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Silly Season: Handful of unannounced rides in Cup, Xfinity for 2019

By Daniel McFadinDec 3, 2018, 3:56 PM EST
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It’s now December and there’s not a NASCAR race in sight until February.

But there’s still some announcements waiting to be made for teams and drivers in preparation for 2019.

Here’s a look at unannounced changes in Cup and Xfinity through two weeks of the offseason.

CUP RIDES NOT YET ANNOUNCED FOR 2019

No. 32: Go Fas Racing is looking for a driver after Matt DiBenedetto announced Sept. 7 that he would not return to the team after this season.

No. 77: Spire Sports + Entertainment purchased Furniture Row Racing’s charter and will go racing in 2019. The group will use the car number 77. A driver has yet to be announced (announcement made Dec. 4).

XFINITY RIDES NOT YET ANNOUNCED FOR 2019

JR Motorsports: Team still has one open car. It has not been announced if Noah Gragson will drive the No. 9 or No. 1.

No. 23: GMS Racing hasn’t announced a replacement for Spencer Gallagher, who retired from competition after this season (announcement made Oct. 19).

RCR: Hasn’t announced which car Tyler Reddick will drive. Both the No. 21 and No. 2 are open.

ANNOUNCED CUP RIDES FOR 2019

No. 1: Kurt Busch joins Chip Ganassi Racing for 2019 and brings along sponsor Monster Energy (announcement made Dec. 4)

No. 6: Ryan Newman joins Roush Fenway Racing for next season (announcement made Sept. 22).

No. 13: Ty Dillon said he will remain at Germain Racing for the 2019 season (announcement made Sept. 24)

No. 19: Martin Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn move to Joe Gibbs Racing from the defunct Furniture Row Racing team (announcement made Nov. 7)

No. 31: Daniel Hemric replaces Ryan Newman at Richard Childress Racing for 2019 (announcement made Sept. 28).

No. 36: Matt Tifft joins Front Row Motorsports in a third car for the 2019 season (announcement made Nov. 27).

No. 43: Bubba Wallace will remain with Richard Petty Motorsports through the 2020 season (announcement made July 28).

No. 47: Ryan Preece replaces AJ Allmendinger at JTG Daugherty Racing beginning next season (announcement made Sept. 28).

No. 95: Matt DiBenedetto moves to Leavine Family Racing for 2019. Leavine Family Racing also switches to Toyota beginning next year (announcement made Oct. 10)

No. 97: Tanner Berryhill will compete full-time for Obaika Racing (announcement made Dec. 3)

CUP DRIVERS WITHOUT ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR 2019

AJ Allmendinger: He told NBC Sports on Nov. 17 that he didn’t have any races for 2019 lined up at the time.

Trevor Bayne: 2011 Daytona 500 winner is looking for a ride after the Sept. 12 announcement that he won’t return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2019. He told NBC Sports on Sept. 14 that he has been calling car owners looking for a ride and would look at any of NASCAR’s top three national series. 

Jamie McMurray: Has yet to announce what he’ll do in 2019 but it won’t be a full-time ride in the No. 1 car at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Daniel Suarez: With Martin Truex Jr. taking over the No. 19 in 2019, Suarez is looking for a ride. He said Sept. 21 that “we’re talking to a lot of people.” Suarez is the favorite for the No. 41 ride.

XFINITY DRIVERS WITHOUT ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR 2019

John Hunter Nemechek: Ran limited schedule in Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 42 this year. Ross Chastain will drive it full-time next year.

Ryan Truex: Was replaced at Kaulig Racing by Justin Haley.

Ryan Reed: Lost ride at Roush Fenway Racing after sponsor Lilly announced it was leaving the team (announcement made Oct. 15).

CREW CHIEF CHANGES

No. 3: Danny Stockman replaces Justin Alexander as Austin Dillon‘s crew chief in 2019 (move confirmed Nov. 26)

No. 11: Mike Wheeler will not return as Denny Hamlin‘s crew chief for 2019 (announcement made Nov. 16). No replacement has yet been announced.

No. 24: Chad Knaus replaces Darian Grubb as William Byron‘s crew chief in 2019 (announcement made Oct. 10)

No. 48: Kevin Meendering replaces Chad Knaus as Jimmie Johnson‘s crew chief in 2019 (announcement made Oct. 10)

No. 95: Mike Wheeler joins the team and replaces Jon Leonard, who moved back to Richard Childress Racing to be an engineer on Austin Dillon’s team.

