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.
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.
