2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team / Driver Chart
NOTE: This is an unofficial page compiled by Jayski.com from many different sources.
Try to make it as complete as possible and update it as often possible, USUALLY daily.
It’s a guide to what is heard/found for each team and what has been announced/reported.
Updated often…as changes happen
Updated 11-21-2016
an unofficial team chart, compiling news, announcements and rumors about what teams will look like for the 2016 season
Team charts by season: 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007,2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998
2016 NASCAR XFINITY Series Team/Driver Chart
2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Team/Driver Chart
-
2016 Rookie of the Year Candidates (ROTY)
#21-Ryan Blaney
#34-Chris Buescher
#32/#83-Jeffrey Earnhardt (20-32 races)
#24-Chase Elliott
#44-Brian Scott
rules WERE that the most Cup races a driver could run in a season and still run for ROTY were seven
BUT looks like that rule can be waived if driver has not run for Cup Series points.
as long as the driver has not run too many Sprint Cup races in NASCAR’s opinion.
For instance, #6-Trevor Bayne was not eligible for Rookie of the Year in 2015
as NASCAR said he ran too many past Sprint Cup Series races.
Unofficial rules and info about the Sunoco Rookie of the Year program can be found on:
Jayski.com’s 2016 Rookie of the Year Page
NOTE on YELLOW STRIPES:
sometimes a driver not a candidate for the ROTY award may run the yellow stripes on the
back bumper of their car if running on a race track the driver has never competed on before
- POTENTIAL Free-Agent Sprint Cup Series Regulars AFTER the 2016 season
#88-Alex Bowman
#38-Landon Cassill
#1-Jamie McMurray
#23-David Ragan
#7-Regan Smith
Brian Vickers
#98-Cole Whitt - Free-Agent (full-time) Sprint Cup Series Regulars for the 2016 season
Alex Bowman (run some races in #88 NXS car; subbed for Dale Jr. in some races)
Jeb Burton (was at RPM’s NXS team until it shut down, ran a couple races in #32 Cup car)
David Gilliland (a few Cup races in 2016 in the #35)
Timmy Hill (Truck Series ride)
Sam Hornish Jr.(ran some NXS races, won at Iowa)
Travis Kvapil (Truck Series ride)
Brett Moffitt (ran some Truck races)
Brian Vickers (medically cleared, raced a few races in #14 while Stewart was injured)
J.J. Yeley (NXS ride) - Drivers not running full-time after 2015
#24-Jeff Gordon (FOX Broadcaster/retired), running some races in the #88 for Dale Jr. - Drivers not running full-time after 2016
#14-Tony Stewart (injured before 2016 season started, returned in May, will not return in 2017)
- Unofficial full-time rides by Manufacturer and Car# Assignments
37 Full Time Teams (36 teams have a Charter)
Chevy: 19 Teams 1,3,4,5,7,10,13,14,15,24,27,31,41,42,46,47,48,88,95
Ford: 11 Teams – 2,6,16,17,21*,22,32,34,38,43,44
Toyota: 7 Teams – 11,18,19,20,23,78,83
(* Teams without a Charter, have to qualify on speed) - Some Part-Time Teams by car # that may / will attempt a race or races in 2016:
Chevy: 30,40,59
Ford: 35,99
Toyota: 26,77,93
Toyota & Chevy 2 Teams – 55^, 98
^ = has Charter but leasing it to the #46 team for 2016 - Unofficial Unassigned Numbers for 2016
0,8,9,12,25,28,29,33,36,37,39,45,
49,50,51,52,53,54,56,57,58,60,61,
62,63,64,65,66,67,68,69,70,71,72,
73,74,75,76,79,80,81,82,84,85,
86,87,89,90,91,92,94,96,97
00,01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08,09
Numbers are owned and assigned by NASCAR
teams can request a number and hold the license
paying NASCAR to hold a number
CHART KEYS
? unknown or a rumor for that section
* part time team, or a team that has skipped at least one race, listed below the full-time teams
ROTY = Rookie of the Year Candidate
(i) = not running for Sprint Cup Series points
(NC) = full-time team without a Charter, has to qualifying for each race via speed
Red Font = new driver, sponsor, car#, owner, crew chief…etc
A team in all red = new full time or part time team for this season
| FULL TIME TEAMS (teams that plan on running all 36 of the point races) |
||||||
| CAR# (click # for news) |
DRIVER (contract end year..if known) (champ/roty) |
CAR MANUFACTURER |
PRIMARY SPONSORS (number of races…if known) (signed thru..) |
TEAM / LISTED OWNERS | CREW CHIEF (contract end year..if known) |
ENGINE BUILDER / SUPPLIER |
| NOTES…………….. | ||||||
| 1 | Jamie McMurray (2016) |
Chevy | McDonald’s
Cessna Sherwin Williams Bass Pro Shops CreditOne / FirstData |
Chip Ganassi Felix Sabates Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Rob Kauffman |
Matt McCall | Hendrick Motorsports |
| CreditOne will be the primary sponsor for three races in 2016, first one at Richmond in April (2-9-2016). Cessna will have a new paint scheme in 2016 (12-18-2015). Rumors that Clint Bowyer would come over to a third CGR team were untrue, Bowyer said he would not follow Kauffman to CGR and the CGR said they are not expanding to a third team in 2016 (8-21-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing principal Owner Rob Kauffman bought into Chip Ganassi Racing. At first it was reported Kauffman would buy out co-owner Felix Sabates, but Sabates says he in not selling or ‘going anywhere’. Some reports have Kauffman dropping his affiliation with MWR. Kauffman said on August 2nd that “any idea that I’m leaving [MWR] or taking anything is actually misplaced. What we’re actually doing is integrating the businesses, trying to get the most competitive product on track,” and indicated there are many details still to be determined. Reports have #15-Clint Bowyer and some of MWR sponsors [5-Hour Energy, Aaron’s, Peak, AAA, Maxwell House] moving to Chip Ganassi Racing. Other reports have MWR merging into CGR and being a four-car team, all with Chevy. CGR principal Owner Chip Ganassi would continue to retain majority control (8-2-2015). McDonald’s and Cessna were the main sponsors of the #1 in 2015, combining to be primary or co-sponsors in 29 races. Bass Pro Shops, Energizer and Sherwin Williams sponsored the car for one race. McMurray is signed thru 2016, he re-signed with CGR in 2013, supposedly for three years. Matt McCall came aboard as the crew chief in 2015 and no indication that will change for 2016. | ||||||
| 2 | Brad Keselowski (2017) (2012 Champ) |
Ford (2017) | Miller Lite (24 races)(2017)Alliance Truck Parts (8 races) Wurth Detroit Genuine Parts AutoTrader.com (2 races) SKF (1 race) Thomas Built Buses (1 race) |
Team Penske Roger Penske |
Paul Wolfe (2017) | Roush-Yates |
| Thomas Built Buses was the sponsor at RIR in April (4-20-2016). SKF was the sponsor for the Sprint Unlimited (1-31-2016). AutoTrader.com will be the sponsor for two races (1-25-2016). Alliance Truck Parts will be the primary sponsor in 8 races during the 2016 season (12-20-2015). Miller Lite, Wurth and Alliance Truck Parts return as primary sponsors in 2016. Diecast images show just “Lite” on the hood, not “Miller Lite” (12-1-2015). Keselowski, crew chief Wolfe and main primary sponsor Miller Lite signed thru 2017, with Miller Lite the primary for 24 races a season. No word Detroit Genuine Parts or Avaya return to be the primary sponsor on the #2 in 2016 (8-14-2015) | ||||||
| 3 | Austin Dillon | Chevy | Dow Chemical
Cheerios American Ethanol Bass Pro Shops AAA |
Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing |
Slugger Labbe | ECR Engines |
| Bass Pro Shops/Ranger Boats will be the sponsor at Bristol in April (4-11-2016). Labbe will be back as the crew chief in 2016 and has been offered a 3-year extension (10-19-2015). No word on any changes with driver or sponsors. Slugger Labbe took over as the crew chief after Michigan in June of 2015 (8-13-2015) | ||||||
| 4 | Kevin Harvick (2019) (2014 Champ) |
Chevy | Busch Beer (12 races)(2019)Jimmy Johns (21 races)(2016) Outback Steakhouse diTech Mobil 1 (2 races) |
Stewart Haas Racing Tony Stewart Joe Custer Gene Haas |
Rodney Childers (2017+) |
Hendrick Motorsports |
| Busch Beer re-signed thru 2019, and adds 4 races a year, to 16 starting in 2017 (11-3-2016). Crew chief Childers suspended for lug nut violation at Indy, will miss Pocono race in July, Dax Gerringer will crew chief the car there (7-26-2016). Harvick re-signs with SHR for a multi-year contract to stay with the team and run Fords. No Word on what sponsors will resign (5-19-2016). SHR will switch to Ford starting after the 2016 season (2-24-2016). ditech returns in 2016, sponsor two races, at Bristol in April and New Hampshire in September (12-11-2015). Anheuser-Busch’s Busch brand will be the primary sponsor of Stewart-Haas Racing’s #4 NASCAR car driven by Kevin Harvick for the 2016 NASCAR season in 12 races, starting with the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona. Budweiser has sponsored Harvick for several years. Jimmy John’s will sponsor more races in 2016 (8-24-2015). Harvick is signed thru 2016 with an SHR option for 2017. Budweiser/Busch Beer, Jimmy John’s and ditech are signed thru 2016. Outback Steakhouse is signed thru 2015, no word if they return. Rodney Childers signed a contract extension to stay with the team. Childers contract was good thru 2016, no word how long the extension is for (6-5-2015). Budweiser was the sponsor for 17 races; Jimmy John’s for 14 races; Outback Steakhouse for 3 races; Ditech Mortgage two races in 2015. | ||||||
| 5 | Kasey Kahne (2018) |
Chevy | Farmers Insurance (12 races)(2017)Great Clips (10 Races)(2016) LiftMaster Quicken Loans Panasonic Toughbook Mountain Dew (1 race) Hendrick Automotive Group AARP Drive to End Hunger |
Rick Hendrick | Keith Rodden | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Farmers Insurance will leave after the 2017 season (11-1-2016). AARP Drive to End Hunger will be the primary sponsor in two races, Bristol in August and Texas in Nov (4-20-2016). Mountain Dew will be the primary sponsor in one race, running the Pitch Black scheme at Richmond in April (4-15-2016). Panasonic Toughbook will be the primary sponsor in races, Atlanta in February and Dover in October as well as an associate-level partner in all other events (1-12-2016). Quicken Loans moves over from Richard Childress Racing’s #31 to sponsor Kahne in three races for the 2016 season, including one race as a joint promotion with Hendrick Automotive Group. Quicken Loans will be an associate sponsor for all remaining races (12-1-2015). Kahne re-signed with Hendrick for three years thru 2018. Rodden became the crew chief in 2015 and no word of changes there. LiftMaster will be the primary sponsor for three races a season thru the 2017 season. Farmers Insurance is supposedly signed thru 2017, Great Clips thru 2016. Time Warner Cable is supposedly thru 2015, no word if they return. No word on Pepsi sponsorship as Jeff Gordon is retiring and the #88 runs Pepsi product Diet Mountain Dew / AMP for five races (8-12-2015). | ||||||