XFINITY SERIES

ANNOUNCED CHANGES FOR 2019

No. 1: Noah Gragson replaces Elliott Sadler at JR Motorsports for 2019 season (announcement made Sept. 25).

No. 4: Blake Koch will take over this ride with JD Motorsports in 2019 (announcement made Dec. 4).

No. 11: Justin Haley replaces Ryan Truex at Kaulig Racing after two season in the Truck Series (announcement made Dec. 1).

No. 18: Jeffrey Earnhardt will compete in nine races for Joe Gibbs Racing (announcement made Nov. 10).

No. 22: Austin Cindric will drive full-time for Team Penske (announcement made Nov. 8).

No. 42: Chip Ganassi Racing signs Ross Chastain to drive the No. 42 full-time for 2019 (announcement made Nov. 9).

No. 98: Stewart-Haas Racing signs Chase Briscoe to drive the team’s second Xfinity car and be a teammate to Cole Custer (announcement made Nov. 27).

RCR: Both Matt Tifft and Daniel Hemric will move up to Cup. Tyler Reddick moves from JR Motorsports to RCR for the 2019 season. Reddick’s car number, sponsor and crew chief will be announced later (announcement made Oct. 31).

Silly Season sees third rookie join Cup ranks in 2019

By Dustin LongNov 27, 2018, 3:00 PM EST
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Front Row Motorsports’ announcement that it will expand to three cars and add Matt Tifft increases the rookie field for the 2019 Cup season.

Tifft will be in a Cup rookie class with Ryan Preece and Daniel Hemric. That’s already larger than last season’s rookie class, which featured only William Byron and Bubba Wallace (Byron won rookie of the year honors).

Tifft’s signing is just one of many changes that will take place for the 2019 season.

Here’s a look at where things stand in Silly Season:

ANNOUNCED CUP RIDES FOR 2019

No. 6: Ryan Newman joins Roush Fenway Racing for next season (announcement made Sept. 22)

No. 13: Ty Dillon said he will remain at Germain Racing for the 2019 season (announcement made Sept. 24)

No. 19: Martin Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn move to Joe Gibbs Racing from the defunct Furniture Row Racing team (announcement made Nov. 7)

No. 31: Daniel Hemric replaces Ryan Newman at Richard Childress Racing for 2019. (announcement made Sept. 28)

No. 36: Matt Tifft joins Front Row Motorsports in a third car for the 2019 season (announcement made Nov. 27)

No. 43: Bubba Wallace will remain with Richard Petty Motorsports through the 2020 season (announcement made July 28)

No. 47: Ryan Preece replaces AJ Allmendinger at JTG Daugherty Racing beginning next season (announcement made Sept. 28)

No. 95: Matt DiBenedetto moves to Leavine Family Racing for 2019. Leavine Family Racing also switches to Toyota beginning next year (announcement made Oct. 10)

CUP RIDES NOT YET ANNOUNCED FOR 2019

No. 1: Jamie McMurray will not drive this car next season. He has yet to decide if he will drive for Chip Ganassi Racing in the 2019 Daytona 500 and then move to a management position with the team. He said Nov. 16 he had yet to decide if to do that or some other racing.

No. 32: Go Fas Racing is looking for a driver after Matt DiBenedetto announced Sept. 7 that he would not return to the team after this season.

No. 41: Kurt Busch‘s one-year deal with Stewart-Haas Racing ended after the season. Reports have him headed to the No. 1 car in 2019. 

DRIVERS WITHOUT ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR 2019

AJ Allmendinger: He told NBC Sports on Nov. 17 that he didn’t have any races for 2019 lined up at the time.

Trevor Bayne: 2011 Daytona 500 winner is looking for a ride after the Sept. 12 announcement that he won’t return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2019. He told NBC Sports on Sept. 14 that he has been calling car owners looking for a ride and would look at any of NASCAR’s top three national series. 

Kurt Busch: The 2004 Cup champion has yet to announce his 2019 plans.

Jamie McMurray: Has yet to announce what he’ll do in 2019 but it won’t be a full-time ride in the No. 1 car at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Daniel Suarez: With Martin Truex Jr. taking over the No. 19 in 2019, Suarez is looking for a ride. He said Sept. 21 that “we’re talking to a lot of people.” Suarez is the favorite for the No. 41 ride.

