2017 Contract Year: NASCAR Drivers

Which NASCAR Drivers Will be Looking for a New Contract for 2018?

By Richard Tix

Its early in the 2017 season process, heck it just the offseason, but why not take a look ahead at what drivers will be looking to get new contract deals done before the 2018 season. Let's take a look at the drivers that could end up Free Agents in the NASCAR world for the 2017 season. NASCAR isn't always as easy to look at contracts as in other sports, because sometimes sponsors dry up or extend there contracts which then will have teams thinking about making extensions with drivers (hand in hand). NASCAR contracts are not as easily attainable as in other sports, so most the time contract talk is all speculation in this sport.

So, take this list with a grain of salt because extensions could have already happened behind close doors (cough cough Denny Hamlin every single year). Also, this list really only contains guys from HMS, JGR, SHR, CGR, RCR, RFR, RPM, Penske, and Furniture Row. No, not because I dislike little teams -- I actually like pulling for them -- but because many times those teams run on single year deals anyways and have a ton of turnover.

#1 Jamie McMurray

JMac is a guy who tends to find my free agent list often and most of that is because how difficult it is to find information on NASCAR contracts. It looks like 2017 if his last year under his current deal with CGR. It doesn't seem like CGR is in a rush to push anyone up the ranks just yet so it makes sense to bring back a steady driver like JMac if they can continue to bring in sponsorship.

#2 Brad Keselowski

BK, Paul Wolfe and Miller Lite were all extended through the 2017 season. So far, I haven't heard word on the future of any of the three. It seems safe to say that Penske wants all three back and I don't see any of them going anywhere, but it will be interesting to see if Miller Lite cuts back its number of races again if they do extend. I expect Brad and Paul back with Penske in 2018.

#11 Denny Hamlin

Every year Denny Hamlin looks like a free agent and every year he has a deal. No one really knows much about his last extension or a new one that is supposedly in the works. So, until I hear different I will expect Hamlin back at JGR in the No. 11 for 2018. Update 2/23/17: Per the usual, Denny Hamlin has signed an extension. This one is said to be a long term deal with he, JGR, and FedEx.

#20 Matt Kenseth

This might be the most interesting FA of 2017. Will Kenseth retire? Sounds like he wants to keep racing. So, will JGR bring him back? They already have Erik Jones in the waiting plus a ton of development drivers. Will Carl Edwards want back? That's a long shot, but it sure would complicate things. Kenseth will be a story line to follow.

#27 Paul Menard

Paul is always working year to year with his deals. However, he brings in needed sponsors to RCR so it's hard to see them letting him go. If they did, that would be a whole third car needing sponsors on a team that's always looking for them. Unless he hangs it up (doubtful), then I expect him back at RCR in 2018.

#42 Kyle Larson

Larson picked up his first win in his third full time season in 2016 for CGR. Normally contracts run three years, meaning his deal would have been up last year. However, I haven't heard any word on an extension. One thing is for sure, he is driving for CGR in 2017 and it seems to me CGR should want it's top talent back. The one thing to keep an eye on is sponsorship. Target is already starting to back down it's number of races in 2017 and could step down even more in 2018.

#43 Aric Almirola

RPM backed down in 2017 by announcing they would drop their second car -- the No. 44. Between poor performance and lack of sponsorship, RPM has been struggling for years now. RPM's latest win was with Aric Almirola and a rain shortened Firecracker 500 at Daytona. Before last season Almirola seemed to be having a pretty good run considering the circumstances, but last year the floor fell out. 2018 might be a time for RPM to move on from Almirola unless they don't want to gamble losing more sponsorship without him (he seems to have some decent relationships). I'm not sure who they would move on to, so 2018 and RPM is a head scratcher.

#48 Jimmie Johnson

To everyone's knowledge, JJ and Lowes are signed through 2017 but a deal hasn't been finalized for the furture of this HMS team. Same goes for Chad Knaus and his deal -- through 2017. I would expect everyone to return and an extension to be in place because this team has been too good to break up.