| 6 | Trevor Bayne (2019) |
Ford | AdvoCare (2019) |
Roush Fenway Racing Jack Roush John Henry |
Matt Puccia | Roush-Yates |
| AdvoCare and Bayne re-sign thru 2019 (11-3-2016). Crew Chief Matt Puccia moves from the #16 RFR team to the #6, former crew chief Bob Osborne moves to the #34 Front Row Motorsports team as the crew chief for Chris Buescher (1-8-2016). Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016 (12-10-2015). Bayne is signed thru 2017, have not heard of any changes with this team. RFR has a multi-year deal with primary partner AdvoCare (8-13-2015) | ||||||
| 7 | Regan Smith (2016) |
Chevy | Toy State / Nikko Road Rippers Street Beatz (13/17 Races)(2017)Golden Corral (2 races) APC – Advanced Patient Care Quaker State / Advance Auto Parts |
Tommy Baldwin Racing Tommy Baldwin Jr. Al Heinke |
Tommy Baldwin Jr. | ECR Engines |
| Reports have Baldwin selling the #7 Charter to #95 Leavine Family Racing in 2017 (10-20-2016). Quaker State / Advance Auto Parts was featured at Kentucky in July (7-4-2016). Golden Corral to sponsor Smith at Talladega in May (4-25-2016). APC – Advanced Patient Care was the sponsor at Phoenix and Auto Club in March (3-18-2016). Golden Corral was a co-sponsor in the Daytona 500 (2-20-2016). TBR announced the team and driver Alex Bowman parted ways. Regan Smith was hired to drive the #7 Chevy in 2016 (1-21-2016). TBR announced that Francois “Frankie” Bergeron comes over from JGR as Fabrication Shop Manager. Chad Walters, comes over from MWR, will lead the race engineering efforts. Ed Nathman has assumed the role of Simulation and Vehicle Dynamics Manager. Mike Brill joins TBR as Car Chief. Ken Davis moves from car chief to a chassis specialist and mechanic. Jamie Tomaino, has been promoted to Shop Foreman. Team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. will remain as the crew chief (12-21-2015). Toy State signs a multi-year sponsorship agreement to sponsor the #7 team for 13 races in 2016 and 17 in 2017. Throughout the season, the #7 will feature many toy line paint schemes. TBR will have an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and ECR engines for 2016 (12-15-2015). TBR announced in July 2015 that Alex Bowman will return to the #7 team in 2016, running the full season (7-2-2015). Advance Auto Parts / Quaker State was the sponsor at Kentucky. Crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion left the team after Talladega in May 2015 to take the #9 RPM Ford crew chief job. Team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. took over as crew chief, no word if he hires another crew chief or keeps the dual titles. Toy State was the primary sponsor for the first five races in 2015 and an associate sponsor in others, no word if they return in 2016. Longtime TBR sponsor, Golden Corral was the sponsor in four races (both Talladega, Daytona in July and Sonoma in June), so they may return. Another sponsor with ties to TBR, Accell Construction, was featured in a handful of races and may return. Other primary sponsors for one race included: DOC 360, CULER, Advance Auto Parts, FW1 Wash and Wax and Advanced Practice Consultants. No word if any of them return in 2015 (8-11-2015). | ||||||
| 10 | Danica Patrick (2018?) |
Chevy | Nature’s Bakery (2018)(28 races)Aspen Dental (2016+)(4 races) TaxACT Mobil1 (1 race) |
Stewart Haas Racing Tony Stewart Gene Haas Joe Custer |
Billy Scott | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Nature’s Bakery will drop down to 25 races in 2017 & 2018, down from 28. Code2 Associates move over from Tony Stewart’s #14 car for 3-4 races in 2017. Mobil 1 will be the primary in a couple of races (10-9-2016). SHR will switch to Ford starting after the 2016 season (2-24-2016). Mobil1 will be the sponsor at Kansas in May (1-15-2016). Billy Scott takes over as crew chief for Patrick, replacing Daniel Knost. Knost has been promoted to a senior leadership position, manager of vehicle dynamics, within SHR (11-30-2015). TaxAct will be the primary sponsor in four 2016 races, signing a multi-year deal (10-30-2015). Aspen Dental increased its sponsorship from 2 to 4 races in 2016. The team says the car will be fully funded, and plans to announce the final sponsor (which is expected to be current sponsor TaxAct) in October (9-18-2015). Stewart-Haas Racing signed Patrick to a multi-year extension on August 18th, usually Cup contracts are for three-years but SHR wouldn’t give a length when asked. Nature’s Bakery comes aboard as the primary sponsor for 28 races in 2016, also signing a multi-year deal. No word on sponsorship for the other 8 races. No word if Aspen Dental or TaxACT return in 2016 (8-18-2015). GoDaddy will NOT return as the sponsor in 2016, but keep Patrick as a spokesperson(4-29-2015). Knost took over as crew chief at Texas in November 2014 and no word on him leaving the team. | ||||||
| 11 | Denny Hamlin (2017) |
Toyota | FedEx Express FedEx Freight FedEx Ground FedEx Office FedEx CaresSport Clips (2 races) |
Joe Gibbs Racing | Mike Wheeler | Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| It was reported that Hamlin is signed thru 2017 and is in talks with JGR to extend that contract and stay with JGR (8-7-2016). JGR #20 XFINITY Series crew chief Mike Wheeler will be Hamlin’s new crew chief. Former #11 Crew Chief, Dave Rogers, moves to JGR’s #19 team as Carl Edwards crew chief (12-3-2015). Hamlin said in May at Dover, 2015 is NOT a contract year and that “I’ve still got some time left on my deal,” he said. “I’ve been with Gibbs for really a lot time. I’d hope to stay with them.” Supposedly Hamlin’s deal is over after the 2016 season (5-29-2015). | ||||||
| 13 | Casey Mears (2018) |
Chevy | GEICO GEICO Military (2018) |
Germain Racing | ?Bootie Barker | Earnhardt Childress Racing |
| GEICO and Mears agreed to a 3-year extension thru 2018 but indications are that Ty Dillon will be in this car in 2017 with Mears heading to the #95. No word if GEICO stays on the #13 or moves with Mears (10-15-2016). Mears and GEICO will return to the #13 car in 2016, agreeing to a one-year extension (7-14-2015). Last heard crew chief Barker was signed thru the 2015 season | ||||||
| 14 | Tony Stewart (2002, 2005, 2011 Champ) Brian Vickers Ty Dillon |
Chevy | Mobil 1 (? races)
Rush Truck Centers (? races) Code 3 Associates (? races) Bass Pro Shops (2-3 races) Haas Automation Janssen / Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation TaxAct |
Stewart Haas Racing Tony Stewart Joe Custer Gene Haas |
Mike Bugarewicz | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Haas Automation featured on the #14 at NHMS at July (7-13-2016). Tony Stewart made his return at Richmond in April. Will also run at Talladega in May but plans to start the race and have Ty Dillon finish the race (4-22-2016). TaxAct will sponsor Vickers at Texas in April (4-5-2016). Janssen / Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation to sponsor Vickers at Auto Club and Martinsville (3-17-2016). Will switch to Ford starting after the 2016 season (2-24-2016). Vickers scheduled to run at Daytona & Las Vegas. Dillon scheduled for Atlanta, Phoenix and Auto Club, after that TBA (2-23-2016). Stewart sustained a burst fracture of the L1 vertebra in an ATV accident Sunday while vacationing on the West Coast, transported to a local hospital. He was awake and alert throughout the process and able to move all of his extremities. Stewart flew to NC Tuesday evening and was admitted to a Charlotte-area hospital for further evaluation. On Wednesday, he underwent surgery. The subsequent recovery period means Stewart will miss the beginning of the Sprint Cup season. A timetable for Stewart’s return has not been determined, but he is expected to make a full recovery and return to the #14 Chevrolet in 2016. Plans for an interim driver have not been finalized (2-4-2016). Bass Pro Shops will be the primary sponsor in 2-3 races (1-30-2016). Mike Bugarewicz is the crew chief, replacing Chad Johnston, who heads to the #42 as the crew chief for Kyle Larson. Bugarewicz had been the race engineer on the #4 SHR team (11-23/30-2015). All four primary sponsors will return in 2016, all paint schemes have been unveiled but the Bass Pro Shops scheme. SHR executive vice president Brett Frood said Stewart’s sponsorship will “have some changes on it down the line. It depends on things with Tony with his retirement, that will be more fluid and farther out.” Stewart has built some memorable sponsorship ties with companies such as Home Depot, Old Spice and Office Depot, Stewart’s schemes could include some throwbacks with familiar companies (10-22-2015). Stewart announced that he will retire at the end of the 2016 season. Clint Bowyer will drive the #14 Chevy, starting in the 2017 season, bring Five-Hour Energy with him for an announced number of races. Bowyer will drive for HScott Motorsports in 2016 for one year (10-1-2015). No word on any other changes in 2016. Sponsors expected to return. Crew chief Chad Johnston, who came aboard at the start of 2014, will supposedly return in 2016 (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| 15 [was 51] | Clint Bowyer (2016) |
Chevy | 5-Hour Energy Drink (24 races)
Visine (3 races) PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil Aaron’s AccuDoc Solutions Knoxville Nationals |
Harry Scott HScott Motorsports |
