After an offseason that saw just two driver lineup changes, the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season will see some major changes across the board.
NASCAR is going to look very different going into next year, and with the very sudden passing of superstar Kyle Busch, that change has already started. That tragic loss only added to what was already going to be a very tricky offseason to come.
Busch's race team, Richard Childress Racing, joined long list of major teams with unknown plans for next season. You can throw in Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and 23XI Racing as others with drivers whose futures are uncertain.
Big decisions ahead for some of NASCAR's biggest teams
Rick Hendrick has some tough decisions to make about the future of the No. 48 Chevrolet, which is currently piloted by Alex Bowman. For one, Bowman is in a contract year, and he hasn't found victory lane since July 2024.
Add in the fact that he's dealt with injuries over the past handful of years, including earlier this year, when he missed four races because of vertigo. Injuries have been a major issue for several drivers in the past, and they include plenty of Hendrick drivers. Injuries ultimately forced an early end to the careers of Jerry Nadeau, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and most recently Kasey Kahne.
Nothing is set in stone, and Bowman isn't guaranteed to be out of the No. 48 car after 2026, but there are already some names floating around in the media. In fact, The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi has floated the idea that Hendrick could sign Connor Zilisch away from Trackhouse Raceway, or perhaps move up development driver Corey Day from the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Day certainly hasn't hurt his case, with two wins so far this season behind the wheel of Hendrick's No. 17 car.
Earned that one! #2 pic.twitter.com/hx4QLRxjPb
— Corey Day (@corey_day_) May 17, 2026
Bottom line, the No. 48 car could see a new face behind the wheel next season. It won't be an easy decision, given the fact that Bowman has won eight times in the Cup Series, all with Hendrick Motorsports. But that isn't the only major ride in the Cup Series with questions for 2027.
What to do with Corey Heim and Riley Herbst?
Toyota Racing seems to be in a bit of a pickle. Riley Herbst is in his second full-time season with 23XI Racing. He brings funding, but he has not been up to par for the most part, given the success of his teammates Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.
Then you add in Corey Heim, who is only a part-time Cup Series driver in the team's fourth entry. The 2025 Truck Series champion has all the talent in the world and has already proven he belongs in a full-time Cup ride.
Jimmie Johnson's Legacy Motor Club is in line to have a third-full-time car in 2027. So which of the two will get that ride, and which will be in the No. 35 Toyota at 23XI Racing?
RCR's path forward after Kyle Busch's passing
Kyle Busch was in a contract year, before sadly passing away on May 21. His future with the organization at Richard Childress Racing was already considered a bit fuzzy. Austin Hill and Jesse Love are both well accomplished drivers at the lower levels, which does give the team a path forward.
Hill stepped up big for Childress, as he had to climb aboard Busch's car for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday, and he appears to be in line to drive the car for the foreseeable future. But is he the long-term answer? Love is young, but shouldn't he be getting some of the seat time, especially if he goes to Cup full-time in 2027?
Or could Love possibly be destined to drive for someone else in Cup? You can't blame RC for being in a very difficult situation, much like when he and the sport lost Dale Earnhardt. Everyone is hurting with the loss of Kyle Busch, so this obviously isn't going to be the focus for that team right now, but eventually a decision needs to be made.
Questions for both Team Penske and RFK Racing
Nothing is a given in motorsports, and that's the situation both Team Penske and RFK Racing find themselves in for 2027. Austin Cindric is in a contract year, and the team's struggles show it's not necessarily his fault that he has been at quite at the performance level most would have hoped for.
Opposite of that is RFK Racing. They aren't facing any driver contract problems, but they have three full-time teams. However, they're only in line to have two charters next year. That's a big problem for a team currently with three drivers in the provisional playoff field.
Will team co-owner Brad Keselowski run the full season next year in an open car, so Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher don't have to worry about making the field? Or could something change drastically, especially if the rumors of other teams being interested in Buescher are true?
Lack of performance and team struggles certainly have many drivers questioning their futures at their current teams, and vice versa, beyond this season. It should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
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