#77 Erik Jones

Erik technically still will be under JGR in 2018, but in 2017 he is running a one year deal with Furniture Row in the No. 77. The question for 2018 will be, is Erik back with Furniture Row while waiting for a JGR car to open up, or will he finally get a seat at JGR? He is a big part of JGR future so it doesn't seem likely that he gets away from them of Furniture Row.

#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr

If Junior wants to race in 2018, he will race and be in the No. 88 HMS Chevy. The bigger question will be will Nationwide extend and if so for how many races? If not, will another sponsor step up? With it being Junior and HMS, most likely they will find something.

2016 Contract Year: NASCAR Drivers

Which NASCAR Drivers Will be Looking for a New Contract for 2017?

By Richard Tix

Its early in the 2016 season process, heck it just the offseason, but why not take a look ahead at what driver will be looking to get new contract deals done before the 2017 season. Let's take a look at the drivers that could end up Free Agents in the NASCAR world for the 2017 season. NASCAR isn't always as easy to look at contracts as in other sports, because sometimes sponsors dry up or extend there contracts which then will have teams thinking about making extensions with drivers (hand in hand). NASCAR contracts are not as easily attainable as in other sports, so most the time contract talk is all speculation in this sport. This list will be updated throughout the season to reflect those changes and news. 

#1 Jamie McMurray



Last year McMurray entered the season with contract talks looming. He was last known to sign in 2013 and typically NASCAR deals end up being three years. So, it sounds like this season maybe the last on his contract. McMurray has provided Ganassi with a quality driver that they can count on year after year. Cessna should be back again in 2016 as will McDonalds. The #1 may also get a few races from Sherwin Williams, Energizer, and Bass Pro Shops as well. Unless Ganassi has big plans to find another driver, it makes sense to bring McMurray back again.

#11 Denny Hamlin



This contract was also rumored to start 2015, until Denny leaked that he "has some time left on his deal." It seems like 2016 might finally be the contract year for Denny. It doesn't seem like he nor JGR want to part ways, so he will most likely be back in the #11 in 2017. Also, FedEx has been a solid sponsor in NASCAR and hasn't really hinted at any idea's of moving, so I expect them to be back as well. **Update: Before this was even released it was mentioned that DH will at least be at JGR through 2017. NBTW will still keep him here because his deal continually is a mystery, but we believe the rumors, he will be in the #11 through 2017.

#16 Greg Biffle



Things haven't been going Biffle's way the past few seasons and Roush Fenway Racing's struggles haven't made it much better. To make matters worse sponsor's will eventually start leaving this once proud NASCAR race team. Starting with Ortho leaving the #16 and possibly NASCAR in 2016. I am not sure what RFR and Biffles plans will be heading into 2017, but it seems like it could be time to part ways and to get fresh starts. Kellogs and Cheese it will both be back in 2016, but the amount of races haven't been disclosed. 

#27 Paul Menard



2016 could be a contract year for Menard at RCR. Both he and Menards are both signed on through this season. The most obvious outcome would be that Menard is back with RCR in 2017 as will Menards. He has been a quality driver and he has the built in sponsor with Menards, and for teams that are trying to scrounge up sponsors for races, it is nice to have a driver who has a big sponsor locked up. If he does leave Menards will go with him wherever which should leave him with a decent amount of teams to choose from.

#31 Ryan Newman



Newman's 2017 plans are interesting. 2016 will be his third year with RCR in the #31 and he has made the new Chase both years, including the finals in 2014. Catepiller is still signed on in 2016 for 21 races and it is believed Wix Filters will also be on the #31. Grainger signed a multi year deal in 2015, but Quicken Loans left RCR and Newman to team up with Kasey Kahne and HMS. Other than Newman (2 Chase births) and Menards one, the rest of RCR has been average (really, so has Newman), but he has been steady year in and year out. However, eventually Richard Childress will want to bring along Ty Dillon and 2017 might be the year. So, do they open up a fourth car? Or do they part ways with Newman?