Steve Addington | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Knoxville Nationals will be featured on the #15 5-Hour Energy Chevy at Pocono in July (74-27-20146). AccuDoc Solutions will be the sponsor on the car in a few races (4-25-2016). Aaron’s will be the sponsor at Atlanta in February (2-24-2016). Visine will be the primary sponsor for three races: Auto Club in March, Texas in April and Pocono in June (2-1-2016). The team moved from Spartanburg, SC to Mooresville, NC (1-14-2016). Images of the #15 5-Hour Energy and #15 PEAK Chevy has been released, looks like HSM changes from #51 to #15, Steve Addington remains as the crew chief (12-31-2015). Justin Allgaier leaves and goes to the #7 JR Motorsports XFINITY series team for 2016 (10-28-2015). PEAK Antifreeze & Motor Oil and BlueDEF Diesel Exhaust Fluid will be the sponsor for two races in 2016, at Watkins Glen and Chicago, and as an associate sponsor for all remaining races during 2016 (10-21-2015). Bowyer and HSM announced that Bowyer will race at HSM for one-season. No car number announced and owner Harry Scott didn’t say if they would be a two-car or three-car team in 2016. In 2017, Bowyer will move to Stewart-Haas Racing’s #14 after Tony Stewart retires after the 2016 season (10-2-2015). An announcement is expected at Dover Oct 2-4, that Bowyer will take over this ride, bringing Five-Hour Energy Drink along as the sponsor. Bowyer would drive the car for one-year, in 2016, then move to SHR’s #14 Chevy, replacing the retiring Tony Stewart (9-27-2015). Scott said HSM will remain a two-car team in 2016 (9-6-2015). While there has been talk of Scott moving the team to North Carolina, Scott says the game plan is to stay the course with a two-car team in Spartanburg, SC (8-16-2015). | ||||||
| 16 | Greg Biffle (2016) |
Ford | KFC Cheez-ItKleen Performance Products Ford EcoBoost Performance Plus Motor Oil NESN Fuel Roush Performance Hooters |
Roush Fenway Racing Jack Roush John Henry |
Brian Pattie | Roush-Yates |
| Biffle will run a Hooters / Alan Kulwicki scheme at Darlington (8-23-2016). NESN Fuel is the sponsor at NHMS in July (7-10-2016). KFC will be the primary sponsor for multiple races in 2016, starting with the Daytona 500 (1-20-2016). Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016 (12-10-2015). Ortho announced they will not return in 2016 to sponsor Biffle of the #16 car and will sit out a season/leave as a NASCAR team sponsor (11-20-2015). Supposedly Brian Pattie will come aboard as the crew chief with Matt Puccia being re-assigned within the RFR. Pattie had been with Michael Waltrip Racing since 2012, but MWR will cease operations at the end of the season (10-26-2015). Biffle is signed at least thru 2016. No word on any changes in sponsorship but Kelloggs may be featured instead or along with Cheez-It (owned by Kelloggs)(8-12-2015) | ||||||
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (2017+) |
Ford | Fastenal (15 races)(2017+)Zest (6 races) Fifth Third Bank SunnyD |
Roush Fenway Racing Jack Roush John Henry |
Nick Sandler | Roush-Yates |
| Fastenal re-signed to sponsor the team for a few more season and will up its number of races as primary sponsor in 2017 and beyond (5-24-2016). SunnyD will be the primary sponsor for four races: Dover in May, Pocono in June, Indy in July and Charlotte in October (3-1-2016). Zest returns for 6 races and Fifth Bird Bank for five races. Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016 (12-10-2015). Stenhouse Jr. is signed thru 2016. Nick Sandler became the crew chief in 2015, no word on any changes there. Main primary sponsor Fastenal signed a multi-year agreement beginning in 2015. No word if NOS returns in 2016. Cargill signed a multi-year deal in 2014 (8-12-2015). | ||||||
| 18 | Kyle Busch (2019+) (2015 Champion) |
Toyota | M&M’s (2019+) Skittles (4 races) Snickers Crisper Pedigree Dog Food Banfield Pet HospitalInterstate Batteries (6 races) |
Joe Gibbs Racing | Adam Stevens | Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Skittles Sour will be featured at Talladega in May with Marvel (4-25-2016). Busch and sponsor M&M’s are signed thru at least 2019 after announcing an extension in November 2015 (11-20-2015). M&M’s ran the Crispy M&M’s scheme as it’s primary scheme in 2015, but M&M returns to a yellow scheme in 2016. Skittles, Snickers and Pedigree Dog Food were Mars products featured in some races. Expect long time JGR sponsor Interstate Batteries to return in 2016 for six races. Busch was injured in a Daytona XFINITY Series wreck in Feb. 2015 and missed the first 11 races of the season the won the Championship. Adam Stevens took over as the crew chief in 2015. | ||||||
| 19 | Carl Edwards (2017) |
Toyota | ARRIS (17 races)(2017)
Stanley (12 races) Subway (4 races) Sport Clips (2 races) Comcast Business |
Joe Gibbs Racing | Dave Rogers | Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Dave Rogers moves to the JGR’s #19 team as Carl Edwards crew chief from JGR’s #11 team. No word on plans for former #19 crew chief, Darian Grubb (12-3-2015). Edwards is signed thru 2017, moving to JGR after years at Roush Fenway Racing. Sponsor ARRIS is signed thru 2017. Sponsors Sport Clips, Subway, Stanley Tools are expected to return. No word on XFINITY / Comcast (8-13-2015) | ||||||
| 20 | Matt Kenseth (2017+) (2003 Champion) |
Toyota | Dollar General (26 races, 2016) DeWalt (10 race in 2016, 15 in 2017) Tide Pods (1 race) |
Joe Gibbs Racing | Jason Ratcliff | Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Kenseth ran a special Tide Pods throwback scheme at Darlington in Sept (8-19-2016). DEWALT Tools announced an expanded partnership with JGR, adding four races to their 2016 primary sponsorship: Chicago, Dover(Oct), Kansas(Oct) and Homestead. Beginning with the 2017 season, DEWALT will take over the primary sponsorship for the majority (15) of races (6-30-2016). Dollar General will leave as the sponsor after the 2016 season and not return to NASCAR, no word on replacement sponsors (5-27-2016). Kenseth is signed thru at least 2016, which will be his 4th year with JGR. No changes expected with sponsors or crew chief (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| 21 (NC) | Ryan Blaney (ROTY) |
Ford | Motorcraft / Quick Lane (?12 races) | Wood Brothers Racing Glen Wood Eddie Wood |
Jeremy Bullins | Roush-Yates |
| Team doesn’t have a Charter and will have to qualify for each race by speed (2-9-2016). Wood Brothers Racing announced that it will run a full, 36-race Sprint Cup Series schedule in 2016 with Ryan Blaney continuing as the team’s driver contending for a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship with Motorcraft/Quick Lane and Ford Performance returning as anchor sponsors (11-20-2015). Team Penske didn’t run a third team in any 2015 races, but team owner Roger Penske said he’s working on Ryan Blaney to run full Sprint Cup season in 2016 in a mix of #21 Wood Brothers and a third Penske car. If Blaney runs full-time, he could run for rookie of the year (8-14-2015). SKF was the primary sponsor for three races in 2015 and Snap-on Tools was the sponsor for two races (7-9-2015). The team attempted 18 races in 2015 with Blaney driving. Twelve races were sponsored by Motorcraft / Quick Lane. Jeremy Bullins was/is the crew chief, is from Team Penske’s XFINITY series team. In 2015 the Wood Brothers switched from an alliance with Roush Fenway Racing to Team Penske. | ||||||
| 22 | Joey Logano (2018) |
Ford | Shell-Pennzoil (2018)(32+1 races)AAA / Automobile Club of Southern California (3 races) Autotrader.com (2 races) |
Team Penske Roger Penske |
Todd Gordon 2013 | Roush-Yates |
| Automobile Club of Southern California will be the primary sponsor at Auto Club Speedway in March. AAA will be the sponsor at two other races (1-31-2016). AutoTrader.com will be the sponsor at Bristol in April and co-sponsor with Pennzoil/Shell at Kentucky (1-15-2016). Logano is signed thru 2018. Shell-Pennzoil will sponsor 32 races a season and is signed thru 2018 (8-11-2015) | ||||||
| 23 | David Ragan | Toyota | Dr Pepper
sweetFrog Schluter Systems Bubba Burger Weaver Media Brandeis Machinery Jewel Osco |
BK Racing Ron Devine Wayne Press |
Patrick Donahue | ?Race Engines Plus |
| Jewel Osco the sponsor at Chicago in Sept (9-13-2016). Brandeis Machinery will be the sponsor at Indy in July (7-19-2016). Bubba Burger will be the primary sponsor in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte (5-16-2016). Schluter Systems will be the sponsor at Talladega in May (4-25-2016). sweetFrog was the sponsor at both Richmond races (4-16-2016). David Ragan signs with BK Racing for 2016, running the #23 with Dr Pepper sponsoring some of the races. Matt DiBendetto returns to the #83. The #26 team may run a part-time schedule. Patrick Donahue will be the crew chief. BK Racing bought cars from defunct Michael Waltrip Racing (1-26-2016). | ||||||
| 24 | Chase Elliott (ROTY) |
Chevy | NAPA Auto Parts (24 races)(2018)
3M (5 races)(2017) Kelley Blue Book (2 races) Mountain Dew (2 races) SunEnergy1 |
Rick Hendrick Jeff Gordon |
Alan Gustafson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| SunEnergy1 will be the primary sponsor for 4 races a year thru 2018 (2-3-2016). Mountain Dew will be the primary sponsor in two races (1-15-2016). Kelley Blue Book will be the sponsor for two races in each of 2016 and 2017 (12-17-2015). 3M will be the primary sponsor for five races in 2016, down from 11 in 2015 (11-28-2015). Axalta Coatings Systems will move from the #24 to the #88 in 2016 through 2018, being the primary sponsor of the #88 Chevy for 13 races annually. Axalta will be a major associate sponsor during on-primary events (10-6-2015). Aaron’s was rumored as possibly coming to this team since they had sponsored Elliott in the past but Aaron’s announced they will not sponsor a team in 2016 but will look into participating in the sport via media, brand relationship and track activation (9-17-2015). Team Owner Rick Hendrick says which HMS teams Axalta and 3M sponsorship’s will be with 2016 will be decided soon. Aaron’s has been rumored as a possible sponsor for Elliott in 2016, moving from the soon to be closed MWR (9-8-2015). Chase Elliott named to drive the #24 Chevy in 2016. Gustafson will remain as the crew chief. NAPA Auto Parts will be the majority sponsor of Chase Elliott and the #24 Chevy. The expanded partnership will feature NAPA AUTO PARTS as a primary sponsor of the #24 team in 24 Sprint Cup races annually, including the season-opening Daytona 500, and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. | ||||||
| 27 | Paul Menard (2016) |
Chevy | Menard’s (2016) | Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress |
Danny Stockman | ECR Engines |
| Danny Stockman will assume crew chief responsibilities for the #27 Menards Chevy team, starting at Pocono in July. Former crew chief, Justin Alexander, will remain with the organization in a different role (7-25-2016). Childress said Menard’s is expected to return to the team as sponsor in 2017 (7-22-2016). Menard and sponsor Menards signed thru 2016. Crew chief Alexander came aboard for 2015 and no word of any changes there (8-13-2015) | ||||||
