Silly Season 2020

Menard is a mid packer, nascar has always had mid Packers. Personally id like to see him pull a Sadler or Regan Smith and run for the Xfinity title
 
Kiante said:
I'd put Blaney back in the 21. He seemed to be a better fit for WBR, but the 12 car has not been bad for him either.

2021, it will probably Cindric or Briscoe in the 21.
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Please don't imply that it's possible for cindrics no driving ass to take up a seat that a more deserving driver could take.

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Biggreen695 said:
Please don't imply that it's possible for cindrics no driving ass to take up a seat that a more deserving driver could take.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
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not to worry, Menard said his contract is good thru next year with the Wood brothers
 
wi_racefan said:
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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Think MW who didn't have a very rich father.
 
Team Penske said:
Think MW who didn't have a very rich father.
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The reason Michael Waltrip was able to stick around so long as the TV networks made him their "house driver" and no matter how poorly he did ON the track, he was given 50,000 opportunities to shill for his sponsors without them having to buy commercials. Some weeks I'll bet Napa and Aaron's got more on screen mentions than the race winner's sponsor.
 
Formerjackman said:
The reason Michael Waltrip was able to stick around so long as the TV networks made him their "house driver" and no matter how poorly he did ON the track, he was given 50,000 opportunities to shill for his sponsors without them having to buy commercials. Some weeks I'll bet Napa and Aaron's got more on screen mentions than the race winner's sponsor.
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This and his shilling contract with yoder. Also his big brother is a contract yoder shill as well as a MW shill.
 
Formerjackman said:
The reason Michael Waltrip was able to stick around so long as the TV networks made him their "house driver" and no matter how poorly he did ON the track, he was given 50,000 opportunities to shill for his sponsors without them having to buy commercials. Some weeks I'll bet Napa and Aaron's got more on screen mentions than the race winner's sponsor.
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I was talking about his career before DE made him a winner, before he was a team owner and before Junior made him successful doing any commercials. I was referring to the driver who never won a race and survived hitting the end of a wall when the gate was left open.
 
Team Penske said:
I was talking about his career before DE made him a winner, before he was a team owner and before Junior made him successful doing any commercials. I was referring to the driver who never won a race and survived hitting the end of a wall when the gate was left open.
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oh so you mean he was able to race because of the name of his older brother got him in the series. :p
 
Team Penske said:
When fans suggest teams should start a 3rd car, I wonder if the give any thought to the financial
costs and the sponsorship requirement to just break even.
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Yup, and even if they did -- those same fans are not connected to the financial burden or much of anything else to run a race organization -- they're here for the party (race, entertainment, lifestyle, etc).

Burton made a good point about -- who is gonna replace the big money old owners?
Gibbs (4), Penske (3), Hendrick (4), Childress (2), Roush (2) or even young 60 somethings like Haas (4) and Chip (2)

Kyle Busch made clear that he's not looking to own Cup Team/s. He gave a good interview and that was part of it.
 
While Michael Waltrip was a topic earlier today for some reason it appears something is up at RCR

 
Snappy D said:
I don’t think it bodes well for RCR as a whole to lose your main sponsor right in the middle of the year
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They may not have lost the sponsor if it is true they have signed for 2020. They may have just exercised an adjustment to the contract for 2019. Many sponsors have reduced their commitments while still paying the original price tag they had committed to.
 
Team Penske said:
They may not have lost the sponsor if it is true they have signed for 2020. They may have just exercised an adjustment to the contract for 2019. Many sponsors have reduced their commitments while still paying the original price tag they had committed to.
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I’d be surprised to see them on the car at Daytona in February. Shocked really. We see this all the time a sponsor says they will step back or reappear at a later date and then never come back. I’d wager by the end of the year RC won’t be receiving any kind of financial commitment from Dow if they even are at this point. They arnt even listed as a partner on the RCR website.
 
