NASCAR: Several key free agents still on the market for 2021

No new deals for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season have been announced since Alex Bowman’s contract extension was confirmed in mid-May. Which key free agents remain on the market?

As many expected, especially after his dominant victory at Auto Club Speedway in early March, Alex Bowman signed a one-year extension to continue driving for Hendrick Motorsports through the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.

The current driver of the #88 Chevrolet had been considered the top pending free agent on the market with Ryan Blaney having already agreed to terms with Team Penske on an extension and with Kyle Larson seemingly out of the picture (for the time being) after being fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur. He remains suspended indefinitely by NASCAR despite completing sensitivity training.

But despite the top three drivers from this class being out of the picture, there are still plenty of pending free agents remaining out there. In fact, Bowman’s extension is the most recent extension to be announced, and it was announced over two weeks ago. Let’s take a look at who these other drivers are.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

• NASCAR Cup Series: New team set to compete in 2024
• NASCAR: Surprising name continuously linked to new seat
• NASCAR driver at risk of missing the Daytona 500?
• NASCAR set for rare appearance last seen 13 years ago
• NASCAR team adds third car, names driver for 2024 Daytona 500

Erik Jones is the only one of Joe Gibbs Racing’s four drivers who entered the season without a contract for 2021 after signing a one-year extension late last year, and he remains without a deal lined up.

Christopher Bell, who currently competes for the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing, has a deal with Toyota that runs through next year, but he could end up moving to Joe Gibbs Racing should they not retain Jones for a fourth season.

At Stewart-Haas Racing, both Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer signed one-year extensions late last season. Meanwhile, following Blaney’s extension, Brad Keselowski is the only Team Penske driver without a contract to compete next year. He has been rumored as the replacement for Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick Motorsports.

Following Bowman’s extension, Johnson is the lone Hendrick Motorsports driver without a contract for next year, and he has already announced that he will be retiring after the 2020 season.

Wood Brothers Racing’s Matt DiBenedetto also does not have a contract to compete next year and could be a good option for Team Penske if Keselowski ends up leaving, given the technical alliance between the two teams.

Go Fas Racing’s Corey LaJoie is in the same boat and could be a good option for Stewart-Haas Racing if they alter their lineup for the fifth consecutive year, given the technical alliance those two teams share.

Elsewhere, StarCom Racing’s Quin Houff, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon, Germain Racing’s Ty Dillon, Premium Motorsports’ Brennan Poole, Front Row Motorsports teammates Michael McDowell and rookie John Hunter Nemechek, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ryan Preece, Richard Petty Motorsports’ Bubba Wallace and Gaunt Brothers Racing’s Daniel Suarez are all competing full-time but do not have publicly confirmed deals lined up to compete with their current teams next year.

What will the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup end up looking like? Despite the recent confirmations of some of the drivers considered to be the top free agents in a loaded free agent class, things are still far from certain with so many solid drivers only under contract through the end of this year.