| 31 | Ryan Newman (2017+) |
Chevy | Caterpillar (22 races)(2017)WIX Filters Grainger Whelen’s Kalahari Resorts Florida Lottery |
Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing |
Luke Lambert | ECR Engines |
| Newman re-signed with RCR, a multi-year deal. Caterpillar returns as one of the primary sponsors (10-10-2016). Florida Lottery will be the sponsor at Daytona in July (6-28-2016). Kalahari Resorts was the sponsor at Pocono in June (6-1-2016). Quicken Loans moves over to Hendrick Motorsports and #5-Kasey Kahne in 2016 for three races. Quicken Loans was the sponsor of the #31 for 9 races in 2015, no word who will replace them (12-1-2015). Newman is signed thru 2016 as is Caterpillar. Indications are that WIX will return in 2016 as will crew chief Lambert (8-10-2015). Grainger signed a multi-year deal, to serve as the primary sponsor of the #31 Chevy for select races (8-11-2015). Caterpillar renewed sponsorship of #31 thru 2016, sponsor 21 points races plus the Sprint Unlimited and Budweiser Duel (6-26-2014). | ||||||
| 32 | Bobby Labonte (4 restrictor plate races)(2000 Champ)
Jeffrey Earnhardt Patrick Carpentier Jeb Burton Joey Gase |
Ford | C&J Energy Services (Daytona 500) Rimrock Devlin Can-Am Keen Parts / Corvetteparts.net Rocky Ridge Custom Trucks Erie Insurance Donate for Life |
Go Fas Racing Archie St. Hilaire |
Wally Rogers | Roush-Yates |
| Gase in the car at Chicago (9-13-2016). Jeb Burton back in the car at Pocono in July with Erie Insurance as the sponsor (7-25-2016). Jeb Burton will race the car at Pocono in June with Rocky Ridge Custom Trucks as the sponsor. Burton had been with RPM’s NXS team but it shut down (6-2-2016). Rimrock Devlin listed as the sponsor at Talladega in May (4-25-2016). Patrick Carpentier scheduled to run the #32 car at Sonoma in June and Indy in July. Can-Am will be the sponsor (4-22-2016). Joey Gase to run the car at Phoenix in March (3-1-2016). C&J Energy Services returns to sponsor the team at the four restrictor plate races (Daytona / Talladega) with Bobby Labonte driving (1-27-2016). Can-Am will be the primary sponsor in eleven races and as an associate sponsor in all other 2016 races. Jeffrey Earnhardt will run the majority of the season, between 20 to 32 races (depending on sponsorship) in 2016 after signing a multi-year deal with Go FAS Racing and will compete for the Rookie Of The Year award. Go Green Racing will start competing under the GoFAS banner with the #32 Ford. Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup champion, will race the car in the four restrictor plate tracks (Daytona and Talladega), the team is working with C&J Energy Services to return as Labonte’s sponsor in those four races. Boris Said will probably not return to the team as Said mentioned in August it was his final NASCAR race (9-19-2015). Boris Said said that the Xfinity Series race at Road America in August may be the last NASCAR event he’ll ever run. Said will likely continue his road racing career, but just not in NASCAR (8-30-2015). Looks like Go Green Racing and owner Archie St. Hilaire pretty much own/run the team. Hard to gauge how involved Frank Stoddard is with the team now that he does TV stuff. In 2015 Frank Stoddard was the crew chief at restrictor plate races and Clint Cram at the rest (8-14-2015). | ||||||
| 34 | Chris Buescher (ROTY) | Ford | Love’s Travel Stops (18 races)(2016)CSX Transportation (2016)(8 races) Dockside Logistics A&W All American |
Front Row Motorsports Bob Jenkins Brad Jenkins |
Bob Osborne | Roush-Yates |
| A&W All American will be the sponsor at Richmond (4-20-2016). Dockside Logistics the sponsor at Auto Club (3-8-2016). Love’s Travel Stops moves from FRM’s #38 team to the #34 in 2016, being the primary sponsor for 18 races (1-13-2016). Former #6 RFR crew chief Bob Osborne moves to the #34 Front Row Motorsports team as the crew chief for Chris Buescher (1-8-2016). Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016. RFR driver Chris Buescher, the 2015 XFINITY Series champ, will drive the #34 Front Row Ford during the 2016 season. The team will receivs full engineering and pit support from Roush Fenway. Buescher won the 2015 XFINITY Series Championship. Plans for Front Row Motorsports’ second Sprint Cup Series entry will be announced at a later date. No word on 2016 sponsors for the team. Scott Graves was to be the crew chief, moving with Buescher to the FRM team but ended up leaving RFR and moves to Joe Gibbs Racing, as the crew chief for Daniel Suarez in the INFINITY Series. Former crew chief, Derrick Finley stays in FRM’s competition director spot (12-10-2015). Supposedly Front Row Motorsports will scale back to a two-car team in 2016, no word which team gets axed (10-25-2015). CSX Transportation (8 races), KFC (Daytona 500), Dockside Logistics and Shaw’s Southern Bell Frozen Foods were sponsors in many races as well as Taco Bell and A&W (franchises owned by Jenkins). The team ran six drivers in the car in 2016. David Ragan started the season as the full-time driver before Kyle Busch got injured and Ragan ran the #18 car for 9 races. Then when Brian Vickers had a re-occurrence of blood clots, Ragan moved to the #55 car for the rest of the season. Brett Moffitt took Ragan’s place, ran the #55 car for a few races and returned as the primary driver of the #34 for the rest of the season and ran for and won 2015 Rookie of the Year. Chris Buescher ran some races in the car. Also Joe Nemechek, Justin Marks and Reed Sorenson all ran one race in the car. Chris Buescher could also run full-time in partnership with Roush Fenway Racing as RFR owner Jack Roush feels Buescher is ready for a full-time Cup ride. Finley, the crew chief, is also FRM’s competition director and could find a new crew chief for the #34 (8-13-2015) | ||||||
| 38 | Landon Cassill | Ford | Florida Lottery (Daytona)Fr8Auctions (2 races) Snap Fitness (4 races) MDS Transportation The Pete Store Tace Bell A&W All American |
Front Row Motorsports Bob Jenkins Brad Jenkins |
Donnie Wingo | Roush-Yates |
| Fr8Auctions will be the sponsor at Talladega in May (4-25-2016). The Pete Store will be the sponsor at Richmond in April (4-20-2016). Snap Fitness will be the sponsor in four races: Phoenix in March, Bristol in April, Indy in July and Darlington in September (3-7-2016). Fr8Auctions joins to sponsor Cassill at Atlanta (2-24-2016). Florida Lottery was the sponsor at Daytona in Feb (2-14-2016). Landon Cassill named the driver of the #38, no sponsor, but crew chief Wingo stays with the #38 (1-20-2016). Front Row Motorsports website only lists the #34 with Chris Buescher as the driver and #38 team with driver TBA, so looks like the #35 will be the FRM team that closes. David Gilliland says he has no 2016 plans and doesn’t expect to be back at FRM. Whitt could end up in the #38 car or elsewhere (12-31-2015). Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016. RFR driver Chris Buescher will drive the #34 Front Row Ford during the 2016 season, with the team receiving full engineering and pit support from Roush Fenway. Buescher won the 2015 XFINITY Series Championship. Plans for Front Row Motorsports’ second Sprint Cup Series entry will be announced at a later date. No word on 2016 sponsors for the team (12-10-2015). Supposedly Front Row Motorsports will scale back to a two-car team in 2016, no word which team gets axed (10-25-2015). No word on 2016 plans for Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland is on a one-year deal thru 2015. Love’s Travel Stops stepped up to sponsor the #38 for 18 races in 2015. Florida Lottery was the sponsor at Daytona in July. Farm Fresh was the sponsor at Talladega in May. No word if any of the sponsors return in 2016. Crew chief Donnie Wingo was in his 1st season with FRM, no word if he returns in 2016 (8-12-2015) | ||||||
| 41 | Kurt Busch 2017+ (2004 Champ) |
Chevy | Monster Energy (18 races)Haas Automation (18 races) State Water Heaters |
Stewart Haas Racing Gene Haas Tony Stewart Joe Custer |
Tony Gibson | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Will switch to Ford starting after the 2016 season (2-24-2016). Busch has signed a multi-year deal (2-3 year deal usually) to stay at SHR in the #41. Monster Energy will be featured on the hood in 17 races and the quarter panels in 18 races with one full race sponsorship. Hass Automation will be featured on the hood in 18 races and on the quarter panels in 17 races in 2016. Supposedly State Water Heaters will return as a one-race sponsor in 2016 (10-21-2015). Team owner Gene Haas says he and driver Kurt Busch have a “handshake deal” that enable Busch to drive the #41 Haas Automation Chevy beyond this season, “We’re in the process (of re-signing)….three weeks ago, we had a handshake deal that he would come back. But we’re still working on his contract, too. So we expect him to be back. We expect to have more sponsors for him.” Crew chief Gibson took over as Busch’s crew chief at Texas in November 2014 and and they worked well together, expect Gibson to stay in 2015 (8-12-2015). Busch was reinstated on March 11,2015 and raced at Phoenix and was eligible for the 2015 Chase. Regan Smith ran the car for three races to begin the 2015 season: Daytona, Atlanta and Las Vegas. NASCAR indefinitely suspended Busch on 2/20/2015 after a Delaware Family Court Commissioner concluded that “it is more likely than not” that Busch committed an act of domestic abuse against ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll in Sept. Busch lost two appeals to NASCAR to get back in the car at Daytona. A NASCAR spokesperson said the sanctioning body would send guidelines to Busch on what he must do to be reinstated (2-22-2015). | ||||||
| 42 | Kyle Larson (2017) |
Chevy | Target Energizer Huggies |
Chip Ganassi Felix Sabates Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Robert Kauffman |
