NASCAR: The remaining key puzzle pieces to Silly Season

Much of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup is set, but there are still several open seats. What are the remaining key puzzle pieces?

Several of the key components of NASCAR‘s Silly Season have fallen into place slowly but steadily over the last few months, most recently with StarCom Racing confirming that Quin Houff is set to drive full-time as the replacement for Landon Cassill behind the wheel of the #00 Chevrolet.

Additionally, Kurt Busch renewed his deal with Chip Ganassi Racing to continue driving the #1 Chevrolet, Chris Buescher is set to replace Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Roush Fenway Racing, Stenhouse is set to replace Buescher at JTG Daugherty Racing and J.J. Yeley is set to drive full-time for Rick Ware Racing.

Tyler Reddick was promoted to the Richard Childress Racing Cup Series team from their Xfinity Series team to replace Daniel Hemric behind the wheel of the #8 Chevrolet and Cole Custer is set to replace Daniel Suarez behind the wheel of the #41 Ford at Stewart-Haas Racing following three years of competition in the Xfinity Series.

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The third member of the Xfinity Series “Big 3”, Christopher Bell, is set to replace Matt DiBenedetto behind the wheel of the #95 Toyota at the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing after driving for Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series team for two seasons, as Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that Erik Jones is set to continue driving the #20 Toyota for the team in the Cup Series.

DiBenedetto, meanwhile, is set to replace the now retired Paul Menard at Wood Brothers Racing behind the wheel of the #21 Ford.

But there are still several open seats for next season, including one key piece that could play a role in determining several others — not just in the Cup Series — depending on who lands the ride.

Premium Motorsports and Spire Motorsports still haven’t named drivers for the #15 Chevrolet and the #77 Chevrolet, respectively, while Rick Ware Racing still plan on confirming two more full-time drivers.

But the main focus is now on Go Fas Racing, which recently announced a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2020 season.

The four-car Ford team reportedly wanted jettison some of their cars for next year with the 2020 season being the final season before the planned introduction of the Gen-7 chassis and body, meaning they expected to have extra inventory, and a technical alliance with the one-car Ford team allows them to do that.

Corey LaJoie has stated that he hopes to return to the team next year after spending the 2019 season driving the #32 Ford, but the seat remains open.

Who Go Fas Racing tab to drive the #32 Ford could have ramifications in the Cup Series as it pertains to Front Row Motorsports, and possibly in the Xfinity Series as well.

Even before Custer was announced as the replacement for Suarez at Stewart-Haas Racing, Go Fas Racing ruled out signing him, which came as a surprise to some considering the fact that he had been the rumored candidate to take over the driving duties of the #32 Ford, provided a technical alliance was formed between the two organizations.

There have already been rumors that Front Row Motorsports will go from a three-car team to a two-car team. Matt Tifft won’t return to the team next year and David Ragan retired. Michael McDowell was initially expected return, but there is still no deal in place for that to happen.

John Hunter Nemechek is reportedly working on a deal with the team after replacing Tifft in the final three races of the 2019 season. If LaJoie stays at Go Fas Racing, who ends up in the other Front Row Motorsports seat if they cut one of their cars? Does McDowell return? Does Suarez move to Front Row Motorsports? Could the team field three cars after all?

If Suarez doesn’t remain in the Cup Series, he has been linked with Richard Childress Racing’s full-time Xfinity Series ride as Reddick’s replacement.

What if LaJoie doesn’t stay at Go Fas Racing? Would he end up at Front Row Motorsports? Would Suarez remain within the Stewart-Haas Racing fold with the Stewart-Haas Racing-affiliated Go Fas Racing team? Who ends up in Richard Childress Racing’s full-time Xfinity Series ride?

As old as it is, Silly Season is still young with two weeks of the offseason between the 2019 and 2020 seasons already in the books.

Who will land in the remaining open seats in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup, and how will each confirmation affect the rest of them? The 2020 season is scheduled to get underway in roughly two and half months on Sunday, February 16 with the 62nd annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.