Who Gets the 48?

Kiante said:
If, he wins this year. I don't see why he couldn't be in the running come '21 or '22. Another prospect to be out on the look for is John Hunter IMO, but I doubt Hendrick picks him up. Maybe Justin Haley in a couple of years?

Chastain is more of a CGR driver, I'd prefer him to be CGR. Yet, his personality screams HMS at the same time. I could only imagine the agriculture brands that would want to back Ross at HMS. Maybe, Chastain is that answer for HMS for missing out on Keselowski years ago.
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Honestly, his personality screams SHR

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Allgaier, Moffitt, and Chastain are my preferences. I would be OK with Larson or Jones. No f****** way it'll be Gragson or Annett. No Hamlin either.

I really hope they switch the number from 48 to 5, but they didn't switch the 88 after Dale retired so I'm not holding my breath.
 
I think the world of Allgaier, but I don't see much upside to him as a Cup driver. I think his position as the senior driver and perennial championship contender at JRM suits him well.
I REALLY like Moffitt, but I would like to see a bigger body of work, like in a really good Xfinity car. If that was going to happen though, it would have happened by now.
Chastain? Maybe...., (see Kyle Larson)
Gragson? If he comes out and has a big breakout season in Xfinity and wins early and often, I could DEFINITELY see it happening. Remember that William Byron went from a promising rookie to a named Cup driver in half a season.
Annett? Not a chance.
Larson? I could maybe see it, but not if Rick has to "steal" him from Chip. I'm still not convinced that Larson is " All IN" as a Cup Driver.
Jones? I could see it happening, especially if he gets off to a good start next year, but unless he thinks he's going to get Kenseth'd or moved down to the B team, why leave the best team for one that is trying to crawl back to the top?

The ones that got away:

Turn back the clock to last year. If JRM could have figured out a way to hang onto Riddick, he would be the heir apparent to a better Cup ride than the one he just landed.
Matty D. I don't know how hard anybody in the Chevy camp tried to snag him, but knowing JJ's short time status, he should have been a priority for them.

I REALLY wish Jimmie would have given Rick a two year window instead of one, that would have given them a LOT more time to put some of the puzzle pieces together.
 
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I think without Chad the 48 is just another car. HMS isn’t the powerhouse they used to be.
I’m not impressed with a lot of the guys coming out of Xfin.
I’d like to see Matt D or Chastain in a quality ride. I’m not sure the 48 is a quality ride anymore, they finished the year a mid-pack car.
 
gnomesayin said:
Further, this all seems predicated on the idea there will still be a Cup Series in 2021, or that Earth will remain habitable.
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I’ve been told that if the President gets re-elected the earth is ending so I guess Rick doesn’t need to worry :rolleyes:
 
Larson leaving the 42 for the 48 seems a lateral move. Larson loves Chip and the 42 showed race winning speed in the 2nd half of the season. I wouldn't understand the motive behind making that move from a driver's standpoint.
 
BobbyFord said:
I think without Chad the 48 is just another car. HMS isn’t the powerhouse they used to be.
I’m not impressed with a lot of the guys coming out of Xfin.
I’d like to see Matt D or Chastain in a quality ride. I’m not sure the 48 is a quality ride anymore, they finished the year a mid-pack car.
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Matt D is already in a quality ride. (Team Penske)
 
My guess is the #48 will at least temporarily shut down after 2020. Hendrick has been underperforming for a few years and it would benefit them to focus on only 3 cars.
 
I think that Christopher Bell would be a perfect fit at HMS. I know that Toyota has him under contract, but who knows, it has happened before.
 
RacerrecaR said:
My guess is the #48 will at least temporarily shut down after 2020. Hendrick has been underperforming for a few years and it would benefit them to focus on only 3 cars.
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Downsizing didn't help Roush and it didn't help RCR.
If Hendrick shuts a team down, it would only help Rick Ware as he could get his hands on another charter.
 
gnomesayin said:
Further, this all seems predicated on the idea there will still be a Cup Series in 2021, or that Earth will remain habitable.
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From a Pockrass tweet over in the Retirement discussion -

"Team news release says: 'Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2021 team alignment at a later date.' "

If there weren't potential changes, why would they include that in the announcement? There weren't similar statements when Jeff or Jr. stepped down.
 