#43 Aric Almirola



Amirola is back with RPM in 2016 and brings back Smithfield Foods for 29 races as well. No word on other sponsors such as the Air Force or STP yet. It has been a wild ride for Aric and RPM. RPM has been in a big hole, but Aric did make the Chase in 2014 after a rain shortened race at Daytona that locked him in. RPM just changed drivers in the #9 to Brian Scott for 2016, but it is hard to see them move away from Amirola considering the options currently out there for them. 

#78 Martin Truex Jr



Furniture Row extended Truex for another season after an amazing run in 2015, but only for one year. The future of the team is up in the air right now with the move from Chevy to Toyota. If all goes to plan, it sounds like FRR and Truex want to stick together for the foreseeable future, but sponsorship has a lot to do with that decision. FRR also wants to move to a two car operation in 2017 and maybe even a three car in the future after that. **Update: Bass Pro Shops will sponsor Truex Jr for 9 races as primary. Big news for a small team looking to advance and grow.

Driver Spotlight: Greg Biffle

2014 Driver Spotlight on Greg Biffle

By Richard Tix

News broke Monday 5/5 this week that Clint Bowyer has reach a contract extension with Michael Waltrip racing and also with 5 Hour Energy. Bowyer got a multi, 3 year deal with both team and sponsor, so who did that leave in the contract spotlight?

The obvious answer is Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle. Both Roush Fenway Racing drivers are in the last years of there contracts and could be moving after the season. Most would think that RFR would not want to lose both drivers in the same season, but so far in the 2014 season we have only heard rumors of the two side working on a new deal.

Biffle has been with the team his whole career and this could be a key season for him with the contract talks on the line. Should he look to see if another opportunity would open up that could give him one last shot at a title, or should he stay with the stable option that he knows?

One thing is for sure, his 2014 season has started to turn around after a slow start. Biffle left Daytona confident finishing 8th but for the next 5 races he rolled downhill, at one point finding himself 20th in points.  After hitting that low the Biff has turned his season around.

In his last 4 races he has 3 top 10's and two top 5's (2nd, 5th, and 6th) with Talladega being one of his best races. Biffle lead 58 laps on Sunday and looked like one of the cars to beat down the stretch. In the end, a late caution came out to end his chances and he finished 2nd. 

In that four race stretch his lone non top 10 was a 15th place finish at Richmond. After 10 races in the 2014 season Greg Biffle has climbed all the way back to 8th in the Cup Standings. A lot of this is due to just how much better he is running. 

In his last 5 races his average running position during races is 11.4 which is much better than the 20th average during his first 5 races. So he isn't just finishing better but as a whole he is running closer to the front for more of each race. More proof of this? During the last 5 races he has run 1,209 laps in the top 15 (of 1,802 total laps in those 5 races) compared to 611 laps in the first 5 races (1,472). This includes the Texas race where he ran all 340 laps in the top 15.

So, the next step for Biffle is getting a win in 2014 so he can know he will be in the Chase at least one more time with RFR. After that, it will be a waiting game while both sides decide if a deal can be done or if the two party's will move there separate ways.


More Articles

• 2014 Contract Year
• This Week in NASCAR: 5/5
• Driver Spotlight: Jeff Gordon
• Driver Spotlight Archive

2014 Contract Year: NASCAR Drivers

By Richard Tix

As in normal NASCAR fashion, the 2014 season will start and many drivers will not know where, or if, they will be driving in the Cup Series in 2015. NASCAR Behind the Wall will take a look at the top drivers that are not under contract for the 2015 season.