Chad Johnston | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Energizer featured on the car at Indy in July (7-21-2016). Chad Johnston named crew chief for Kyle Larson and the #42 Target team. effective immediately, replacing Chris Heroy, who has parted ways with CGR, no word on Heroy’s plans for 2016. Johnston comes over from the #14 SHR team where he was the crew chief for Tony Stewart (11-23-2015). Rumors that Clint Bowyer would come over to a third CGR team are untrue, Bowyer said he would not follow Kauffman to CGR and the CGR said they are not expanding to a third team in 2016 (8-21-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing principal Owner Rob Kauffman bought into Chip Ganassi Racing. At first it was reported Kauffman would buy out co-owner Felix Sabates, but Sabates says he in not selling or ‘going anywhere’. Some reports have Kauffman dropping his affiliation with MWR. Kauffman said on August 2nd that “any idea that I’m leaving [MWR] or taking anything is actually misplaced. What we’re actually doing is integrating the businesses, trying to get the most competitive product on track,” and indicated there are many details still to be determined. Reports have #15-Clint Bowyer and some of MWR sponsors [5-Hour Energy, Aaron’s, Peak, AAA, Maxwell House] moving to Chip Ganassi Racing. Other reports have MWR merging into CGR and being a four-car team, all with Chevy. CGR principal Owner Chip Ganassi would continue to retain majority control (8-2-2015). Target and its brands (Energizer, AXE, Clorox, etc) will be the primary sponsor on Larson’s car for all of 2015. Larson is signed thru 2017. Target and its brands (Energizer, AXE, Clorox, etc) are signed thru at least 2015 (7-2-2015). | ||||||
| 43 | Aric Almirola (2016) |
Ford (2016+) | Smithfield Foods (2016)(31 races)U.S. Air Force (2 races) STP Fresh from Florida |
Richard Petty Motorsports Richard Petty Andy Murstein Doug Bergeron |
Drew Blickensderfer | Roush-Yates |
| Drew Blickensderfer takes over crew chief job as of Chicago in September. Former crew chief Trent Owens, will be reassigned to another job at RPM (9-13-2016). Waffle House featured at Bristol in August (8-20-2016). Fresh from Florida will be the sponsor at Talladega in May (4-25-2016). Smithfield has expanded their sponsorship of the #43, from 29 races to 31. Fresh from Florida, the U.S. Air Force and STP all renewed their partnerships with the #43 team for 2016 (1-20-2016). Ford will be RPM’s Manufacturer in 2016 after signing a multi-year deal. RPM will continue to work on a services agreement with Roush Fenway Racing and field Roush-Yates engines (10-6-2015). Almirola is signed thru 2016. Main primary sponsor, Smithfield is signed thru 2016 to sponsor 29 races a season. All indications are that crew chief Trent Owens will return (8-11-2015). | ||||||
| 44 [was 9] | Brian Scott (ROTY)(2016) |
Ford (2017+) |
Albertsons (2016)
Shore Lodge Twisted Tea (3 races) GoBowling.com Goody’s Powders (2 races) |
Richard Petty Motorsports Richard Petty Andy Murstein Doug Bergeron |
Chris Heroy | Roush-Yates |
| Driver Brian Scott to retire after 2016 season to focus on his young and growing family and also the next phase of his career. Albertsons announced they were ending their NASCAR program after the 2016 season (11-10-2016). Medallion Bank will be the sponsor at Pocono in June (6-2-2016). Albertsons and Shore Lodge will be the primary sponsors for 16 races in 2016. Twisted Tea, GoBowling.com and Goody’s will also sponsor the #44 in some races (1-20-2016). The team switches from #9 to #44 (1-11-2016). Chris Heroy, formerly of #42 Chip Ganassi Racing, named the new crew chief (12-16-2015). Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and RPM part ways, team is looking for a new crew chief. Former #9 crew chief, Drew Blickensderfer, currently the Director of R&D at RPM, could return as the crew chief. Manion heads to Kyle Busch’s Truck Series team (12-12-2015). Brian Scott leaves RCR to take the seat of the RPM Ford, running for Rookie of the Year in 2016. Supposedly Albertson’s will be a primary sponsor for some races as will Twisted Tea and Shore Lodge (12-10-2015). Sam Hornish Jr. will not return to the RPM in 2016 (11-14-2015). Ford will be RPM’s Manufacturer in 2016 after signing a multi-year deal. RPM will continue to work on a services agreement with Roush Fenway Racing and field Roush-Yates engines (10-6-2015). | ||||||
| 46 | Michael Annett (2016) |
Chevy | Pilot Flying J PhilMor (2016)(~21 races)Allstate Peterbilt ?Cypress Associates ?Northland Motor Oil |
Harry Scott HScott Motorsports |
Mike Hillman, Sr. | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Annett and sponsor Pilot Flying J leave after the 2016 season and head to the XFINITY Series and the #5 JR Motorsports team (11-3-2016). After NHMS in July, crew chief Jay Guy was promoted to HScott Motorsports Technical Director. Mike Hillman, Sr. takes over as the crew chief of the #46 (7-19-2016). Team is leasing a Charter from the #62 (now #55) Premium Motorsports team in 2016. Teams are allowed to do one short term lease (2-13-2016). The team moved from Spartanburg, SC to Mooresville, NC (1-14-2016). Clint Bowyer joins HSM, driving the #15 Chevy [was the #51] in 2016. Michael Annett and the Pilot Flying J sponsorship being set thru the 2016 season on the #46 and team owner Harry Scott. While there has been talk of Scott moving the team to North Carolina, Scott says the game plan is to stay the course with a two-car team in Spartanburg, SC (8-16-2015). | ||||||
| 47 | A.J. Allmendinger (2020) |
Chevy | Kroger (24 races)(2017)
Kingsford Charcoal / Clorox(2016) Scott Products(2017) Bush’s Beans Charter Hungry Jack Better Than Bouillon Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine Hidden Valley Core Power Crisco Louisiana Hot Sauce Uwharrie Bank |
JTG Daugherty Racing Tad Geschickter Brad Daugherty |
Randall Burnett | ECR Engines |
| Uwharrie Bank to be featured at the Sprint Showdown in May (5-18-2016). Randall Burnett will be the crew chief for the #47 JTG/Daugherty team next season, replacing Brian Burns, who will remain with the team. Barnett moves over from Chip Ganassi Racing, where he was an engineer with the #42 team. Ernie Cope joins the team Dec 1 as JTGD’s new competition director (11-23-2015). Bush’s Baked Beans renewed sponsorship in a multi-year deal starting in 2016 (8-21-2015). Allmendinger announced that he has signed an extension to his driver agreement with JTG Daugherty Racing that will make him the driver of the #47 Chevy SS for at least through the 2020 season. Kroger Company sponsored the #47 for 17 races in 2015 and will sponsor 24 in 2016. Kimberly-Clark / Scott Products is signed thru 2017 and Clorox/Kingsford are signed thru 2016. Crew chief Brian Burns is signed thru 2016 (8-10-2015) | ||||||
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson (2017) (2006,2007,2008 2009,2010,2013 Champ) |
Chevy | Lowe’s Home Improvement Kobalt Tools Lowe’s ProServices Lowe’s Red Vest Jimmie Johnson Foundation (2018) |
Rick Hendrick Jeff Gordon |
Chad Knaus (2018) |
Hendrick Motorsports |
| Jimmie Johnson Foundation will be featured on the car at Watkins Glen (7-13-2016). Hendrick re-signs Johnson and Lowe’s thru the 2017 season. Lowe’s will be the sponsor for all the races. Crew Chief Chad Knaus is signed thru 2018 (9-14-2015). Johnson said at Indy in July that while there was “nothing new” in completing negotiations for a new contract past 2015, he doesn’t foresee a move from the #48 Hendrick Motorsports team. Johnson said Rick Hendrick likes to sign things up in advance and indications are that extensions for Johnson, sponsor Lowe’s and crew chief Chad Knaus are close to extending (7-29-2015) | ||||||
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr. (2018) |
Toyota | Furniture Row
Bass Pro Shops (12-16 races)(2018) Auto-Owners Insurance Tanger Outlets Maaco |
Furniture Row Racing Barney Visser |
Cole Pearn Todd Berrier |
TRD |
| Maaco was the co-sponsor at Charlotte in October (10-6-2016). Tanger Outlets will be the primary sponsor at Richmond in Sept (9-3-2016). Truex Jr. signed a two-year deal to stay with FRR thru 2018. Bass Pro Shops will be the primary sponsor in 16 races in each of the 2017 & 2018 seasons (8-4-2016). Supposedly the team will soon announce a 2nd full-time team with possibly Erik Jone of Daniel Saurez as the driver, starting in 2017 (8-1-2016). dTodd Berrier served as the crew chief at Auto Club when Cole Pearn served a one-race suspension (3-8-2016). Auto-Owners Insurance will be the primary sponsor for three races in 2016 (2-17-2016). Bass Pro Shops will be the primary sponsor for 9 races in 2016, including the Daytona 500 and the Coca Cola 600 (1-19-2016). Truex Jr. re-signs with FRR for one-year, thru 2016. The team says it needs additional sponsorship to commit to a longer term deal and start a 2nd team. The team will move from Chevy to Toyota, getting chassis and engines from Joe Gibbs Racing / TRD (9-26-2015). Reports have FRR switching to Toyota in 2016 (9-19-2015). Toyota has been courting Furniture Row Racing for 2016, especially after Michael Waltrip Racing not fielding cars in 2016. If FRR moves to Toyota, they could start a 2nd team, one rumor has Clint Bowyer as the driver of the 2nd team, bringing 5-Hour Energy as the sponsor. Martin Truex Jr. says he has a handshake deal to stay with the #78 team but nothing has been official announced. FRR would like to start a 2nd team, but doesn’t expect that until 2017 at the earliest. Cole Pearn was promoted in 2015 from lead race engineer to crew chief and is expected back in 2016. Could stay aligned with Richard Childress Racing in 2016 or move to Toyota (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| 83 | Matt DiBenedetto (2016)Dylan Lupton Jeffrey Earnhardt Michael Waltrip |
Toyota | Dustless Blasting
Cosmo Motors Sewanee Schluter Systems E.J. Wade Construction ScienceLogic Velocity Security Mass Market Starter Dale Earnhardt Tribute Maxwell House |
BK Racing Ron Devine Wayne Press |
Gene Nead
Doug Richert |
?Race Engines Plus |
| DiBenedetto will sit out the race at Texas due to a concussion sustained in the XFINITY race at Texas. Earnhardt will run the car in his place (11-5-2016). Earnhardt will run at Talladega in the #83 with sponsorship from Starter in a Dale Earnhardt Tribute paint scheme. DiBenedetto will run BK Racing’s #93 (10-20-2016). Mass Market the sponsor at Chicago in Sept (9-12-2016). Dylan Lupton in the #83 at Richmond in Sept., DiBenedetto in the #93 at RIR in Sept (9-10-2016). Velocity Security to sponor the #83 at MIS in August (8-21-2016). ScienceLogic will be the sponsor at Indy, also on BK Racing’s #93 at Indy (7-20-2016). E.J. Wade Construction will be the sponsor at Richmond (4-18-2016). Schluter Systems is the sponsor at Phoenix (3-7-2016). Sewanee was the sponsor at Atlanta (2-26-2016). Waltrip is scheduled to run at Talladega in May, no word if it will be in the #83 or one of the part-time cars #26 or #93 (2-17-2016). Waltrip will run in the Daytona 500 with DiBenedetto in a 3rd BK Racing car, #93. Supposedly a one-race deal (2-4-2016). DiBendetto returns to the #83 with Gene Nead as the crew chief. Dustless Blasting and Cosmo Motors will sponsor some of the races (1-25-2016). Gene Nead named crew chief about 2/3rd’s the way thru the 2015 season. Nead had been the crew chief for Phil Parsons Racing #98/#66 teams for many years. Assuming Doug Richert went back to his managerial role with BK Racing (7-29-2015). DiBenedetto ran the car for the full season after the Daytona 500, when Johnny Sauter ran the 2015 Daytona 500 (8-14-2015). | ||||||