CREW CHIEF CHANGES

No. 3: Danny Stockman replaces Justin Alexander as Austin Dillon‘s crew chief in 2019 (move confirmed Nov. 26)

No. 11: Mike Wheeler will not return as Denny Hamlin‘s crew chief for 2019 (announcement made Nov. 16)

No. 24: Chad Knaus replaces Darian Grubb as William Byron’s crew chief in 2019 (announcement made Oct. 10)

No. 48: Kevin Meendering replaces Chad Knaus as Jimmie Johnson‘s crew chief in 2019 (announcement made Oct. 10)

No. 95: Mike Wheeler joins the team and replaces Jon Leonard, who moved back to Richard Childress Racing to be an engineer on Austin Dillon’s team.

XFINITY SERIES

ANNOUNCED CHANGES FOR 2019

No. 1: Noah Gragson replaces Elliott Sadler at JR Motorsports for 2019 season (announcement made Sept. 25).

No. 42: Chip Ganassi Racing signs Ross Chastain to drive the No. 42 full-time for 2019 (announcement made Nov. 9).

No. 98: Stewart-Haas Racing signs Chase Briscoe to drive the team’s second Xfinity car and be a teammate to Cole Custer (announcement made Nov. 27).

RCR: Tyler Reddick moves from JR Motorsports to RCR for the 2019 season. Reddick’s car number, sponsor and crew chief will be announced later. (announcement made Oct. 31).

‘How Bout That!?’: Awards, superlatives for the 2018 NASCAR season

By Daniel McFadinNov 27, 2018, 10:00 AM EST
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The NASCAR season is over as far as on-track action. But the Cup season will be put to bed for good Thursday with the awards banquet in Las Vegas (9 p.m. ET on NBCSN).

But we have our own set of  awards and superlatives to give out before saying goodbye to NASCAR’s 70th season of competition.

The “I’ve Got Something in My Eye” Moment of the Year

Before this year it had been a long time since Clint Bowyer won a Cup race. So long that his son, Cash, was born two years after his last win at Charlotte in October 2012. So when Bowyer ended a 190-race winless streak in March at Martinsville, it provided this moment of Bowyer running down the frontstretch to celebrate with his 4-year-old son.

(Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

Most Clint Bowyer Moment of the Year

Race winner press conferences typically only last a half hour when you’re: A) Dale Earnhardt Jr., B) a first-time winner or C) Bowyer after snapping his already mentioned 190-race winless streak.

With Cash in his arms, Bowyer yelled “How bout that?!” to the entire Martinsville media center and let out a holler that had built up over six years. It was on from there.

 

Most GIFable Kyle Busch Moment of the Year

You might not remember much about the Xfinity night race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August, which was won by Kyle Larson.

But thanks to Kyle Busch getting into the marbles and hitting the wall on Lap 70 while he led, the race will live forever on Twitter and in our hearts thanks to this moment at the end of Busch’s interview.

 

 

The “That Could’ve Been A Lot Worse” Save of the Year

Denny Hamlin had a rough year, going winless for the first time in his full-time Cup career.

Hamlin kept his season from being a little more awful with this moment from the playoff race at Richmond Raceway. On Lap 52, Hamlin was caught from behind by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who was faster after he pitted a few laps earlier. Stenhouse tagged Hamlin’s left rear as they exited Turn 4, sending Hamlin sideways.

But Hamlin kept the car from going completely around and no one hit him. After he pit, Hamlin fought back to finish ninth in Stage 1.

 

Reminder that Stage Racing is Pretty Good, Part 1

The best stage racing moments are not reserved for short tracks.

Everyone will remember the last-lap battle between Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch at Chicagoland Speedway. But don’t forget the end of Stage 2.

Kurt Busch led with one lap to go and teammate Kevin Harvick was close behind. Harvick pounced entering Turn 3, going high to get by Busch. The two nearly made contact as Busch took him all the way to the wall, getting sideways in the process.

Harvick squeaked by for the stage win.

Reminder that Stage Racing is Pretty Good, Part 2

Nineteen races later in Miami, in the season finale, Harvick got a taste of his own medicine courtesy of Kyle Larson.

Larson took his trademark high line all the way around Homestead-Miami Speedway on the last lap of Stage 2, passing Harvick out of Turn 4 to take the green checkered flag.

