NASCAR: What’s next for Stewart-Haas Racing after Go Fas Racing alliance?

With a new technical alliance with Go Fas Racing confirmed for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, what is next for Stewart-Haas Racing?

A rumor emerged in August that Stewart-Haas Racing may look to form a technical alliance with Go Fas Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The four-car team were reportedly looking to jettison some of their cars for next year, as the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season is the final season before the planned introduction of the Gen-7 chassis and body. As such, the team expect to have extra inventory.

Now that technical alliance has been confirmed.

But one of the focal points of this technical alliance was Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer, who was believed to be the leading candidate to drive the #32 Ford for Go Fas Racing in the 2020 season.

Now we know that won’t be the case, and Corey LaJoie, who currently drives that #32 Ford, expects to be back with the team next year.

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So what is Stewart-Haas Racing’s next move?

Now things are really a whole lot more simple for them because so many possibilities went out the window with Go Fas Racing having ruled out Custer from the start.

But at the same time, things just got a whole lot harder.

Three of their four active drivers have been confirmed for next season. Kevin Harvick is set to return behind the wheel of the #4 Ford for what is set to be his seventh consecutive season with the team. Clint Bowyer is set to return behind the wheel of the #14 Ford for what is set to be his fourth consecutive season with the team. Aric Almirola is set to return behind the wheel of the #10 Ford for what is set to be his third consecutive season with the team.

Daniel Suarez is now officially on the hot seat.

On multiple occasions, the third-year Cup Series driver and first-year driver of the #41 Ford has stated that he is confident about returning to Stewart-Haas Racing next year.

But he also said that last year while in his second season at Joe Gibbs Racing, and he ended up being replaced by Martin Truex Jr.

Both Suarez and team co-owner Tony Stewart have stated that there are still things that need to come together and fall into place to make a new deal happen, and it’s no secret that Custer’s upside is far greater than Suarez’s at this point.

Custer is in the midst of a breakout season in the Xfinity Series that has him well-positioned to advance to the Championship 4 and potentially win his first title. Suarez, meanwhile, in three seasons driving for top-tier teams at the Cup level, is still seeking his first victory — and his first playoff appearance.

In 106 starts, he still hasn’t been able to get the job done. But would it just be better to wait until the introduction of the Gen-7 car to promote Custer to lessen the risk of “rushing him” considering the fact that he is still only 21 years old?

Such a decision would also give Suarez another chance to prove himself to the team, one he has proven he deserves with strong runs such as the one he displayed at Texas Motor Speedway this past Sunday en route to a season-high third place finish.

So do Stewart-Haas Racing retain the 27-year-old Mexican, which would mark the first time since between the 2015 and 2016 seasons that they have kept the exact same driver lineup from one year to the next, or do they promote the 21-year-old Ladera Ranch, California native to the #41 Ford since Go Fas Racing have ruled out signing him?

It’s a simple question with a not-so-simple answer that could have huge ramifications on the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup, but it’s one that will need to be answered in the very near future.