NASCAR: One Cup car still needs a driver for Talladega
By Asher Fair
One car on the entry list for this Sunday’s Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway is without a driver after a decision made by NASCAR.
Jennifer Jo Cobb was slated to make her NASCAR Cup Series debut in this Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. But NASCAR did not approve her request to compete in this race.
Despite her 247 starts across the Xfinity Series and Truck Series since 2004, including 20 in superspeedway races, it was not deemed that the 47-year-old Kansas City, Kansas native should make her debut at the sport’s top level in a race of this nature.
Must Read. Dale Earnhardt Jr. still annoys Martin Truex Jr.. light
Cobb was set to drive the #15 Chevrolet for Rick Ware Racing in this 188-lap race around the four-turn, 2.66-mile (4.281-kilometer) high-banked oval in Lincoln, Alabama.
But now Rick Ware Racing have a seat to fill. Who will end up in the #15 Chevrolet?
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
Cody Ware is the full-time driver of the #51 Petty Ware Racing Chevrolet and Josh Bilicki is the full-time driver of the #52 Rick Ware Racing Ford. The team’s other car, the #53 Ford, is set to be driven by Joey Gase in Sunday’s race.
The obvious option for the car which Cobb was supposed to drive would be James Davison, who ironically could not make his Cup Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway last June for what effectively amounts to the same reason Cobb can’t.
Davison has competed in six of the nine races that have been contested so far this season and has plans to compete in 20 more. In fact, he opted for a 26-race Cup Series schedule instead of a ride in this year’s Indy 500.
He has made 21 starts since competing in the Cup Series for the first time last June at Pocono Raceway, and he already made his superspeedway debut at Talladega Superspeedway last October and finished in a respectable 30th place.
Another good option would be J.J. Yeley, who has competed for the team in each of the last four seasons and has made several superspeedway starts. He has competed in two of the last three races heading into the weekend.
There are 40 cars in the entry list for this race, so all are guaranteed to compete in the race unless more entries are added. The #15 Chevrolet is safe either way, given the fact that it is a chartered entry.
Next. Top 25 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
The GEICO 500 is set to be broadcast live on Fox from Talladega Superspeedway beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET this Sunday, April 25.