Formerjackman said:
I REALLY wish Jimmie would have given Rick a two year window instead of one, that would have given them a LOT more time to put some of the puzzle pieces together.
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Do we know when Jimmie first talked to Rick about this? Their conversation may have occurred long before the public announcement.
 
I don't see Larson in this car. He has boxed himself in with the "Chip gave me a ride when everybody else wanted money" drama.
I don't see Jones. The only way I see Jones out of that ride is if Larson really wanted it. See above.
Matt D.? Really? Great story, but he ain't that.
Wondering if this "alignment" announcement is a downsizing?
Regardless, the anti-Coach babble is laughable while Rick and "poaching" seems admirable.
 
Simple Fan said:
Didn't perform at KBM and has yet to prove himself in JRs stuff. Good kid though.
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Outside of Biffle and Kyle, KBM only has two wins out of the youth that's been with the team the last two years.

Folks keep pointing back to Byron, but the strength in teams and drivers alter from year to year. I think the competition just improved as well with the new engine rules put into place. Gragson had other opprotunties to win in the truck series, I think he's progressing well with JRM. He at some points was better than his more experienced teammates.

He doesn't tear up equipment too often either, I think he progresses next year and wins two or three races.
 
Revman said:
You mean Stenhoused?
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No, he means Kenseth'd. That's why he said it.

Revman said:
the anti-Coach babble is laughable while Rick and "poaching" seems admirable.
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It's not our fault that you can't (won't) see the difference between what JGR does and what others do. Constantly crying foul about poor old JGR and the "unfair" criticism is a bad look.
 
2 Sweet said:
No, he means Kenseth'd. That's why he said it.



It's not our fault that you can't (won't) see the difference between what JGR does and what others do. Constantly crying foul about poor old JGR and the "unfair" criticism is a bad look.
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Rick's never mentioned anyone as family and then ax'd them less than a year later. Coach has always come off as grimey (let us pray) while you know what you're getting with Rick
 
Snappy D said:
Rick's never mentioned anyone as family and then ax'd them less than a year later. Coach has always come off as grimey (let us pray) while you know what you're getting with Rick
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Rick helped many owners get started in NASCAR once they joined. Sabates, Haas, Stewart, among others....oh, that includes Gibbs too! How funny is that. Joe Gibbs got his start in racing thanks to Rick Hendrick. Yes, JGR actually existed before Toyota came along. Who woulda thunk it?

You know the JGR slogan: if you can't beat 'em, steal their top talent and force them out of business! But somehow Johnson retiring and Stenhouse FINALLY getting kicked to the curb for a better driver is comparable to all the stuff JGR has done.

We can continue to explain this stuff over and over and over again, but why? It always falls on deaf ears.
 
I have a guess for the new driver, but I will wait and use it in the 2020 bold prediction post, when that gets started.
 
2 Sweet said:
Rick helped many owners get started in NASCAR once they joined. Sabates, Haas, Stewart, among others....oh, that includes Gibbs too! How funny is that. Joe Gibbs got his start in racing thanks to Rick Hendrick. Yes, JGR actually existed before Toyota came along. Who woulda thunk it?

You know the JGR slogan: if you can't beat 'em, steal their top talent and force them out of business! But somehow Johnson retiring and Stenhouse FINALLY getting kicked to the curb for a better driver is comparable to all the stuff JGR has done.

We can continue to explain this stuff over and over and over again, but why? It always falls on deaf ears.
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KDB, Toyota and Preacher Joe Fan boys always forget JGR got their start from Hendrick. Oh well, Hendrick has a little way to go to surpass Gibbs again IMO
 
Charlie Spencer said:
From a Pockrass tweet over in the Retirement discussion -

"Team news release says: 'Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2021 team alignment at a later date.' "

If there weren't potential changes, why would they include that in the announcement? There weren't similar statements when Jeff or Jr. stepped down.
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Valid point, for the most part I was just being silly. I still think it is highly unlikely Hendrick would be in such dire straights as to drop a car, especially with the next gen car coming that he has sounded highly supportive of.
 
BobbyFord said:
Satellite team, not exactly a Penske car.
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It has been said that the WB's cars are produced In house at Team Penske.
The car is then shipped to WB where they will do the final adjustments and as you have seen over your many years they are very good at it especially for Daga and Daytona.
 
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