NASCAR: 5 replacement candidates for Clint Bowyer in 2021
By Asher Fair
Clint Bowyer 2021 replacement candidates: Kyle Larson
Even before he was fired by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur during an iRacing event on Easter Sunday back in April, Kyle Larson had been seen as a potential Stewart-Haas Racing driver for next year after entering the 2020 season without a contract to compete next year.
Team co-owner Tony Stewart has always been fond of Larson’s talent, and both drivers share illustrious dirt track racing backgrounds.
In fact, Stewart wanted to sign Larson as his replacement following his 2016 retirement, but when he announced his retirement in 2015, Larson was unable to sign a deal given his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing at the time.
Now with Clint Bowyer out, will Larson get to drive the car that Stewart wanted him to drive a few years ago?
Stewart has gone as far as saying that NASCAR needs to “get off their ass” regarding getting the 28-year-old Elk Grove, California native needing to be back in the sport, although he did acknowledge that he was quite pleased with the team’s current Cup Series drivers, plus Briscoe.
With one seat open and Briscoe lurking, Larson may not work out. Plus, he has recently been linked to Hendrick Motorsports with seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson set to retire at the end of the season, and it appears likely that this is where he will end up in 2021, assuming his reinstatement request is approved as expected.