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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, lead the field to turn one after taking the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – NOVEMBER 10: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Toyota, and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, lead the field to turn one after taking the green flag to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Bluegreen Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The 2021 NASCAR Silly Season is now in full swing. Although most of the seats have been confirmed, there are still plenty of empty seats to fill. This largely stems from the full-time lineups ahead of the offseason.
Firstly, Front Row Motorsports are yet to confirm their two drivers for the coming season. However, Michael McDowell is largely expected to return behind the wheel of the #34 Ford. Meanwhile, John Hunter Nemechek has officially left the team and joined Kyle Busch’s Truck Series team.
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Another team with an empty slot is Spire Motorsports. The outfit has never run a full-time gig with their #77 Chevrolet car. Now, the team has recruited Corey LaJoie on a full-time basis in the #7 Chevrolet.
However, the team is fielding a second full-time car, which is the #77 Chevrolet. This was made possible after the acquisition of the erstwhile Leavine Family Racing team.
Which other NASCAR teams have vacancies?
The final full-time team to be on the hunt for drivers is Rick Ware Racing. RWR boasts of 4 charters for the coming season, but are yet to put pen to paper. However, many suggest that the outfit will not go for a full-time driver, but run multiple drivers in each car.
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FONTANA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 28: Corey LaJoie, driver of the #32 Pala Casino Ford, prepares for practice at Auto Club Speedway on February 28, 2020 in Fontana, California. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Rick Ware Racing managed to acquire the #15 car from Premium Motorsports, as well as the #27 car. They also have the services of the #51 car and the #53 car. It is worth noting that the #51 car is officially classified as a Petty Ware Racing entry.
In terms of the non-chartered teams, Gaunt Brothers Racing and MBM Motorsports are yet to confirm their plans. Additionally, limited-schedule teams like Kaulig Racing, Team Penske, and the returning NY Racing team are in a similar situation.
In NY Racing’s case, the team also needs to confirm its official manufacturer for the coming season. One thing is for sure, the puzzle pieces are still floating around. Hopefully, everyone in the NASCAR community will get a clearer picture in the next few weeks.
