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Here’s your updated Silly Season scorecard for 2018 (video)

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Kasey Kahne and Ryan Blaney are among a handful of drivers whose futures are very much up in the air. The crew examines what will be the next Silly Season domino to fall.

Hendrick Motorsports took care of one ride with the announcement last week that Alex Bowman will take over Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 88 car after this season, but questions remain around if Brickyard 400 winner Kasey Kahne will remain in the No. 5 car.

That is just among many of the questions as Silly Season progresses. Here’s a look at where many of the key issues stand at this point as the Cup series heads this weekend to Pocono Raceway.
ANNOUNCED RIDES FOR 2018

— Erik Jones will drive the No. 20, replacing Matt Kenseth (announcement made July 11)

— Alex Bowman will drive the No. 88, replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. (announcement made July 20)

— Brad Keselowski agrees to contract extension to drive the No. 2 car for Team Penske (announcement made July 25)

— Ryan Blaney moves to Team Penske to drive No. 12 car and signs multi-year contract extension (announcement made July 26)

— Paul Menard moves to Wood Brothers Racing to drive No. 21 car (announcement made July 26)
OPEN/POSSIBLY OPEN RIDES

— No. 5: With Great Clips and Farmer’s Insurance not returning, this Hendrick Motorsports team needs sponsorship. Brickyard 400 winner Kasey Kahne’s status remains uncertain even though he has a contract through next season. If sponsorship isn’t found, contraction could be an option or even leasing this team’s charter. Car owner Rick Hendrick said Sunday at Indianapolis that “our plans are not set for the No. 5 car.’’ Kahne told NBC Sports: “I have a deal with Hendrick through ’18 and we’re trying to figure out how to make all that stuff work.’’

— No. 10: Sponsorship has yet to be announced for next season, and Danica Patrick is in the last year of her contract.

— No. 27: Richard Childress Racing states it will announce its plans for a third Cup team at a later date with Paul Menard leaving to join the Wood Brothers.
— No. 41: Monster Energy is mulling if to return as team sponsor since it is the series sponsor. Monster must inform NASCAR within the next few months if it’s picking up the option on the series title sponsorship (it has a two-year deal with a two-year option). Co-owner Gene Haas has indicated Stewart-Haas Racing wants to stay at four cars. If there isn’t sponsorship, contraction could become an option. Also, Kurt Busch said at Daytona in July that he was awaiting news from the team that it had picked up his option for next season, although he expected it to happen.

— No. 77: With Erik Jones returning to Joe Gibbs Racing, team owner Barney Visser said at Kentucky that “we have nothing concrete … we hope to have two cars.” Sponsor 5-hour Energy has an option to return. The company can’t go to any other Cup team with Monster Energy as series sponsor.

AVAILABLE DRIVERS

Matt Kenseth: Out of the No. 20 after this season. Doesn’t have anything for next year at this point. Key could be what kind of salary he’s willing to take next year. On his future, Kenseth said last weekend at Indianapolis: “I’m not that concerned about it. I’m more concerned about trying to get a win here and get in the playoffs. It’s been a full year now since we won a race, that’s not acceptable.’’

William Byron: Whether he moves up to Cup and replaces Kasey Kahne in the No. 5 car could come down to sponsorship. Car owner Rick Hedrick says “the plan” is to run four cars next year. As to if Byron would be in one of his Cup cars next year, Hendrick said last weekend: “We’re not ready to cross that bridge yet.’’

Kurt Busch: The 2017 Daytona 500 winner said at Daytona that he is waiting for Stewart-Haas Racing to pick up his option for next season and was optimistic that would happen. Also mentioned there were many “moving parts” involving Monster and NASCAR.

Kasey Kahne: He has a deal with Hendrick Motorsports through next season but team controls the option and it was widely believed before his Brickyard 400 win last weekend that this could be his final year with the organization.

Danica Patrick: In her final year with Stewart-Haas Racing. She said last month she intends to drive next season but the sponsorship uncertainty leaves her status murky for next year.

Aric Almirola: Hasn’t been announced yet as returning to Richard Petty Motorsports next season. He’s tied closely to sponsor Smithfield, which also is in its final year with the team, but Richard Petty has said he’s confident Smithfield will return.

Chris Buescher: He said previously he plans to be back at JTG Daugherty with Roush Fenway Racing expecting to remain a two-car team with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne. That leaves no room there for Buescher, who was loaned to JTG this season. No deal is in place yet. “We are working on next year, trying to get everything in place,’’ Buescher said last weekend at Indianapolis. “We should have more information in the next couple of moths.’’

GMS Racing/Spencer Gallagher: This could be one of the wildcards. This Xfinity team is exploring a move to Cup if it makes financial sense. Some in the garage are convinced this team will move and could be a two-car team with Spencer Gallagher and a veteran driver. GMS already has an engine deal in the Xfinity Series with Hendrick Motorsports but would need to upgrade that for a Cup effort and possibly add a technical alliance (it has one with JR Motorsports). It also would need to get at least one charter, if not two.

Darrell Wallace Jr.: He continues to look for an opportunity after his Xfinity ride with Roush Fenway Racing went away in June because of lack of sponsorship and Aric Almirola returned to the No. 43 earlier this month from injury after Wallace filled in for a few races. Wallace showed well in Almirola’s ride. Key is to find sponsorship.

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