| 88 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2017)Alex Bowman (9 races) Jeff Gordon |
Chevy | Nationwide Insurance (21 races)(2017)
Axalta Coatings Systems TaxSlayer.com (1 race) Mountain Dew (3 races) |
Rick Hendrick | Greg Ives | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Earnhardt Jr. was not been medically cleared to compete for the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season as he continues to recover from a concussion. Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman will drive for the #88 team in the season’s 12 remaining races (9-2-2016). It was announced on August 24th, that Earnhardt would miss two more races. Bowman will run the #88 at Michigan and Gordon will race it at Darlington (8-24-2016). Gordon will not be available to race at Michigan in August as he has a commitment that weekend (8-21-2016). Earnhardt Jr. also missed Watkins Glen and Bristol with Gordon subbing (8-7-2016). Earnhardt Jr. skips NHMS, Indy and Pocono in July due to concussion symptoms from wrecks at Daytona & MIS. Bowman will fill in at NHMS, Jeff Gordon will sub at Indy and Pocono in July (7-21-2016). Nationwide Children’s Hospital featured at Kentucky in July (7-7-2016). Kelley Blue Book moves to the #24 to sponsor Chase Elliott for two races (2-10-2016). Axalta Coatings Systems will move from the #24 to the #88 in 2016 through 2018, being the primary sponsor of the #88 Chevy for 13 races annually. Axalta will be a major associate sponsor during on-primary events (10-6-2015). TaxSlayer.com will be the primary sponsor for one race in 2016, the Sprint Unlimited (9-23-2015). Nationwide Insurance will return as the primary sponsor for 21 races in 2016. Greg Ives took over as the crew chief in 2015 after Steve Letarte left to be a broadcaster at NBC and have of no changes there. Earnhardt Jr. is signed thru 2017 (8-14-2015). | ||||||
| 95 [was 33] | Michael McDowell (2016)
Ty Dillon |
Chevy | Thrivent Financial (15 races) K-LOVE (5 races) WRL General Contractors MastiClean MalwareBytes Cheerios |
Bob Leavine Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing Joe Falk |
Dave Winston
Todd Parrott |
ECR Engines |
| Indications are that Casey Mears will be the driver in 2017, moving from the #13 team. Tommy Baldwain Racing has signed paperwork to transfer ownership charter to Leavine Family Racing (#95 Chevy). LFR leased their charter for 2016 from Circle Sport #33 team / Joe Falk. Baldwin could play an advisory role with the team. No word if Todd Parrott stays with the #95 team or moves to the #13 with Ty Dillon (10-19-2016). Death Wish Coffee will be the sponsor of Dillon at Dover in October (9-7-2016). MalwareBytes will be the sponsor at NHMS and Pocono in July with McDowell driving (7-25-2016). Dillon was sponsored by Nexteer in June at MIS (6-9-2016). Dillon back in the car at Pocono in June, third time in 2016. Blake’s Snow Shack and Breckenridge Village of Tyler will be featured on the car (6-2-2016). Dillin is scheduled to run the #95 at Daytona w/Kroger/Cheerios and at Texas in April with Nexium24 as the sponsor (4-1-2016). Dave Winston will be the crew chief when Dillon is not running the car. Jeremy Lange named VP of Operations (1-28-2016). The team will run full-time in 2016, having owners points from the #33 Circle Sport team / Joe Falk. The team will have a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing and switch to Chevy. Ty Dillon will run select races in 2016 in the car, including the Daytona 500, while running for the XFINITY Series championship. Michael McDowell will drive the #95 in 2016 in at least 26 races in 2016 and a 2nd un-numbered team car in the Daytona 500 (1-19-2016). Circle Sport Team Owner Joe Falk will now be part owner of the #95 Leavine Family Racing team and move the #33 owners points to the #95, which will supposedly run the full 2016 season (1-7-2015). Supposedly plans to return in 2016, no word if a full-time or part-time schedule. McDowell is expected back as the driver (12-3-2015). Kevin Walter will be the interim crew chief starting at Richmond in Sept. Former crew chief Wally Rogers left after Bristol. The team is looking for a full-time replacement (9-9-2015). Crew chief Wally Rogers left after Bristol in August 2015, no word on a replacement or Rogers plans (9-4-2015). Michael McDowell is signed thru 2015. The team would like to move to full-time, but depends on sponsorship. The team is housed in Concord, NC and gets technical support from Team Penske. The team will run a minimum of 20 races in 2015. Thrivent Financial was be the primary for 10 races, KLOVE for five races (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| Teams that run part time or have skipped at least one race in 2016 | ||||||
| CAR# (click # for news) |
DRIVER (contract end year..if known) |
MANUFACTURER | PRIMARY SPONSORS (number of races…if known) |
LISTED OWNERS / TEAM | CREW CHIEF | ENGINE BUILDER / SUPPLIER |
| NOTES…………….. | ||||||
| 26* | Robert Richardson Jr. (Daytona 500) |
Toyota | Stalk It | BK Racing Ron Devine Wheeler Wayne Press |
Mike Ford/TD> | ?Race Engines Plus |
| This car/team has not since the Daytona 500 (10-10-2016). Richardson made the Daytona 500, finishing 38th (2-21-2016). Robert Richardson Jr. will run the #26 Toyota in the Daytona 500 for BK Racing, supposedly a one-race deal. Mike Ford will be the crew chief (2-7-2016). Michael Waltrip will run for BK Racing in the Daytona 500 in the #83, with Maxwell House as the sponsor. DiBendetto will run the Daytona 500 in the #93 (2-4-2016). No word if Waltrip will run other races such as Talladega or Daytona in July. Former crew chief Joe Williams is now with Roush Fenway Racing as a car chief for #6-Bayne (2-2-2016). David Ragan end up at BK Racing in the #23 with Matt DiBendetto in the #83 and the #26 will not run, taking BK Racing to a two-car team. Bought cars from defunct Michael Waltrip Racing and could end up with a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing (1-12-2016). Yeley is not expected back with BK Racing in 2016 and could end up in the #38 Ford (11-23-2015). Yeley and Burton switched teams after Bristol in August (9-1-2015). No word on 2016 plans for this team, sponsors, BK Racing or Burton (8-10-2015). | ||||||
| 30* (NC) | Josh Wise | Chevy | Curtis Key Plumbing
SBC Contractors Visone RV Incredible Bank |
Curtis Key The Motorsports Group (TMG) |
Wayne Carroll | TMG |
| Attempted all the races until Talladega in October. The team plans to run the rest of the 2016 races (10-18-2016). Incredible Bank was the sponsor at Darlington and Chicago in September (9-20-2016). Wayne Carroll took over as the crew chief as of Darlington (9-10-2016). The team has attempted all the races so far in 2016 (5-15-2016). Was announced on Twitter that Josh Wise will attempt to make the Daytona 500 with this team (2-11-2016). Kvapil was in the car at Bristol in August and Kentucky in July but failed to make either race (8-21-2015). The Motorsports Group has released its tentative schedule for the balance of the 2015 Sprint Cup Season. The team plans to run in 13 of the remaining 27 races, starting at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Jeff Green is listed as the driver on the TMG site (4-28-2015). Jeff Green raced the car at Richmond in April (4-24-2015). Dave Fuge is listed as the crew chief as of Bristol in April. Pat Tryson is now the crew chief of the #33 team when Circle Sport fields the car (not RCR)(4-14-2015). The team skipped the West Coast races (Las Vegas, Phoenix and Auto Club) and will next race at Martinsville in March (3-20-2015). Pat Tryson named the crew chief for the team (2-3-2015). Smokey Mountain Snuff will be the primary sponsor at Daytona in Feb. and Talladega in May (2-3-2015). Ron Hornaday named as the driver of the #30, which will debut at Daytona in Feb (1-21-2015). TMG announced they plan to run the full 2015 Sprint Cup Series season, starting with the Daytona 500. Is looking for a driver, crew and sponsorship. Has four Chevy SS’s acquired from other teams (9-16-3014). | ||||||
| 35* | David Gilliland (restrictor plate races) |
Ford | Shaw’s Southern Belle Seafood | Front Row Motorsports Bob Jenkins Brad Jenkins |
Joe Lax Todd Anderson |
Roush-Yates |
| Gilliland ran the car at Daytona in July with Shaw’s as the sponsor (7-2-2016). Gilliland made the May Talladega race with Shaw’s Southern Belle Seafood as the sponsor, Todd Anderson is listed as the crew chief (4-18-2016). David Gilliland attempted to make the Daytona 500 in a third Front Row Motorsports car, Joe Lax as the crew chief, but failed to make the race, no word if he will make other attempts. This team has no charter so has to race in to the race. Supposedly is a one-race deal for Daytona, but could run some other races if sponsorship is found. Joe Lax will serve as the crew chief (2-10-2016). Driver Cole Whitt moves to the #98 Premium Motorsports team for 2016 as FRM will scale back to a two-car team, #34 & #38 (2-2-2016). Front Row Motorsports website only lists the #34 with Chris Buescher as the driver and #38 team with driver TBA, so looks like the #35 will be the FRM team that closes. David Gilliland says he has no 2016 plans and doesn’t expect to be back at FRM. Whitt could end up in the #38 car or elsewhere (12-31-2015). Roush Fenway Racing forms an enhanced technical alliance with Front Row Motorsports, providing engineering, equipment and driver support to Front Row in 2016. RFR driver Chris Buescher will drive the #34 Front Row Ford during the 2016 season, with the team receiving full engineering and pit support from Roush Fenway. Buescher won the 2015 XFINITY Series Championship. Plans for Front Row Motorsports’ second Sprint Cup Series entry will be announced at a later date. No word on 2016 sponsors for the team (12-10-2015). Supposedly Front Row Motorsports will scale back to a two-car team in 2016, no word which team gets axed (10-25-2015). No word on 2016 plans for Front Row Motorsports. Whitt is on a one-year deal thru 2015. Randy Cox came with Whitt from BK Racing’s #26 team after the 2014 season, bringing sponsors Speed Stick and Rinnai. Tweaker Energy Shots, KFC, Uponor and Sprouts Farmers Market also were primary sponsors at a few races in 2015. No word if Whitt, Cox or the sponsors return in 2016 (8-13-2015).) | ||||||
