Kyle Larson’s return to NASCAR in 2021 secures the last remaining top-flight ride that was open after this season.
Larson will join Hendrick Motorsports and drive the No. 5 car. The team will bring back that car number in place of the No. 88 next year.
At this point, no other Cup ride that has won recently has an announced opening for next season.
Here’s how the Cup Silly Season scorecard looks:
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. 3: Austin Dillon is signed with Richard Childress Racing through at least next year.
No. 4: Kevin Harvick signed a contract extension in February that will keep him at Stewart-Haas Racing through the 2023 season.
No. 5: Kyle Larson signed a multi-year deal with Hendrick Motorsports on Oct. 28.
No. 6: Ryan Newman’s contract with Roush Fenway Racing goes through next season.
No. 8: Tyler Reddick will be back with Richard Childress Racing next season.
No. 9: Chase Elliott is under contract with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2022 season.
No. 10: Aric Almirola extended his deal with Stewart-Haas Racing for 2021 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. 17: Chris Buescher is signed with Roush Fenway Racing through at least next season.
No. 14: Chase Briscoe moves up to Cup to take over the ride Clint Bowyer will vacate.
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. 21: Wood Brothers Racing announced Oct. 9 Matt DiBenedetto would race for the team in 2021 before Austin Cindric takes over the car in 2022. Roger Penske said Oct. 20 on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that he has an option on DiBenedetto’s contract for 2022.
No. 22: Joey Logano is tied to Team Penske through 2023.
No. 23: Bubba Wallace will drive for the new 23XI team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in 2021.
No. 24: William Byron is under contact with Hendrick Motorsports through 2022.
No. 41: Cole Custer, who will be the 2020 Cup Rookie of the Year, will be back in this ride.
No. 42: Ross Chastain was chosen by Chip Ganassi Racing to replace Matt Kenseth.
No. 43: Erik Jones moves over to Richard Petty Motorsports, signing a multi-year deal.
No. 47: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. enters the second year of a multi-year deal with JTG Daugherty Racing.
No. 48: Alex Bowman will drive the No. 48, moving over from the No. 88, Hendrick Motorsports announced Oct. 6.
No. 78: B.J. McLeod will drive for the Live Fast Motorsports, the team he co-owns with Matt Tifft. The team announced Nov. 20 that it will have a “strategic partnership” with Stewart-Haas Racing.
No. 99: Daniel Suarez will compete for the new Trackhouse Racing team.
Available rides for 2021
No. 32: Ride is open with Corey LaJoie announcing he will not return to Go Fas Racing in 2021. Team will not have a charter in 2021 and will run a limited schedule.
No. 38: John Hunter Nemechek and Front Row Motorsports announced Nov. 16 that Nemechek will not return to the team for the 2021 season.
No. 95: Spire Motorsports purchased the charter and assets of Leavine Family Racing and will be a two-car operation in 2021. Christopher Bell will move to the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team for 2021. Spire has not named who will take over this ride for next season.
No. 96: Daniel Suarez and Gaunt Brothers Racing announced Sept. 15 that they would part ways after this season.
Xfinity driver announcements for 2021
No. 7: Justin Allgaier will return to JR Motorsports for a sixth season.
No. 8: Josh Berry will run about 12 races in this car before Sam Mayer takes over the ride the rest of the season.
No. 9: Noah Gragson will return to JR Motorsports.
No. 10: Jeb Burton joins Kaulig Racing for a full-time season.
No. 11: Justin Haley returns for a third season to Kaulig Racing.
No. 18: Daniel Hemric joins Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2021 season.
No. 19: Brandon Jones will be back with Joe Gibbs Racing.
No. 22: Austin Cindric will be back with Team Penske and run select Cup races in 2021 before moving to Cup with the Wood Brothers in 2022.
No. 39: Ryan Sieg will be back with RSS Racing.
No. 92: Josh Williams will be back with DGM Racing