NASCAR: Update on driver contracts for beyond the 2020 season

With the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season at a standstill as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, let’s take a look at driver contracts for 2021 and beyond.

When Team Penske’s Joey Logano took the checkered flag to win at Phoenix Raceway almost two weeks ago, not many fans expected that to be the final NASCAR Cup Series race for the foreseeable future.

As of now, eight races on the 36-race 2020 schedule have been postponed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The season is scheduled to get back underway on Sunday, May 17 at Darlington Raceway. Just four races have been contested so far this year.

With the season currently in limbo, let’s take a look at the drivers whose contracts already extend beyond the 2020 season.

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It is no secret that the 2021 free agent class is set to be absolutely loaded, but there are still plenty of top-tier drivers, many of whom former champions, who have already been signed for next year and even beyond. Let’s start by looking at some of the bigger teams.

At Joe Gibbs Racing, three of their four drivers are under contract for 2021. Denny Hamlin’s deal to drive the #11 Toyota runs through at least the 2021 season while Kyle Busch signed a multi-year extension, likely three years, last March to continue driving the #18 Toyota.

Martin Truex Jr. signed with the team ahead of the 2019 season to drive the #19 Toyota on a multi-year deal that is at least a three-year deal.

At Stewart-Haas Racing, things are less certain. Rookie Cole Custer is seen as a long-term option to drive the #41 Ford, but only one of their four drivers, Kevin Harvick, has a deal in place to return in 2021. He signed a contract extension to drive the #4 Ford through the 2023 season ahead of the 2020 season.

At Hendrick Motorsports, Chase Elliott is signed to drive the #9 Chevrolet through the 2022 season back in June of 2017. William Byron’s deal to drive the #24 Chevrolet does not expire after the 2020 season, although the specifics of this deal are undisclosed. He already has numerous primary sponsorship deals lined up for next year.

Team Penske recently signed Ryan Blaney to a multi-year contract extension, a move that really got Silly Season started early after Blaney had been rumored to replace Jimmie Johnson behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports. This extension is a multi-year extension to drive the #12 Ford that likely runs through the 2023 season.

Joey Logano had already been signed by the team to drive the #22 Ford through the 2023 season. He signed a contract extension before the 2017 season began.

At Chip Ganassi Racing, Kurt Busch quieted retirement rumors last November by signing a contract extension to drive the #1 Chevrolet through the 2021 season.

Elsewhere, there are a few other drivers under contract through at least the 2021 season, although the specifics of their deals are undisclosed and likely contain options that could allow their teams to move on from them.

Ryan Newman signed a multi-year deal to drive the #6 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing ahead of the 2019 season, and that deal is believed to run through at least the 2021 season.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chris Buescher switched teams ahead of the 2020 season, with the former going to JTG Daugherty Racing and the latter making the move to Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse is under contract to drive the #47 Chevrolet through next year, and Buescher is under a similar deal to drive the #17 Ford.

Christopher Bell is not under contract with Leavine Family Racing beyond the 2020 season, but the former Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity Series driver is under contract with Toyota. Joe Gibbs Racing and Leavine Family Racing have a technical alliance, and Bell is slated to either return to the latter or make the move to the former next year.

Finally, rookie Tyler Reddick is reportedly under contract with Richard Childress Racing through the 2021 season, but that deal likely contains an option. Daniel Hemric signed with the team last year as a rookie on a two-year contract, but they released him in favor of Reddick for the 2020 season.

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

Which drivers will be next to sign contracts to compete in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season and beyond? In total, 14 are set to do so already.

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