NASCAR Xfinity Series: Roush Fenway Racing shutting down before 2019?

There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Roush Fenway Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team. Is it possible that they will shut down before the 2019 season?

Roush Fenway Racing have competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, which was formerly known as the Busch Grand National Series, the Busch Series and the Nationwide Series, on either a full-time or a part-time basis from the 1992 season through the 2018 season.

In every season since the 1997 season except for the 2003 season, the Concord, North Carolina-based team have fielded at least one full-time entry in the series after competing on a part-time basis in the series from the 1992 season through the 1996 season.

But the 2018 season may have been the final season during which Roush Fenway Racing will compete in the series that is one rung below the Cup Series on the NASCAR ladder.

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It was leaked a few weeks ago that this was a possibility when Ty Majeski, the 24-year-old Seymour, North Carolina native who competed in 12 of the 2018 season’s 33 races and three of the 2017 season’s 33 races for the team behind the wheel of the #60 Ford, stated that he had been told by the team that they would not have a team in the Xfinity Series next season and therefore would not field an entry for him.

However, ever since, there has been no official word by anyone, much less by Roush Fenway Racing, about the matter, meaning that it has still not yet been confirmed nor denied. This means two things. One, it is still possibility, and two, it hasn’t officially happened yet, meaning that it is still up for discussion.

So will Roush Fenway Racing end up shutting down before the 2019 season begins?

With funding being so important in NASCAR and with the lack of it having prevented several drivers from landing rides and teams from fielding rides, especially in recent seasons, the unfortunate answer is probably yes.

Aside of Majeski, three drivers competed for Roush Fenway Racing in the 2018 season. Ryan Reed competed full-time behind the wheel of the #16 Ford while Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric split time with Majeski behind the wheel of the #60 Ford with Briscoe competing in 12 races and Cindric competing in nine.

Reed’s primary sponsor, Lilly Diabetes, have withdrawn their sponsorship from Roush Fenway Racing. As a result, the 25-year-old Bakersfield, California native has confirmed that he will not be returning to the team in the 2019 season.

Briscoe, meanwhile, has signed with Stewart-Haas Racing to become the full-time driver of the #98 Ford, an entry that is set to be fielded by a partnership involving both Stewart-Haas Racing and Biagi-DenBeste Racing, in the 2019 season while Cindric has signed with Team Penske to become the full-time driver of the #22 Ford in the 2019 season.

At this point, in which direction can Roush Fenway Racing turn aside of down the road that leads to them ultimately shutting down ahead of the 2019 season?

It is unfortunate to think about this as a legitimate possibility, much less a likelihood, especially given the fact that Roush Fenway Racing’s driver have earned a total of five championships in the team’s 27 seasons competing in the Xfinity Series.

But to put it bluntly, it is both a possibility and a likelihood at this point.

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Will Roush Fenway Racing end up competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for what would be their 28th consecutive season in the 2019 season, or will they end up shutting down before the season begins? With the season being scheduled to get underway in under two months, expect more to be officially revealed about this situation in the very near future.

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