Obaika Racing’s withdrawal from the Daytona 500 means that only 32 drivers are set to compete full-time in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Heading into this week, the full-time driver lineup for the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season appeared to be set. A total of 34 drivers were set to compete in each of the season’s 36 races from February to November.
Of these 34 drivers, 33 were set to compete for points, as Premium Motorsports’ Ross Chastain was set to drive full-time in the Cup Series, but he was not compete for points as a result of the fact that he is set to drive full-time and compete for points in the Xfinity Series for the fifth consecutive season this year.
Now just 32 drivers are set to compete on a full-time basis in the 2019 Cup Series season with the opportunity to earn points.
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After competing in the Cup Series for the first time last season by fielding the #97 Toyota in each of the season’s final three races, Obaika Racing were set to field the #97 Toyota on a full-time basis throughout the 2019 season. Rookie Tanner Berryhill, who drove for the team in two of their three races last season, was set to be their full-time driver.
However, the team announced Friday that they have withdrawn their entry from the season opener, the 61st annual Daytona 500, as they did not feel confident about their odds to qualify for the 40-car race. As a result, Berryhill no longer has the option to compete in all 36 races throughout the season.
Of the 33 drivers who were set to compete on a full-time basis in the 2019 season with the opportunity to earn points, Berryhill was the only one who was set to drive full-time for a non-chartered team, meaning that he was not guaranteed a starting spot in any of the 36 races on this year’s schedule anyway.
That said, this news is still a major disappointment for the 25-year-old Bixby, Oklahoma native and the Victor Obaika-owned team, and the fact that the full-time entry list for the 2019 season has already been reduced to 32 drivers before the season has even begun is also a disappointment.
In how many races will Tanner Berryhill drive the #97 Obaika Racing Toyota throughout the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season? Will he make his season debut in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is the second race on the schedule and is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 24? There are still several questions left unanswered about this situation, and they may not all be answered in the near future.