No surprise that Christopher Bell moves over to the No. 20 at Joe Gibbs Racing next season with Leavine Family Racing being sold and Erik Jones not remaining with JGR beyond this season. Joe Gibbs Racing made the announcement Monday.
While JGR lets the 24-year-old Jones, who has 133 Cup starts go, it brings in the 25-year-old Bell who has made 22 career Cup starts. Jones said before Sunday’s race he was “blindsided a little bit” by JGR’s move.
It’s part of the building momentum of Silly Season. In the last week, Team Penske signed Brad Keselowski to a reported one-year extension and Bubba Wallace said he has an offer for next year not only from Richard Petty Motorsports but also Chip Ganassi Racing.
Here’s how the Cup Silly Season scorecard looks as of Aug. 10.
ANNOUNCED CUP RIDES FOR 2021
No. 00: Quin Houff enters the second year of his two-year deal with StarCom Racing.
No. 1: Kurt Busch enters the second year of a multi-year contract that Chip Ganassi Racing announced last season.
No. 2: Brad Keselowski and Team Penske announced a contract extension Aug. 3.
No. 4: Kevin Harvick signed a contract extension in February that will keep him at Stewart-Haas Racing through the 2023 season.
No. 8: Tyler Reddick said in a press conference Aug. 7 that he will be back with Richard Childress Racing next season.
No. 9: Chase Elliott is under contract with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2022 season.
No. 11: Denny Hamlin is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through at least next year.
No. 12: Ryan Blaney and Team Penske announced a multi-year extension earlier this season.
No. 18: Kyle Busch is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through at least next year.
No. 19: Martin Truex Jr. is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through at least next year.
No. 20: Christopher Bell moves from Leavine Family Racing to take over this ride in 2021.
No. 22: Joey Logano is tied to Team Penske “through the 2022 season and beyond.”
No. 24: William Byron is under contact with Hendrick Motorsports through at least 2021.
No. 47: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. enters the second year of a multi-year deal with JTG Daugherty Racing.
No. 88: Alex Bowman will race for Hendrick Motorsports under a one-year contract extension announced earlier this year.
Available/possibly available rides
No. 10: Aric Almirola is in a contract year at Stewart-Haas Racing.
No. 13: Ty Dillon is in a contract year at Germain Racing.
No. 14: Clint Bowyer is in a contract year to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing.
No. 21: Matt DiBenedetto is in a contract year at Wood Brothers Racing. He said after the Aug. 9 Michigan race: “I haven’t really talked about that stuff for next year yet, but we’ve just been so focused and head down on digging and trying to make the playoffs and run well. We haven’t even really talked about it, so, hopefully, I stay here for a very long time to come and that’s what they had expressed to me when I came over here.”
No. 32: Corey LaJoie is in a contract year at Go Fas Racing.
No. 42: Matt Kenseth told NBC Sports on Aug. 8 in regards to talks with Chip Ganassi Racing for next year: “We really haven’t had any very meaningful discussions really about any of that to be honest with you.
No. 43: Bubba Wallace said Aug. 9 he has an offer from Richard Petty Motorsports and an offer from Chip Ganassi Racing to drive the No. 42 car next season.
No. 48: With Jimmie Johnson retiring from full-time competition, Hendrick Motorsports has this seat to fill.
No. 95: Leavine Family Racing announced it was selling its assets earlier this week. The buyer has not been announced. Christopher Bell will move to the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team for 2021.
