Ryan Newman made his move to Roush Fenway Racing official this weekend, but there are a number of big Silly Season questions still to be answered.
Cross one car at a big(ish) NASCAR Cup Series team off the Silly Season checklist. Roush Fenway Racing ended all speculation about the No. 6 Ford on Saturday, revealing that Ryan Newman would be its new driver in 2019 after a year where it was basically in limbo.
Of course, every Silly Season move inevitably leads to the next, and Newman’s switch officially opens up the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for someone new. And that’s not even the most interesting open seat, as there are all but official seats up for grabs at the two top teams in the Cup Series.
Let’s run through the seats still either officially vacant or thought to be in the midst of getting there, in numerical order.
No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
Names attached: Kurt Busch
Since our last Silly Season update, this car has officially gone up for grabs, with Chip Ganassi announcing that Jamie McMurray would not be back full-time in 2019. The assumption is that this is one of Kurt Busch’s two contract offers he’s talked about considering, and even his current co-boss, Gene Haas, thinks he’s headed here.
No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Names attached: Martin Truex Jr., Daniel Suarez
This is probably the most awkward situation out of any of these rides, because Joe Gibbs Racing hasn’t even stated that Suarez is out. That means that he may still return if the team can’t seal a deal with Truex, and since none of us like being thought of as a second choice, you could see why Suarez would be upset at that treatment. We still think Truex is headed here, but the longer this goes without an announcement, the more it would seem to favor the status quo.
No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Names attached: Daniel Hemric, Kurt Busch, Ty Dillon
Newman’s departure makes this one to watch. Hemric has zero XFINITY Series wins but has been very competitive in what is probably slightly under top tier equipment, so he would probably feel comfortable here (sorry RCR fans, but it’s true). It’s still possible this is the other offer Kurt Busch has, but would you choose Childress over Ganassi right this second? Childress could go for an all-Dillon brother lineup, but ESPN’s Bob Pockrass doesn’t think that’s in the cards. He does, however, believe longtime sponsor Caterpillar will remain for at least some races.
No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Names attached: Daniel Suarez, then your guess is as good as ours
It’s pretty strange that what most people would consider the best available ride in Silly Season has the biggest air of mystery. Kurt Busch could still return, but Haas sounds like he thinks that ship has sailed. He also more or less ruled out the team’s XFINITY Series driver, Cole Custer. There’s definitely a chance that Suarez lands here, but the team can’t really say that even if he does because his own team hasn’t officially bid him adieu. So for now we wait and wonder.
(Before anyone asks, no, we don’t think Carl Edwards is walking through the SHR door.)
No. 95 Leavine Family Racing car of indeterminate manufacturer
Names attached: Daniel Suarez
Nothing has really changed to make us believe there’s anything else afoot here other than the idea that Suarez could end up here with the team switching to Toyota and getting some JGR cooperation to become something like the new Furniture Row Racing. But if Suarez goes to Stewart-Haas, then what? Would Joe Gibbs reverse his position and consider calling up Christopher Bell? Could this be the seat for a Matt DiBenedetto or Ross Chastain to get a real shot to race in better stuff? Those could be valid questions, but we won’t know until Suarez’s fate is determined.