think Jones stays with JGR for the future. Jones is a lot like young Kyle Busch. He's the definition of "checkers or wreckers".Giving up him only a couple years in would be a mistake and Christopher Bell isn't immediately a Cup title contender like Truex, so it makes it difficult. I really hope some sponsors/JGR step up and help LFR field a 2nd car. I also wish NASCAR would get rid of the 4 team rule.
 
I think Paul will race as long as his dad is willing to have him do it. At some point, his dad MAY want him to come home and get back into the family business. From what I've heard, Paul is one of the few members of his family that John Menard is on solid terms with.
 
Like it or not the only reason Menard is still around is because he brings big checks. 453 starts, 1 win (I believe on fuel mileage) and 20 top 5's wouldn't keep anyone else in the sport these days
 
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