Best Throwback Scheme of the Year

Retro paint schemes were aplenty this season, from the All-Star Race to the Southern 500 and finally Jimmie Johnson’s throwback scheme in the season finale in Miami.

But the best effort in throwbacks goes to Austin Dillon and Richard Childress Racing for in the Southern 500. While the No. 3 Chevrolet didn’t have the GM Goodwrench sponsorship, RCR’s tribute to Dale Earnhardt’s “Quicksilver” 1995 All-Star scheme was a throwback in more than just the car. Like in 1995, the team didn’t unveil the scheme until they showed up at the track.

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Best Outcome for a Bad Situation

In July, Bubba Wallace experienced a wreck at Pocono that took his breath away and scrapped his No. 43 Chevrolet.

A few days later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. called into NASCAR’s “Glass Case of Emotion” Podcast to ask Wallace if the destroyed car could be added to his famed race car graveyard.

In September, Earnhardt’s Dirty Mo Media published “The Requiem,” a video depicting the car’s funeral.

 and on Facebook

Social Roundup: NASCAR drivers react to Jimmie Johnson, Fernando Alonso car swap

By Daniel McFadinNov 26, 2018, 1:26 PM EST
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The car swap between Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso occurred Monday in Bahrain.

Some NASCAR stars took to Twitter to react to the event and they were envious of Johnson’s opportunity.

The smoke from Johnson and Alonso’s doughnuts to end the day had barely cleared before the fantasizing over more car swaps began, spurred on by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive.”

NASCAR drivers who came from sprint car racing – including sprint car team owners Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson – really want to give their competitors a taste of the dirt racing life.

And Chase Elliott, a former teammate of Kahne’s, had his interest in Kahne’s proposal piqued.

Brad Sweet, who races for Kahne, noted the possibility of such an opportunity occurring is aided by their shared sponsorship.

What car swaps would you want to see? Let us know in the comments.

 and on Facebook

Look back at 2018 season through photos

Photo: Dustin Long
By Dustin LongNov 22, 2018, 1:00 PM EST
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With the completion of the season, I often go back and look at the photos I’ve taken on my phone and reflect upon the special pictures.

Here are 10 photos I took that stood out to me as I looked back upon the 2018 season.

 

For those who question if Paul Menard smiles. He does. Here he is doing an interview with NBC Sports during media day in January

 

Clint Bowyer with son Cash in the media center after Bowyer ended a 190-race winless streak by winning that event in March.

 

This is among my favorite pictures just for the girl’s reaction at getting Kyle Busch‘s autograph as he headed to the drivers meeting at Bristol in April. Busch would go on to win that race.

 

Michael Riggs, shock specialist for Bubba Wallace’s Richard Petty Motorsports team, sets the scales for the team at Bristol in August. Another one of my favorites in how it shows the work of a crew member that most people don’t see.

 

NASCAR Hall of Famer Leonard Wood sits on the pit wall during the Southern 500 as William Byron races by in a Jeff Gordon Rainbow Warriors paint scheme. So much history in this picture.

 

Garrett Smithley hugs Ross Chastain in Victory Lane after Chastain won the Las Vegas Xfinity race in September for Chip Ganassi Racing.

 

Jimmie Johnson played a joke on Martin Truex Jr.’s team at Dover, a week after Johnson’s contact spun Truex in the final chicane and cost Truex the win at the Charlotte Roval.

Johnson was allowed in the Dover garage after it closed and put about a dozen children’s bikes on the lift gate of Furniture Row Racing’s hauler.

“Cole (Pearn) made a comment to me at the end of last weekend when we were leaving the track all in good fun,” Johnson said at Dover. “I saw some of his crew guys when I came back from a bike ride on Friday, and one of them grabbed my bike and said, ‘Oh, hey, is this my nice, new bike that Cole was talking about?’ ”

“So, as I shared that story with my team, the ideas started flowing, and we … sent my bus driver off to Walmart where they had some pre-assembled bikes and had some fun with it.”

 

Aric Almirola after he failed to win the Dover playoff race in October. Not much else needs to be said.

 

David Gilliland, who won the pole for the Camping World Truck Series race at Talladega Superspeedway in October, holds a puppy his family adopted earlier that week.

 

Ray Gallahan, fueler for Joey Logano‘s team, watches the team spray each other with champagne after Logano won the championship. It was Gallahan’s last race going over the wall. He sat back to take it all in and to avoid be “sticky” from the champagne.