2018 season thread

[jeffro151]

Silly season is in full swing right now.

Confirmed changes so far:
Ryan Blaney to #12 Penske (new team)
Alex Bowman to #88 Hendrick
Erik Jones to #20 JGR
Paul Menard to #21 Wood Brothers


Rumors:
Aric Almirola to #10 SHR, bringing Smithfield with him
Matt Kenseth to #77 Furniture Row or #5 Hendrick
Kasey Kahne to #23 Gallagher Motorsports (new team)
Bubba Wallace to #44 RPM (restarting the 2nd RPM team)
Danica Patrick to #5 Hendrick or retiring
Front Row Motorsports to add a 3rd car for 2018
William Byron to #5 Hendrick

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Silly season is in full swing right now.

Confirmed changes so far:
Ryan Blaney to #12 Penske (new team)
Alex Bowman to #88 Hendrick
Erik Jones to #20 JGR
Paul Menard to #21 Wood Brothers


Rumors:
Aric Almirola to #10 SHR, bringing Smithfield with him
Matt Kenseth to #77 Furniture Row or #5 Hendrick
Kasey Kahne to #23 Gallagher Motorsports (new team)
Bubba Wallace to #44 RPM (restarting the 2nd RPM team)
Danica Patrick to #5 Hendrick or retiring
Front Row Motorsports to add a 3rd car for 2018
William Byron to #5 Hendrick

I just don't see anyone touching Danica at this point. She's had top of the line equipment for her whole Cup career and the only time she's ever competitive is at restrictor plate tracks. And now she's having troubles with sponsors so I see her leaving. Her 15 minutes are up I believe.
I can see Kenseth in the 77 or taking Danica's place in the 10. Although if he doesn't bring sponsorship and Almirola does, I can see why SHR would take him instead.
Kahne I could see going to RPM since he had success there before he went to Red Bull and Hendrick.
Byron would be a good fit with Jimmy and the youngsters. Since Jimmy still likely has at least a few years left, they can take their time grooming someone to take over for him.

 

[jeffro151]

I just don't see anyone touching Danica at this point. She's had top of the line equipment for her whole Cup career and the only time she's ever competitive is at restrictor plate tracks. And now she's having troubles with sponsors so I see her leaving. Her 15 minutes are up I believe.
I can see Kenseth in the 77 or taking Danica's place in the 10. Although if he doesn't bring sponsorship and Almirola does, I can see why SHR would take him instead.
Kahne I could see going to RPM since he had success there before he went to Red Bull and Hendrick.
Byron would be a good fit with Jimmy and the youngsters. Since Jimmy still likely has at least a few years left, they can take their time grooming someone to take over for him.

Kahne left RPM on bad terms, they released him after he criticized the equipment.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Kahne left RPM on bad terms, they released him after he criticized the equipment.

In NASCAR, that's a lifetime ago. I'm sure he'd be able to work things out since I'm sure that none of the premier teams are likely going to want him. I just can't see him wanting to be on a startup team.

 

[jeffro151]

NASCAR 2018 participation guidelines further limits Cup drivers
QUICK SUMMARY:

• All Cup drivers are banned from Xfinity and Truck playoff events, and the regular season finale. This is the final 8 races of either series. (This year, only Homestead is off-limits.)
  
  
• Additionally, all Cup drivers are banned from the 4 Xfinity Dash-4-Cash races. (This year, only experienced Cup drivers are banned.)
  
  
• Cup drivers with 5 years of experience are limited to a maximum of 7 Xfinity races and 5 truck races. (This year, they are limited to 10 Xfinity and 7 truck races.)
  

 

[bksballer89]

Reports: Kurt Busch to part ways with SHR

 

[jeffro151]

Reports: Kurt Busch to part ways with SHR

Sounds like they are probably declining the option on his current contract and probably signing him to a maybe a 1 year deal at a cheaper price.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Silly season is in full swing right now.

Confirmed changes so far:
Ryan Blaney to #12 Penske (new team)
Alex Bowman to #88 Hendrick
Erik Jones to #20 JGR
Paul Menard to #21 Wood Brothers


Rumors:
Aric Almirola to #10 SHR, bringing Smithfield with him
Matt Kenseth to #77 Furniture Row or #5 Hendrick
Kasey Kahne to #23 Gallagher Motorsports (new team)
Bubba Wallace to #44 RPM (restarting the 2nd RPM team)
Danica Patrick to #5 Hendrick or retiring
Front Row Motorsports to add a 3rd car for 2018
William Byron to #5 Hendrick

The sponsorship would be the only thing that would make Almirola desirable for SHR IMO. Cole Custer will a stud in the not so distant future.

And if Almirola is leaving, and RPM is adding a second team again, who drives the 43?

 

[Retroram52]

I wouldn't be surprised if Kurt Busch ends-up in the 43. Wallace will definitely end-up in the 44. Kahne isn't returning to RPM because Richard doesn't think too much of the guy. If Busch re-signs with SHR, then the RPM will probably find another young gun to drive the 43. If the 44 is rumored to be in play, then RPM knows who is going in the 43 and where the sponsorship money is coming from fro both teams.

 

[Gopherfan84]

Kurt still has the lingering impression of a PR disaster waiting to happen and he doesn't feel like a King-type of driver. I wouldn't sleep on the possibility of Kenseth in the 43 like Bobby Labonte late in his career.

 

[jeffro151]

Chevrolet unveils 2018 Camaro race car for Monster Energy Series

 

[Retroram52]

Looks a lot like the Toyota with a Chevy nose.

 

[jeffro151]

Number changes at Hendrick for next season. Byron to the 24, Chase to the 9, 5 is going away.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Richard Petty Motorsports will switch to Chevy and have an alliance with Richard Childress Racing, moving their shop to Welcomes, NC. The current shop in Mooresville, NC is up for lease as of August 23, 2017.

 

[Retroram52]

Things are definitely going south when RPM hooks up with RCR Racing and Chevies!

 

[jeffro151]

Rumors:
Aric Almirola to #10 SHR, bringing Smithfield with him

 

[Retroram52]

Well right now RPM has no sponsors for any of its cars. No driver for the 43 either. Perhaps Bubba is on the radar and maybe a sponsor will come running.

 

[jeffro151]

Almirola officially gone from RPM.
Danica officially gone from SHR.

 

[Retroram52]

This only means that Bubba Wallace will be the new driver of the 43 if he attracts sponsorship. Danica is probably facing retirement because there is no one in the IRL that is interested and she has obviously has worn-out her welcome in NASCAR. Maybe she and Ricky will marry and start poppin' out babies...

 

[jeffro151]

This only means that Bubba Wallace will be the new driver of the 43 if he attracts sponsorship. Danica is probably facing retirement because there is no one in the IRL that is interested and she has obviously has worn-out her welcome in NASCAR. Maybe she and Ricky will marry and start poppin' out babies...

Supposedly there is an agreement in RPM's & Smithfield's contract that Almirola & Smithfield can not both leave RPM for the same destination. I'm wondering if we don't see:
Kenseth #10 Smithfield
Almirola #41
Ku Busch #77