Snappy D said:
I’d be surprised to see them on the car at Daytona in February. Shocked really. We see this all the time a sponsor says they will step back or reappear at a later date and then never come back. I’d wager by the end of the year RC won’t be receiving any kind of financial commitment from Dow if they even are at this point. They arnt even listed as a partner on the RCR website.
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Yup...they gone
 
Jordan Bianchi's silly season update in The Athletic (link for subscribers) doesn't reveal any hard news not already discussed in this thread, but there are a few juicy behind-the-scene tidbits...
1) An un-named team exec predicts that Tony and Rick and others pry Kyle Larson loose from Chip after next year;
2) Preacher Joe was in Detroit last week meeting with Erik Jones' attorney, and hopes to have the deal done within seven to ten days for 'That Jones Boy' to remain in the 20 car;
3) What Matt DiBenedetto said about the possibility of being replaced by Christopher Bell in the LFR 95 car (although nothing is decided yet).
Silly season update: Kyle Larson knocks down rumors, and an update on the Joe Gibbs Racing logjam

By Jordan Bianchi, July 19, 2019

With seven races left in the regular season the intensity is amplifying as drivers vie to secure a spot in the Cup Series playoffs. Yet while the collective attention of fans may be focused on what is transpiring on the track, an equally intense battle is ongoing behind the scenes, with various drivers and teams looking past 2019, having turned one eye to next season as they try to solidify their plans.

Here’s a look at where things stand for several notables involved in the annual NASCAR tradition known as silly season:

Kyle Larson

Speculation had Larson’s contract with Chip Ganassi Racing expiring after the 2019 season, at which point he would leave the organization he’s driven for full-time since 2014. Were Larson to hit the open market he’d undoubtedly be a hot commodity with several premier teams interested in signing the 26-year-old.

However, any team interested in Larson is going to have to wait. When asked by The Athletic in late June whether he will be with CGR next year Larson responded, “I’m under contract, so yeah, I’ll be there.”

Larson remaining with CGR removes a big silly season domino, creating a ripple effect throughout the garage. Teams that would’ve been potential suitors — cough, cough, Stewart-Haas Racing — will now need to reassess its 2020 driver lineup and determine whether to continue as is for another year and make a run at Larson next year, or go ahead with changes by moving in a different direction.

If Larson does become a free agent after 2020, it could bring more teams into the fold that bid for his services. Similar to SHR, Hendrick Motorsports has long had an affinity for Larson and Hendrick could have room on its roster, with Alex Bowman’s contract set to expire after next season. Team owner Rick Hendrick has been candid in his fondness for Bowman, but the opportunity to sign Larson could prove too enticing to pass up. And it’s worth noting that Jimmie Johnson’s contract with Hendrick also concludes after next season.

“(Larson) staying with Chip doesn’t change that Kyle is the big fish everyone wants and will keep going after,” a team executive told The Athletic. “Everyone knows SHR wants him and Hendrick went after him hard years ago. I don’t think he stays with Chip past next year.”

Erik Jones

As Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing sort through how to best handle its situation — too many Cup-quality drivers but too few Cup rides — whether Jones re-signs with JGR or is squeezed out in a numbers game has been a popular parlor game.

When asked about his future with JGR, Jones has repeatedly maintained that he and the team are working toward an extension. Jones’ attorney, Alan Miller, confirmed to The Athletic that he met with team owner Joe Gibbs in his Detroit office last week and both parties are hoping to have a new deal ironed out within the next seven to 10 days. That agreement is likely to see Jones continue to drive the No. 20 JGR Toyota, as opposed to being farmed out to another Toyota-supported organization.

To his credit Jones has handled the constant speculation well and not let it be a distraction. He has six top-10 finishes over the past nine races — including a third-place effort at Kentucky Speedway last weekend that moved him two points above Ryan Newman for the final provisional playoff spot.

“It’s easy for me to block it out when I get to the track, I’ve always been that way,” Jones said. “When you get to the racetrack, get in the race car everything else fades away and you’re able to focus on the task at hand.”