| 40* | ?Reed Sorenson | Chevy | CRC Brakleen (Daytona 500) | ?Mike Hillman, Sr. Hillman Racing |
? | Pro Motors Engineering |
| Doesn’t look like this team will run anymore races in 2016 as Mike Hillman Sr., the owner, took a job as the crew chief of the #46 HScott Motorsports team in July 2016 and Reed Sorenson, who drove in the Daytona 500 attempt, has been running most of the races for Premium Motorsports and crew chief Pat Tryson is also at the #55 (7-25-2016). Mike Hillman Racing (#40 Chevy) has voluntary dismissed its lawsuit (indicating a settlement) against Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing (#95 Chevy) over the charter (7-1-2016). In March 2016 Mike Hillman Sr. and partners Doug Fuller and Matt Miller filed suit against former partner Joe Falk, Circle Sport, Leavine Family Racing and Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing. Hillman Racing and its partners seek a judgment in excess of $25,000, punitive damages, rights to ownership of the #33 team, its charter and all the profits and benefits that Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing’s #95 car enjoys (3-23-2016). Reed Sorenson has been running on Premium Motorsports 2nd car, the #55 in some races (4-18-2016). Will attempt to make the Daytona 500 on speed as it didn’t get a Charter in the new NASCAR Charter system. Reed Sorenson will drive with Pat Tryson as the crew chief. Plans to run around 12 races in 2016. Is not part of Premium Motorsports (2-9-2016). Former #40 driver Landon Cassill headed to Front Row Motorsports #38 team for 2016 (1-20-2016). Premium Motorsports announced on Jan 5th that the they have hired Mike Hillman to head up its NASCAR SPRINT CUP operation for 2016. The deal also includes the hiring of Crew Chief, Mark Hillman. Team owner Jay Robinson also announced the purchase of additional cars and equipment from Mike Hillman Racing. Driver and sponsor announcements are expected soon. Supposedly, there will be one full-time team out of the four and one-part time team (1-5-2016). | ||||||
| 55[was 62]* | Reed Sorenson Cole Whitt Alex Kennedy Cody Ware Michael Waltrip D.J. Kennington |
Chevy
Toyota |
World Record Striper Company (3 races)
Carport Empire Peak BlueDEF Northern Provincial Pipelines |
Premium Motorsports Jay Robinson |
Pat Tryson
Scott Eggleston Maurice Hester |
? |
| D.J. Kennington is scheduled to run for Premium Motorpsorts at Phoenix, in the #55 with Maurice Hester as the crew chief (11-7-2016). Alex Kennedy will run the car at Watkins Glen in August (8-1-2016). Sorenson has been in the #55 car since Daytona in July (7-24-2016). Cody Ware attempted to make his Cup debut at Sonoma in June with Carport Empire as the sponsor but failed ot make the race (6-25-2016). Cole Whitt was in the #55 at Michigan and Pocono in June, Sorenson was in Premium Motorsports #98 for those two races (6-12-2016). World Record Striper Company / Hauling Bass will be the sponsor at Dover in May and the Showdown and Coke 60 at Charlotte in May (5-10-2016). Waltrip scheduled to run at Talladega in May with this team, driving a Toyota in stead of a Chevy. Waltrip ran the #83 Toyota in the Daytona 500 with BK Racing. No word on plans for Daytona in July or Talladega in October (4-25-2016). Reed Sorenson has been in the car since Martinsville a 2nd team car, running #55, supposedly the team will skip Talladega (4-14-2016). This team has a NASCAR Charter, but supposedly will ‘lease’ it to the #46 HScott Motorsports team (2-9-2016). The 2nd team for Premium Motorsports, no word who will drive or how many races the team will run. The full-time team is the #98 Chevy/Toyota with Cole Whitt driving. Premium Motorsports acquired additional updated equipment along with hiring Mike Hillman to fill the role of competition director and Mark Hillman to serve as crew chief. Mike and Mark join team manager Scott Eggleston along with owner Jay Robinson to round out the Premium Motorsports management team. Many of Whitt’s previous partners (sponsors) in the Sprint Cup Series the past two years are expected to support him again in 2016 at Premium (2-2-2016). Former #40 driver Landon Cassill headed to Front Row Motorsports #38 team for 2016 (1-20-2016). Premium Motorsports announced on Jan 5th that the they have hired Mike Hillman to head up its NASCAR SPRINT CUP operation for 2016. The deal also includes the hiring of Crew Chief Mark Hillman. Team owner Jay Robinson also announced the purchase of additional cars and equipment from Mike Hillman Racing. No word which of the four teams will run in 2016: #40, #98, #62 or #66. Driver and sponsor announcements are expected soon. Supposedly, there will be one full-time team out of the four and one-part time team (1-5-2016). | ||||||
| 59* | Michael McDowell (2016) | Chevy | Thrivent Financial K-LOVE |
Bob Leavine Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing Joe Falk |
Dave Winston | ECR Engines |
| The 2nd car for Circle Sport – Leavine Family Racing. The main team, #95 will run Ty Dillon in the Daytona 500, this team is a one-race deal, for Michael McDowell in the Daytona 500, no plans to run it again this season (2-10-2016). Dave Winston will be the crew chief when Dillon is not running the car. Jeremy Lange named VP of Operations (1-28-2016). The team will run full-time in 2016, having owners points from the #33 Circle Sport team / Joe Falk. The team will have a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing and switch to Chevy. Ty Dillon will run select races in 2016 in the car, including the Daytona 500, while running for the XFINITY Series championship. Michael McDowell will drive the #95 in 2016 in at least 26 races in 2016 and a 2nd un-numbered team car in the Daytona 500 (1-19-2016). Circle Sport Team Owner Joe Falk will now be part owner of the #95 Leavine Family Racing team and move the #33 owners points to the #95, which will supposedly run the full 2016 season (1-7-2015). Supposedly plans to return in 2016, no word if a full-time or part-time schedule. McDowell is expected back as the driver (12-3-2015). Kevin Walter will be the interim crew chief starting at Richmond in Sept. Former crew chief Wally Rogers left after Bristol. The team is looking for a full-time replacement (9-9-2015). Crew chief Wally Rogers left after Bristol in August 2015, no word on a replacement or Rogers plans (9-4-2015). Michael McDowell is signed thru 2015. The team would like to move to full-time, but depends on sponsorship. The team is housed in Concord, NC and gets technical support from Team Penske. The team will run a minimum of 20 races in 2015. Thrivent Financial was be the primary for 10 races, KLOVE for five races (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| 93* | Matt DiBenedetto (2 races) Ryan Ellis Dylan Lupton |
Toyota | Dustless Blasting
ScienceLogic Bell Brothers Plumbing Heating & Air |
BK Racing Ron Devine Mike Wheeler Wayne Press |
Gene Nead
Mike Ford |
?Race Engines Plus |
| DiBenedetto in the car at Daytona in Beb. and Richmond in Sept (9-10-2016). Ellis ran the car at Indy in July (7-23-2016). Dylan Lupton to make his Cup debut at Sonoma in June with Bell Brothers / Elk Grove Toyota as the sponsors, Mike Ford will serve as the crew chief (6-17-2016). Ryan Ellis will run the car at Richmond in April and some other races, Mike Ford is listed as the crew chief (3-28-2016). Michael Waltrip ran for BK Racing in the Daytona 500 in the #83, Maxwell House as the sponsor. DiBendetto will run the Daytona 500 in the #93 and the rest of the season in the #83 (2-4-2016). No word if Waltrip will run other races such as Talladega or Daytona in July. Former crew chief Joe Williams is now with Roush Fenway Racing as a car chief for #6-Bayne (2-2-2016). David Ragan end up at BK Racing in the #23 with Matt DiBendetto in the #83 and the #26 will not run, taking BK Racing to a two-car team. Bought cars from defunct Michael Waltrip Racing and could end up with a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing (1-12-2016). Yeley is not expected back with BK Racing in 2016 and could end up in the #38 Ford (11-23-2015). Yeley and Burton switched teams after Bristol in August (9-1-2015). No word on 2016 plans for this team, sponsors, BK Racing or Burton (8-10-2015). Ellis will drive “multiple” races with ScienceLogic sponsorship. The only announced race is Richmond in April (3-28-2016). | ||||||
| ?77 | ?Erik Jones(i) | ?Toyota | ? | Joe Gibbs Racing | ? | ?Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Jones will run for Furniture Row Racing full-time in 2017. Jones will run the #77 5-Hour Energy Toyota. No word if he will run any race in 2016 for FRR or JGR (8-7-2016). With Furniture Row Racing moving to Toyota in 2016 and wanting to expand to a 2nd team in 2017, Jones could be the driver for the 2nd FRR team. FRR starts an alliance with JGR in 2016 (11-30-2015). Team owner Joe Gibbs said JGR Truck Series / XFINITY driver Erik Jones will run a full XFINITY Series schedule and some Sprint Cup races in 2016. Gibbs said that advancing Jones through the NASCAR development ladder was a top priority at Joe Gibbs Racing, “we’ve got a plan laid out and it’s not something we’ve talked about in public, but we all kind of know inside of our racing organization, and with his parents and his agent … is just great. So we’ve talked over a plan, and basically the plan next year would be a full XFINITY season and try and run for a championship there and also to, in all likelihood, have him in some Cup races so that would be the goal for next year.” An organization can run a fifth car/team for a rookie diver for a limited number of races (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| 98* (NC) | Cole Whitt Reed Sorenson Ryan Ellis Timmy Hill |
Chevy Toyota |
RTIC Coolers (Daytona 500)Speed Stick Rinnai Water Tankless Heaters Tweaker Energy Shot Vidox Plus |
Premium Motorsports Jay Robinson |
Ben Leslie Pat Tryson |
Race Engines Plus |
