NASCAR: 5 teams that could have different driver lineups in 2021
By Asher Fair
2021 driver lineup changes: Hendrick Motorsports
With the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season not slated to be drastically shortened or altogether canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic like some had once speculated, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is still set to retire from full-time competition once it ends.
He confirmed his pending retirement in November, just days after the 2019 season came to an end. As a result, this means that Hendrick Motorsports’ driver lineup will inevitably look different next year.
There had been additional uncertainty within the team with Alex Bowman’s contract set to expire at the end of the season as well, but as mentioned, he signed an extension.
After his dominant victory at Auto Club Speedway, this was pretty much expected. Very few drivers have ever won in that fashion with just one career win to their names entering a race weekend. Plus, Hendrick Motorsports had no reason to put themselves in a position where they had to worry about replacing half of their team like they did just over two years ago.
Chase Elliott and William Byron are already under contract with Rick Hendrick’s team. Once Johnson retires, their four-car lineup would include zero of their four drivers from 2015, and the 24-year-old Elliott would be their longest tenured driver.
Many drivers have been discussed as possible replacements for Johnson, most notably Erik Jones as of late. Even if they move forward with only three cars and don’t bring in anybody new, it would mark a huge change in their driver lineup. They haven’t run only three cars since 2002.