Christopher Bell

The logjam within the JGR-Toyota camp has intertwined the futures of Jones and Bell, creating continual discourse on who would end up in the No. 20 car and if the other driver ultimately would leave for an opportunity elsewhere. Now it is likely both will remain with the organization, as Jones is working toward an extension and JGR has exercised the option on Bell’s contract for the 2020 season.

But if Jones remains with the organization, what happens with Bell next year?

That is a question without a definitive answer. JGR and Toyota are weighing multiple scenarios, per industry sources not authorized to speak publicly.

As it stands, three options are on the table, though none have been decided and the situation remains fluid:

  • Bell could return to the Xfinity Series for a third full-time season;
  • He could be elevated to Cup and farmed out to Leavine Family Racing to drive its No. 95 Toyota or a second car should sponsorship be secured — which is considered doubtful; or
  • If negotiations between Jones and JGR break down, then Bell would slide into the seat of the No. 20 car as Jones’ replacement.
Regardless of how it is ultimately settled, that JGR and Toyota are in all probability going to keep both its young stars in the fold for at least another season is an enormous win for the organization and manufacturer tandem that have invested a great amount of resources in developing Bell and Jones.

Matt DiBenedetto

Being in limbo is the unfortunate position Matt DiBenedetto currently finds himself in, with it conceivable that LFR chooses not to pick up his option in order to clear a spot for Bell.

Team owner Bob Leavine has tweeted his support for DiBenedetto multiple times, as the 27-year-old is well liked by those within the organization and is thought to have done a better job than the results indicate — just two top-10 finishes in 19 starts and currently ranked 25th in points. But personal feelings aside, LFR’s budding relationship with Toyota makes it a prime candidate to be the landing spot for Bell. And LFR adding a second car is possible, though a long shot considering the No. 95 still lacks full funding.

When asked by The Athletic abut being in danger of losing his ride with LFR after just one season, DiBenedetto responded that he’s not had a conversation with Leavine regarding his future employment, nor started exploring options elsewhere. Instead, he is focused solely on improving his performance and giving LFR — or another team — reason to sign him.

“I’ve had to perform every single year my entire life,” DiBenedetto said. “I’ve been on the edge on a one-year deal as long as I can even freaking remember. I’m very mentally numb to it and I’m very mentally strong, so I just let my driving ability and my desire take care of itself. Because anyone would be stupid if they didn’t put me back in the race car, because I can do a better job than anyone else.”

Clint Bowyer

A lack of consistently strong results, a sponsorship deficiency and a high salary are factors working against Clint Bowyer staying with SHR when his original three-year contract ends at the end of the 2019 season. Because while co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have shown a willingness to self-fund their teams if a driver can generate wins, if those wins aren’t happening then they expect their drivers to offset that lack of success by bringing sponsorship dollars with them.

It isn’t inconceivable Bowyer re-ups, especially if SHR feels there isn’t a worthy replacement available to take over driving duties of its No. 14 Ford. Which is why Bowyer may be the biggest benefactor if Larson stays with CGR for another year.

But Cole Custer continues to turn heads in the Xfinity Series with a series-leading five wins, presenting SHR with another option should it decide to part ways with Bowyer. And Custer, whose father Joe is a longtime SHR executive, would be a far cheaper alternative who would considerably mitigate the fact that the No. 14 car is without an anchor sponsor.
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AuzGrams said:
Not enough rides to go around. Yet Ricky Stenhouse still is locked into one.
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Sponsors must like him. Too bad though because there are some good young drivers but a lot of average drivers (Menard, Austin Dillon) taking up quality rides.
 
AuzGrams said:
Not enough rides to go around. Yet Ricky Stenhouse still is locked into one.
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BUUUUUT the WHY is what we don't know for sure.
Could it be the CC has more pull and wants things done his way?
We saw Joey fail miserable under his CC at JGR and yet Excelled under a different CC in their Xfinity cars as well as new CC at Penske. OR it could be Stenhouse is trying to hard and not getting the most from his car and crashes trying for more because of the pressure.
 
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