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NASCAR: Richard Childress Racing downsizing Xfinity Series team

By Alex Herbst

BRISTOL, TN - APRIL 22: Daniel Hemric, driver of the #21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet, celebrates with Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, after winning the Dash 4 Cash award after the NASCAR XFINITY Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 22, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
BRISTOL, TN - APRIL 22: Daniel Hemric, driver of the #21 Blue Gate Bank Chevrolet, celebrates with Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, after winning the Dash 4 Cash award after the NASCAR XFINITY Series Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 22, 2017 in Bristol, Tennessee. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /
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There will be two fewer cars coming out of the Richard Childress Racing stables in 2018 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, leaving two men on the outside.

The field for 2018 across the three national divisions of NASCAR is already taking shape at the end of 2017. The Xfinity Series will see a number of changes to the composition of its field in the coming year, including with the cars fielded by Richard Childress Racing. After expanding their operation to five cars this year, two of those rides are on the chopping block ahead of 2018.

As first reported by Frontstretch, Richard Childress Racing will field only three cars in the Xfinity Series next year. The team has re-signed Championship 4 contender Daniel Hemric to the #21 Chevy for 2018. He will be flanked by Matt Tifft, who joins the team from Joe Gibbs Racing driving the #2 Chevy. Finally, the #3 Chevy that was primarily driven by Ty Dillon in 2017 will be shared by Ty, Austin Dillon, and other drivers.

Who is left on the outside looking in by this move? Brandon Jones and the #33 team will be cut, though Jones has already been announced as Tifft’s replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing. Brendan Gaughan will also lose his ride in the #62 Chevy, though he is reportedly in talks with Childress for a part-time effort in the #3 car. He will also retain his drive in the #75 Chevy in Cup at the restrictor plate tracks.

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The cuts made to the RCR Xfinity stable are not surprising considering the year the team has had, in addition to changes in the driver lineup. After seeing multiple wins in 2016, those results did not carry over to the larger organization this year. In addition, with Paul Menard leaving for the Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers team, he will be taking the Menards sponsorship with him. The Midwestern home improvement chain was a major partner of RCR in the Xfinity Series, sponsoring the #2 Chevy in about a third of its races, and Brandon Jones for most of the season.

Perhaps the leaner program will turn around greater results for Childress. Daniel Hemric has emerged as a strong championship contender and could start picking up wins for the organization in 2018. The same could be said for Matt Tifft, who nearly earned his first career victory at Road America earlier in 2017. And with the consolidation of resources and personnel around three cars instead of five, expect more focus to be put on getting all three cars in victory lane.

Next: Is Jimmie Johnson's Career on the Decline?

Do you think Richard Childress Racing will be contenders for the Xfinity Series title in 2018? Who do you think will get a chance to drive the famous #3 Chevy?

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