NASCAR: Early look at where all 36 charters are for 2022
By Asher Fair
Several charters have changed hands for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, and there is still some potential for more movement.
The charter market has been a key focus of this year’s NASCAR Cup Series silly season, and this was pretty much expected with the launch of the Next Gen car in 2022 presenting such a great opportunity.
Several newer and smaller teams entered 2021 looking to expand for 2022, and other teams entered this past season with their eyes on entering the Cup Series for the first time next year.
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All in all, five charters have changed hands for 2022 so far between six different teams, and based on how things are going right now, there is still potential for another two to be on the move between four teams, including three which have steered clear of the action thus far.
Take a look at where all 36 charters are for 2022. The changes are noted.
- #1 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet – Ross Chastain
- acquired from Chip Ganassi Racing; had been used to run the #1 Chevrolet for Kurt Busch
- #2 Team Penske Ford – Austin Cindric
- #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – Austin Dillon
- #4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford – Kevin Harvick
- #5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – Kyle Larson
- #6 RFK Racing Ford – Brad Keselowski
- #7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet – Corey LaJoie
- #8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – Tyler Reddick
- #9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – Chase Elliott
- #10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford – Aric Almirola
- #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – Denny Hamlin
- #12 Team Penske Ford – Ryan Blaney
- #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford – Chase Briscoe
- #16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet – Justin Haley
- acquired from Spire Motorsports; had been used to run the #77 Chevrolet for multiple drivers
- #TBD Kaulig Racing Chevrolet – A.J. Allmedinger and TBD
- acquired from Spire Motorsports; had been leased out to Trackhouse Racing Team to run the #99 Chevrolet for Daniel Suarez
- #17 RFK Racing Ford – Chris Buescher
- #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – Kyle Busch
- #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – Martin Truex Jr.
- #20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota – Christopher Bell
- #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford – Matt DiBenedetto
- #22 Team Penske Ford – Joey Logano
- #23 23XI Racing Toyota – Bubba Wallace
- #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – William Byron
- #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford – Michael McDowell
- #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford – TBD
- #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford – Cole Custer
- #43 Richard Petty Motorsports Chevrolet – Erik Jones
- #45 23XI Racing Toyota – Kurt Busch
- acquired from StarCom Racing; had been used to run the #00 Chevrolet for Quin Houff
- #47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – Alex Bowman
- #78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford – TBD
- #99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet – Daniel Suarez
- acquired from Chip Ganassi Racing; had been used to run the #42 Chevrolet for Ross Chastain
In total, there are 32 charters that are effectively solidified for 2022, 27 of which have not seen any changes in ownership from 2021.
That still leaves a few question marks. Here are where the other four charters currently stand.
- #15 Rick Ware Racing
- #51 Petty Ware Racing (charter owned by Richard Petty Motorsports)
- #52 Rick Ware Racing
- #53 Rick Ware Racing
However, Rick Ware Racing plan to only run two cars throughout the 2022 season, meaning that we could still see two of these charters changing hands this offseason.
While the plan is to run the #15 team and the #51 team, Richard Petty Motorsports have reportedly been involved in discussions about a potential charter sale as well.
There are two notable teams looking.
- #77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
- Spire Motorsports had three charters in 2021 and used two to run their two full-time entries while leasing out a third to Trackhouse Racing Team, but they sold two of them to Kaulig Racing and are now looking for another one. They had been in talks to purchase one from StarCom Racing, but that deal fell through.
- #94 GMS Racing Chevrolet
- GMS Racing are set to compete in the Cup Series for the first time in 2022 with Ty Dillon behind the wheel of the #94 Chevrolet, but they have yet to secure a charter.
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The 2022 season is scheduled to get underway in just under three months on Sunday, February 20 with the 64th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.