NASCAR: Could Hendrick Motorsports make an unforeseen change?

With Brad Keselowski off the market, could Hendrick Motorsports end up moving forward with only three cars in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season?

Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski had been seen as one of the primary replacement candidates for seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports next year.

Before Keselowski entered the Cup Series with Roger Penske’s organization as a full-time driver in 2010, he drove for the Rick Hendrick co-owned JR Motorsports team in the Xfinity Series.

Had there been room for him at Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series, he very easily could have ended up there, so whenever a seat opens at the four-car Chevrolet team, his name is often mentioned.

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However, he re-signed with Team Penske following his win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway two Sundays ago, meaning that Hendrick Motorsports will have to look elsewhere when it comes to replacing Johnson.

Could “elsewhere” mean simply moving forward with three cars, which they haven’t done since the 2002 season when Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte were their drivers? Chase Elliott and William Byron were already under contract with the team through at least next year entering the 2020 season, with the former having signed an extension that runs through the 2022 season all the way back in June of 2017. Elliott drives the #9 Chevrolet while Byron drives the #24 Chevrolet.

Alex Bowman then signed an extension with the team back in May before the sport returned from the unexpected 10-week hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but it is worth noting that nowhere in that announcement was there any sort of confirmation that he would be back behind the wheel of the #88 Chevrolet.

A move to the #48 Chevrolet makes sense considering the fact that Ally Financial signed a deal with the #48 team back in October to continue sponsoring them on a full-time basis through the 2023 season.

Should Bowman not be able to secure additional funding or if a driver with additional funding comes to the team not needing Ally’s financial backing, don’t rule out the two-time race winner making that move.

Following the departure of Nationwide Insurance as a primary sponsor, Chevrolet Accessories (Adam’s Polishes, NOCO and Truck Hero) stepped up to sponsor the #88 Chevrolet in 26 races this season. But beyond that, nothing is confirmed.

With the unstable future faced by Hertz, one of Byron’s sponsors, Axalta could potentially up their deal with him instead of splitting it between him and Bowman, and Valvoline, Llumar and Cincinnati could also move to the #24 Chevrolet, joining Liberty University.

But according to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, four cars is still the goal.

While anything is possible, think Hendrick really wants to have four cars and it is working with that mindset at the moment. https://t.co/MM1VSMKtzx
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 3, 2020

As for who may replace Johnson if they do move forward with four cars without him, Keselowski being off the table doesn’t mean they lack options.

With the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated Leavine Family Racing having been sold, Joe Gibbs Racing having confirmed that Erik Jones won’t be back next year, and Leavine Family Racing rookie Christopher Bell lined up to replace Jones, Jones is now a free agent.

Hendrick Motorsports could also try to lure Chase Briscoe away from Stewart-Haas Racing if Stewart-Haas Racing don’t end up making room for the current Xfinity Series driver at their Cup Series team, although their recent trend of switching up their driver lineup after each season could very well continue for a fifth straight year following 2020.

Ross Chastain, who competes for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series, also comes to mind, especially if he isn’t signed by Chip Ganassi Racing like many expect.

Assuming a fourth driver brings his own sponsorship to Hendrick Motorsports, the situation with the team’s current sponsors could still work. Chevrolet Accessories could fill in where needed with Byron and/or this new driver, depending on the extent of the new driver’s sponsorship, and Bowman could move to the fully funded #48 team.

Even if a fourth driver does not bring sponsorship, there may not be a need to stick with three cars. That driver could end up driving the #48 Chevrolet with financial backing from Ally, while Bowman’s entry could continue to be funded by his current sponsors, again with Chevrolet Accessories filling in where needed.

There are plenty of scenarios that are still possible here, and four cars are involved in many of them. Couple that with the team’s apparent desire to still run four cars, and it’s extremely unlikely that Elliott, Byron and Bowman won’t have a common teammate in 2021.

On another note, not naming a replacement for Johnson quite yet could also give him the opportunity to return for another year given the frustrations which the 2020 season has brought him.

Yes, he has maintained time and time again that he wants the 2020 season to be his last. That has not changed.

But there was an initial period of uncertainty to which he admitted. Could extending the amount of time with an open seat change his mind, especially with 14 races still left on this year’s schedule?

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While Hendrick Motorsports downsizing to three cars for next year is very much a possibility, it is still likely that they will look to replace Jimmie Johnson and not simply move forward without him in their driver lineup.

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