Silly Season For 2017

I wondered about that Gase announcement.

Who will be in the seat for the races he doesn't run? (Assuming they've even firmed up Gase's schedule yet.) A chartered team wouldn't elect to run part-time. They'd risk falling into the 'Bottom Three' in the standings. Leasing it out might prevent that , and they'd also likely make more money as opposed to sitting on it.

Since we haven't read anything about that, there's likely another shoe to drop regarding the rest of the #23's driver lineup.
 
Jamie McMurray? or is that gonna be next year?
 
But really, I'm struggling to come up with significant drivers who seem like legit possibilities. I tend to think that someone suddenly retires at this time of year not because of age (Kenseth), but because he or she is sick of struggling or experienced a major personal life change.
 
gnomesayin said:
But really, I'm struggling to come up with significant drivers who seem like legit possibilities. I tend to think that someone suddenly retires at this time of year not because of age (Kenseth), but because he or she is sick of struggling or experienced a major personal life change.
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Biff?
 
Ok, let's scroll through the list,

McMurray - possibility but has one year left on his contract
Harvick - possibility but seems ready to go for 17. Maybe this is his year to retire?
Kahne - I don't think this is likely, too young so why retire? Why not just go do other things and leave the door open to coming back one day?
Danica - possibility but seems ready to go for 17. Maybe this is her year to retire to pursue a family afterward?
Casey Mears - seems kind of obvious if he can't get a ride
Biffle - this is a little too obvious if he can't get a ride
Kenseth - possibility but seems ready to go for 17. Maybe this is his year to retire?
Paul Menard - Maybe he is getting bored?
Newman - Seems ready to go for 17 and still has a desire to win.
Kurt Busch - Seems like he is ready to try new things but wants one more title
JJ - has 7 why not go for 8 then retire if he gets it or not?
Jr. - Seems ready to come back, but maybe he is still injured behind the scenes. Don't think this would be a shock to anyone though. (At least around here).
 
Allenbaba said:
Unless there's a change of heart, I would expect the unexpected shortly. Like "wow, did not see that coming" unexpected. #retirement
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Maybe I'm misinterpreting. Is this, instant retirement and not getting in a car in 17 or 17 is the last year this person will drive in NASCAR?
 
Would love to see a driver step away without the Good-Bye Tour. We have had two years of it. Let's be done.
 
LouieLouie said:
Maybe I'm misinterpreting. Is this, instant retirement and not getting in a car in 17 or 17 is the last year this person will drive in NASCAR?
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Instant. Won't be in the car in '17 - though did tell the team owner "if you absolutely, positively need me for one more year I'd do it." So that would be the only reason for this not happening immediately.

Reason: tired of the grind. Looked in the mirror and just feels like he's done doing this.

Sorry to be so vague. It's so so so new that leaking it would be easily traceable. Here's a clue to at least help narrow it down: he's won a race since the new Chase format has been in effect.
 
'Dinger, McMurray, Kahne, Buescher and Almirola are the four who have only won once in that period, all in 2014.

My money is on McMurray FWIW. He's a free agent at the end of 2017 and the rumor mill strongly suggests he's not gonna be re-signed by Ganassi. Target is gone after 2017 and rumors say McDonalds and Cessna are going over to Larson to make up for it (don't know if that means Larson takes the #1 or not). Then, they'll bring up Brennan Poole with DC Solar for the other car.
 
That doesnt mean only one race I dont have time to go through who it could be but my intuition tells me Carl Edwards
 
Give us another clue, something like how many kids does he have?
 
My money is on Kasey Kahne. He's been phoning it in for years and there's Alex Bowman ready to take over.
 
Allenbaba said:
Instant. Won't be in the car in '17 - though did tell the team owner "if you absolutely, positively need me for one more year I'd do it." So that would be the only reason for this not happening immediately.

Reason: tired of the grind. Looked in the mirror and just feels like he's done doing this.

Sorry to be so vague. It's so so so new that leaking it would be easily traceable. Here's a clue to at least help narrow it down: he's won a race since the new Chase format has been in effect.
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Don't get yourself in trouble.
 
16 active drivers have won in cup in the last three years so it would be one of the following

jimmie Johnson
Brad keselowski
Kevin Harvick
joey Logano
Dale jr
Denny Hamlin
Kasey Kahne
Aj Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Kurt
Kyle
Carl
Matt K
Truex
Larson
Buescher

From that the most likely would be

Harvick, kenseth, edwards, kahne, hamlin, jr, KURT
 
AJ Allmendinger ran decent last year, but I could see it. Don't see why Kahne or Almirola leave.
 
Fordracing7 said:
Kasey Kahne
Aj Allmendinger
Aric Almirola
Truex
Buescher
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I've personally narrowed it down to these five, because I don't think Allenbaba would have thought of that clue for any of the others - - meaning that it's not notable they have won a race since 2014, of course they have.
 
Johali said:
Denny Hamlin.
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From the standpoint of looking oneself in the mirror, and not wanting to do this anymore.....Yes. The sore neck that gave Erik his first drive has always been a head scratcher for me.....and that metal in the eye in Fontana. The other thing that that always felt weird was how Denny has been saying that Wheels is his last CC. A bit young to be saying that IMO. Have to tell you, if it is him, it will be a cluster to fill that seat. Erik stuff is already being marketed by FRR. What the hell would you do? Hello, Daniel, got some news for you.....
 
Revman said:
From the standpoint of looking oneself in the mirror, and not wanting to do this anymore.....Yes. The sore neck that gave Erik his first drive has always been a head scratcher for me.....and that metal in the eye in Fontana. The other thing that that always felt weird was how Denny has been saying that Wheels is his last CC. A bit young to be saying that IMO. Have to tell you, if it is him, it will be a cluster to fill that seat. Erik stuff is already being marketed by FRR. What the hell would you do? Hello, Daniel, got some news for you.....
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Or one year Biffle Filler, but sounds like whoever it is could stay for a year if needed.
 
I think it'll be Kahne because the "I'm leaving unless you absolutely need me" sounds like a guy who wouldn't abandon the team unless he knew the team wouldn't be in dire straights without him. Wouldn't leave unless the team had a solid backup plan. Well with Bowman under Hendrick's thumb, I think Kasey sees that there's a driver ready to take his place so he can leave without feeling too bad about it since they won't be absolutely scrambling in his absence.
 
Fordracing7 said:
Or one year Biffle Filler, but sounds like whoever it is could stay for a year if needed.
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I have no interest in anybody half interested behind the wheel of one of my TRD powered Camrys. Biffle from one of the worst cars to the best. Would be interesting to see if how he would respond.
 
cheesepuffs said:
I think it'll be Kahne because the "I'm leaving unless you absolutely need me" sounds like a guy who wouldn't abandon the team unless he knew the team wouldn't be in dire straights without him. Wouldn't leave unless the team had a solid backup plan. Well with Bowman under Hendrick's thumb, I think Kasey sees that there's a driver ready to take his place so he can leave without feeling too bad about it since they won't be absolutely scrambling in his absence.
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Would be interesting to see Kasey leave on his terms instead of waiting for the inevitable. Better hope Bowman is as good as everybody thinks he is....and just like that, HMS gets young. Mr. H. is a playa.
 
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