Alex Bowman’s Saturday announcement of a one-year extension with Hendrick Motorsports shrinks the list of potential NASCAR free agents after the 2020 Cup season.
Bowman and Ryan Blaney have new deals that take them off the market, and Kyle Larson, who was in the last year of his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing before being fired in April, remains on indefinite suspension from NASCAR.
But with Hendrick needing to fill the No. 48 Chevrolet of Jimmie Johnson, there still could be significant movement in the driver lineup of NASCAR’s premier series for 2021.
Blaney, Bowman and Kevin Harvick, whose deal had run through 2021 before re-signing with Stewart-Haas Racing through 2023, have signed extensions in the past six months.
With Bowman’s name now off the list, here are drivers who remain in the last year of their contracts this season:
--Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske
--Erik Jones, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
--Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
--Matt DiBenedetto, No. 21 Ford, Wood Brothers Racing
--Aric Almirola, No. 10 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
--Ty Dillon, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing
--Bubba Wallace, No. 43 Chevrolet, Richard Petty Motorsports
--Corey LaJoie, No. 32 Ford, GoFas Racing