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NASCAR: Ray Black Jr. to run for Cup Rookie of the Year in 2018

By Alex Herbst

DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Ray Black Jr, driver of the #07 Scuba Life Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 25, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 25: Ray Black Jr, driver of the #07 Scuba Life Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR XFINITY Series PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 25, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /
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Rick Ware Racing has announced Ray Black Jr. will run full-time in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series in 2018 in the #51 car for Rookie of the Year.

One of the newest teams to join the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has not had all the success they had hoped for. Rick Ware Racing purchased a number of cars from the former HScott Motorsports team, and competed in most of the 2017 Cup races. The team has now announced they will run the full 2018 Cup Series schedule, with Ray Black Jr. competing for Rookie of the Year honors.

Black Jr., who competed with the team in select races late in the season including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, has not been known for his frontrunning ability. Black Jr. previously raced for SS-Green Light Racing in the Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series. Though he was never a perennial contender for top tens, he brought substantial sponsorship from Scuba Life with him. No word if his prior sponsors will follow him to the Cup level.

While Black Jr. will declare to compete for Rookie of the Year honors, he will have an uphill battle against William Byron and Darrell Wallace Jr., the only other drivers declared for the ROTY battle so far. Byron will certainly have the upper hand with better equipment from Hendrick Motorsports and more prior success in feeder series. There also remains a chance that Brennan Poole could join the fight, if his rumored move to Richard Childress Racing comes to fruition.

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Rick Ware Racing confirmed in their announcement that they will use a variety of manufacturers next year, something that is common among underfunded and backmarker teams. The squad also hopes to field a second car in the Cup Series part-time in 2018. The #52 Chevy would be run in 10 to 18 races, with drivers including B.J. McLeod, John Graham, Cody Ware, and Kyle Weatherman sharing the car.

Perhaps the most interesting tidbit to come out of the press release, however, is about the #51 running full-time in 2018. Rick Ware Racing has apparently purchased one of the 36 charters that guarantees the team a spot in every race. The team did not confirm who they purchased the charter from, however. Likely candidates could include Front Row Motorsports, Furniture Row Racing, and Richard Petty Motorsports, who all have or had more charters than teams for 2018.

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Do you think Rick Ware Racing will find more success in 2018 with a consistent driver behind the wheel of the #51 car? Will Ray Black Jr. surprise with his performance in the Rookie of the Year battle?

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