Clint Bowyer

Bowyer had a controversial 2013 season with Michael Waltrip Racing, in fact 2012 ended with the Gordon controversy too. With all of that said, Bowyer is also in the last year of his contract with MWR with no plans announced yet (rumors have been out there they're working on a deal). Bowyer has been a great fit with MWR in a marketing sense but he has also made the Chase the past two years. In 2014 Clint will be the lead dog at MWR with Martin Truex Jr out after NAPA left town. So, can MWR really afford to ship Bowyer out and look for a new top driver in the same season?

 **Update 5/5: Clint Bowyer and MWR reach a new 3 year extension. Also Clint, MWR and 5 Hour energy reach a 3 year extension. **

Carl Edwards

Carl enters the 2014 season with no idea where he will be in 2015. He and our next driver, Biffle, have both been with RFR their entire careers. Both have not had contract renewals yet for any season past 2014. So will Roush bring back Edwards if he has another stretch run where he struggles like in 2013? It will be interesting to see if one, none, or both drivers are brought back in 2015. **Update 4/16: NBC Sports link on contract talks**

**Update 7/28: On Sunday it was officially announced that Carl Edwards would not be coming back to RFR. There had been speculation, but this was the first official word to come from anyone. No word on the official landing point of Edwards, but most believe (I thought he would possible stay put back in RFR Contract Talks) it will be Joe Gibbs Racing where his fellow teammate Matt Kenseth left for a short time ago**


Greg Biffle

During the 2012 season Roush Fenway Racing announced it was parting ways with Matt Kenseth and he was heading to Joe Gibbs Racing leaving Greg Biffle the long standing team member. Could the same thing happen in 2014 with the Biff? Greg Biffles contract will be up after 2014, and while he has been consistent, he doesn't seem to win as much as some would hope. So, is the Biff on his way out at Roush? If so, where will he land? He is on the back half of his career so will he land another major ride before its all said and done? **Update 4/16: ESPN link on contract talks.**

Jamie McMurray

McMurray always seems to the guy that gets the boot off a team. Maybe this mary-go-round ride will have him back at Roush after this season? What is known, is that McMurray's contract is up after the 2014 season. He could be brought back, but with so many young guys on the rise and the fact that McMurray has been hovering around the top 20, I can imagine Ganassi Racing looking for new talent to fill his spot.



Marcus Ambrose

2014 is Ambrose's last season under Richard Petty Motorsports contract. I also believe that RPM will not bring him back in 2015. Marcus is a great guy, but he has not proven that he can win at any place but a road course. I can see them maybe working a deal to run the two road courses on the year but one has to think that RPM wants to put a guy who can win week after week out there. But, maybe Ambrose can find an early season win at an oval and change everything?


Aric Almirola **

Another RPM guy in the last year of his contract, Almirola has shown some promise in his young career. Is that promise going to be enough for RPM to bring him back for another shot, or will they look to start over with even younger guys? RPM has a few young guys in development that they could bring up (Ryan Truex and Corey Lajoie). With two guys having expiring contracts will RPM make the move towards youth now or hold over for a year or two?

 **Since originally writing this article Aric and Smithfield inked a 3 year deal. So it looks like some of the in season pressure will be off of him and the #43 team. I still included him in this article not only because he started the offseason under pressure but also so fans don't miss that he was resigned.**

Danica Patrick

Stewart-Haas Racing just brought in two new drivers so I can not see them making another big splash after the 2014 season, but the fact remains that Danica's contract is up after the season. Danica may not have proven anything yet on the track, but she is a cash cow off of it. Even when she isn't winning, the car is still bringing in money. Maybe with Smoke, Kurt, and Harvick bringing in the top 10's and Win's SHR will take the loss (or win) with Danica and all the money she can bring in and resign her. Who knows maybe Danica will want to jump ship? (All speculation because her contract isn't out in the media. Sounds like GoDaddy isn't resigned yet past 2014. Seems like they would want to bring back a cash cow even if she doesn't win)

Well that's it for 2014, these are the drivers on the line. Let me know what you think on Twitter! Who will be back with there same teams? Who will find a new team? Who will be out of NASCAR? Who will win a race in 2014?