NASCAR: 5 drivers who could’ve replaced Jimmie Johnson
By Asher Fair
Possible Jimmie Johnson replacements: No. 5 – Chase Briscoe
When he was fired, Kyle Larson’s contract with Chip Ganassi Racing was due to expire at the end of the 2020 season anyway. One of the teams to which he had been rumored to join for 2021 was Stewart-Haas Racing.
In fact, this was, at one point, considered his most likely landing spot for the 2021 season. And it stood to reason, given past attempts by Tony Stewart to sign him. But Stewart had been prevented from pursuing him in the past thanks to his contract with Chip Ganassi Racing.
However, things seemed to be a little bit different this time around. So what if Larson had been given the opportunity to sign with Stewart-Haas Racing, as many predicted he would?
With Ford preventing Stewart from pursuing Larson for 2021 after the incident, something Stewart publicly admitted, Chase Briscoe was called upon to replace Clint Bowyer behind the wheel of the #14 Ford. But could that seat have been Larson’s?
If so, where would Briscoe have ended up after winning a series-high nine Xfinity Series races for the organization in the 2020 season? With his stellar 2020 campaign, he had certainly made a good case for himself to become the possible successor to Jimmie Johnson.