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NASCAR Cup Series: Top 5 open seats for 2021

By Asher Fair

FORT WORTH, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 McDonald's Chevrolet, leads Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 03, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
FORT WORTH, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 03: Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 McDonald's Chevrolet, leads Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 03, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /
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AVONDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 06: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
AVONDALE, ARIZONA – MARCH 06: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Ally Chevrolet (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Jimmie Johnson currently drives the #48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, and he has done so in each of the last 652 races going back to the start of the 2002 NASCAR Cup Series season after making the first three starts of his career behind the wheel of the car in 2001.

Nobody other than the 44-year-old El Cajon, California native has driven the #48 Chevrolet during its current stint in NASCAR.

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That will change in 2021.

Back in November of 2019, the seven-time champion announced that the 2020 season will be his 19th and final season of full-time competition at NASCAR’s highest level, meaning that a replacement is slated to be named at some point within the next several months.

So while he technically isn’t a free agent, he has confirmed that he will not sign a contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports for the 2021 season.

Ally Financial have already signed a contract extension to continue serving as the full-time primary sponsor of the #48 Chevrolet through the 2023 season, so Hendrick Motorsports will pretty much be able to pick whoever they want to replace him.

There is speculation that Hendrick Motorsports may end the #48 Chevrolet and either bring back the #25 Chevrolet or the #5 Chevrolet following Johnson’s retirement, and that is certainly possible. But regardless, they will still have to replace a seven-time champion, and that naturally makes this seat one to keep an eye on.

Who will be Johnson’s heir apparent? There have been numerous names thrown around, and that will likely continue until a replacement is named.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Which five drivers will end up driving these five cars in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, and which drivers will end up landing other open rides not discussed in this article? The upcoming Silly Season is slated to be quite a crazy one.

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