NASCAR: JD Motorsports expanding to four cars in 2018

Longtime NASCAR Xfinity Series competitor JD Motorsports plans to expand to four cars in 2018, with two of the rides yet to be confirmed.

We are just one month away from racing on the beaches at Daytona, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series field continues to grow. JD Motorsports, who has fielded a car in the series for over a decade now, will be expanding in 2018 to include four full-time cars. However, drivers for two of these cars remain unconfirmed.

As reported by Frontstretch, team owner Johnny Davis plans on having four cars rolling into the world’s center of racing in just one month’s time. The team has already confirmed that Ross Chastain will be back aboard the #4 Chevrolet in 2018, while also adding Vinnie Miller full-time in the #01 Chevrolet. The other two cars, the #0 Chevrolet and #15 Chevrolet, are both planned for, but need drivers and sponsorship.

Early plans for the #15 Chevrolet are for a number of former Cup drivers to share the ride. Reed Sorenson and Joe Nemechek, both who raced in select 2017 events with the team, would be expected to handle the bulk of the schedule.

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How often the cars actually “race”, however, may be up for debate. The #15 car was mostly a start-and-park operation when it would run, and certainly could be in the same position for 2018.

The #0 Chevrolet could be in the same position, depending on sponsorship. Garrett Smithley raced in all 2017 races in the Xfinity Series for JDM, but will need additional sponsorship to return to the team. Other drivers are also under consideration for the ride, including former Camping World Truck Series driver Matt Mills and former JD Motorsports driver Harrison Rhodes.

Team owner Johnny Davis had this to say about their ongoing plans for the 2018 season, according to Frontstretch:

"Garrett is trying to find money. We’ve talked to Matt Mills, and he has a little money. We’re still trying to put the best foot forward at JD Motorsports to help us continue to grow with our marketing partners for that. It will be Garrett or Matt in the thing possibly, and who knows, Harrison Rhodes may come back with some money, too.The plan is to take four cars to the racetrack every week and use the 15 as a test tool to help the other three cars. If we don’t find funding for the 0 car, there’s a chance it might not go, but I’m pretty sure it will go. We say this every year, we’re not going to do it, but somehow we continue to do it because of the passion and love for the sport. We’ll be there someway and somehow. We’re too stubborn and failure is not an option, it’s not in our vocabulary.I would say we’ll take all four cars every single week. The 0 and 15 might be two testing teams, instead of three cars racing and one test car. I say we’ll take them every week."

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Be sure to stay tuned to Beyond The Flag for more from around the Xfinity Series garage ahead of the season-opening PowerShares QQQ 300 at Daytona International Speedway on February 17.

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