| Reed Sorenson in the car at Phoenix with Pat Tryson as the crew chief, Speedstick listed as the sponsor (11-7-2016). The team skipped Talladega, Martinsville in October, along with Texas in November. Whitt announced he would not drive the car again in 2016 and would have an announcment soon (11-4-2016). D.J. Kennington is scheduled to run for Premium Motorpsorts at Phoenix, no word if in the #55 or #98 (10-2-2016). Timmy Hill ran the car at Dover (10-1-2016). Ben Leslie listed as the crew chief as of Pocono in July, no word if Mark Hillman is still with the team (7-27-2016). Ellis to run the car at NHMS in July (7-13-2016). Whitt back in the #98 for Sonoma (6-17-2016). Reed Sorenson has been in the #98 the last two races at Michigan and Pocono in June, Whitt was in Premium Motorsports #55 which Sorenson usually drives (6-12-2016). Rinnai Water Tankless Heaters was the sponsor at Phoenix and Auto Club (3-20-2016). RTIC Coolers came aboard to sponsor the team for the Daytona 500 (2-13-2016). Team has a Charter via their #62 team but leased it for a year to the #46 HScott Motorsports team, so the team will have to qualify for each race by speed (2-13-2016). Premium Motorsports announced it has signed Cole Whitt to drive the #98 car (Chevy & Toyota) in 2016. On the competition side, Premium acquired additional updated equipment along with hiring Mike Hillman to fill the role of competition director and Mark Hillman to serve as crew chief. Mike and Mark join team manager Scott Eggleston along with owner Jay Robinson to round out the Premium Motorsports management team. Many of Whitt’s previous partners (sponsors) in the Sprint Cup Series the past two years are expected to support him again in 2016 at Premium (2-2-2016). Premium Motorsports announced on Jan 5th that the they have hired Mike Hillman to head up its NASCAR SPRINT CUP operation for 2016. The deal also includes the hiring of Crew Chief, Mark Hillman. Team owner Jay Robinson also announced the purchase of additional cars and equipment from Mike Hillman Racing. Driver and sponsor announcements are expected soon. Supposedly, there will be one full-time team out of the four and one-part time team, the #62 or #49 (1-5-2016). The team was purchased by Jay Robinson/Premium Motorsports midway thru the 2015 season from Phil Parsons Racing / Phil Parsons / Mike Curb. Josh Wise ran 17 (and 2 DNQ’s) before running Reed Sorenson and Timmy Hill ran races. Premium Motorsports also ran the #62 and #66 teams. This team ran Fords and Chevy (8-14-2015). | ||||||
| 99* | Ryan Reed(i) | Ford | Lilly Diabetes American Diabetes Association |
Roush Fenway Racing Jack Roush John Henry |
?Phil Gould ?Robbie Reiser |
Roush-Yates |
| Ryan Reed will attempt to make his Sprint Cup debut at Talladega in Oct. with Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association featured on the #99 Ford (9-28-2016). Chris Buescher moved up to the #34 Front Row Motorsports team to run the full 2016 season (1-15-2016). Doubtful RFR will run the #99 as a 4th team in 2016 unless a part-time sched with Bubba Wallace or Ryan Reed (12-10-2015). Team owner Jack Roush told Sirius XM Radio that: “We’ve got three Cup cars, so we got another open slot. The 99’s number is not being used right now, and I’d like to put it back on the race track. We’ll let the 99 have a little air and then we’ll create an opportunity for it as well (8-14-2015). After Carl Edwards left for Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2014 season, the #99 team didn’t run a race in 2014 or 2015. | ||||||
| Teams with unknown 2016 plans or not planning to run in 2016 or have merged with other teams |
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| CAR# (click # for news) |
DRIVER (contract end year..if known) |
MANUFACTURER | PRIMARY SPONSORS (number of races…if known) |
LISTED OWNERS / TEAM | CREW CHIEF | ENGINE BUILDER / SUPPLIER |
| NOTES…………….. | ||||||
| ?12* | ? | Ford | ? | Team Penske Roger Penske |
? | Roush-Yates |
| Ryan Blaney will run fill-time for Wood Brothers Racing in 2016. Doubtful Team Penske will run this team. Team Penske didn’t run a third team in any 2015 races, but team owner Roger Penske said he’s working on Ryan Blaney to run full Sprint Cup season in 2016 in a mix of #21 Wood Brothers and a third Penske car (8-14-2015). | ||||||
| ?15 | closed | Toyota | x | Michael Waltrip Racing Michael Waltrip |
? | ?Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Clint Bowyer will run the #15 in 2016 at HScott Motorsports, changing from the #51, no word what happens to the #15 owners points (12-31-2015). Reports having the team selling assets and owners points (9-1-2015). Robert Kauffman said that MWR will cease operation and not run in 2016 (8-21-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Bowyer will be free to pursue other career options in 2016 and beyond. Team co-owner Rob Kauffman said MWR will not field a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2016 (8-19-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing principal Owner Rob Kauffman bought into Chip Ganassi Racing. At first it was reported Kauffman would buy out co-owner Felix Sabates, but Sabates says he in not selling or ‘going anywhere’. Some reports have Kauffman dropping his affiliation with MWR. Kauffman said on August 2nd that “any idea that I’m leaving [MWR] or taking anything is actually misplaced. What we’re actually doing is integrating the businesses, trying to get the most competitive product on track,” and indicated there are many details still to be determined. Reports have #15-Clint Bowyer and some of MWR sponsors [5-Hour Energy, Aaron’s, Peak, AAA, Maxwell House] moving to Chip Ganassi Racing. Other reports have MWR merging into CGR and being a four-car team, all with Chevy. CGR principal Owner Chip Ganassi would continue to retain majority control (8-2-2015). No word on plans for Peak or AAA-Mid Atlantic in 2016 (7-31-2015). Maxwell House Coffee came aboard and was the primary sponsor in four races (4-10-2015). MWR announced extensions with Bowyer, Pattie and 5-Hour Energy, looks like it will be for three years thru 2017. 5-Hour Energy will be the primary sponsor for 24 races a season (5-5-2014). | ||||||
| 25* | x | Chevy | x | Rick Hendrick | x | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Could only run this car for a rookie driver as a team can only run 4-full time teams/car. So no plans for HMS to run this fifth team after Chase Elliott takes over the #24 Chevy for retiring Jeff Gordon in 2016 (8-14-2015) | ||||||
| ?29* | ? | Toyota | ? | RAB Racing Robby Benton |
?Matthew Lucas | ? |
| No word on future plans for this team (2-1-2016). Has not attempted a race since Auto Club in March, as of 8-14-2015. After failing to qualify for the first three races, the team skipped Phoenix to regroup but plans to attempt Auto Club Speedway (3-12-2015). Reed Sorenson in the car at Atlanta but failed to make the race when inspection issues didn’t allow for a qualifying attempt (2-27-2015). Justin Marks will attempt to make the Daytona 500 with American Born Moonshine as the sponsor. No word on plans after that (2-10-2015). Attempted three races in 2014 with Nemechek in the car at Daytona in July and Talladega in October; and Matt Crafton in the car at Indy in July but the team failed to make any of the races. Chris Rice was the listed crew chief at Daytona and Indy, Matthew Lucas was listed at Talladega (11-17-2014). Benton runs a full-time team in the Nationwide series with James Buescher in the #99 Toyota and Chris Rice as the crew chief and a 2nd car, #29 in a few races. RAB Racing did attempt to make the 2012 Daytona 500 with Kenny Wallace in the #09 Car, but failed to qualify for the race (6-30-2014) | ||||||
| ?33 | x | Chevy | x | Richard Childress Richard Childess Racing(RCR) Joe Falk |
x | ?ECR Engines |
| Team Owner Joe Falk is now be part owner of the #95 Leavine Family Racing team and move the #33 owners points to the #95 Leavine Family Racing team, forming Circle Sport – Leaving Family Racing (CSLFR), which will run the full 2016 season with Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon driving. CSLFR plans to run a 2nd car for McDowell in the Daytona 500, they could run the #33. The merged team RCR could run the #33 in a few races with Ty Dillon in 2016 or run the number in the future (1-23-2016). Brian Scott moves to Richard Petty Motorsports #44 car in 2016 (12-9-2015). This team split the races with Circle Sport team owner Joe Falk listed as the owner with RCR running the car in some races with their developmental drivers Ty Dillon and Brian Scott in 2014-2015. Alex Kennedy was the main driver when Circle Sport ran the car with Travis Kvapil and Derek White in a race. Rumors has Ty Dillon moving up to the Sprint Cup Series full-time in 2016, either with RCR, Circle Sport or another team with RCR connections. Or Dillon could run a part-time schedule again in 2016. So no word what the 2016 plans are for this team. The team works together with the #40 Mike Hillman Racing team (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| ?44* | ? | Chevy | ?Phoenix Warehouse | Johnathan Cohen Team Xtreme Racing |
?Peter Sospenzo | ?Pro Motor Engineering |
| After withdrawing from Martinsville in April to prepare for Texas, the team didn’t enter at Texas in April and has not been heard from since (2-1-2016). Travis Kvapil was to run Atlanta but the car and truck/trailer carrying the car were stolen on Friday, Feb 27th and the team didn’t have another car. The car was found Saturday morning but the team had to withdraw from the race. Plans are to run Kvapil at Las Vegas and Phoenix (2-28-2015). Reed Sorenson made the Daytona 500. The sponsor will be Golden Corral and Peter Sospenzo returned as the crew chief. No word on plans after Daytona, much depends on if the team makes the Daytona 500 (2-9-2015). No word on 2015 plans (1-28-2015). Team renamed itself Team Xtreme Racing [was Xxxtreme Motorsports] in late October and ran at Martinsville with Timmy Hill (10-23-2014). | ||||||
| 55* | closed | Toyota | x | Michael Waltrip Racing Michael Waltrip Johnny Harris |
x | Toyota Racing Development (TRD) |
| Waltrip will run the Daytona 500 in the #83 Toyota with Matt DiBenedetto running the #93 at Daytona (2-5-2016). Waltrip announced in April and again in October 2015 that he plans to run the 2016 Daytona 500 with sponsorship from Maxwell House. No word what team will field the car for Waltrip or if he will run one from the former MWR shop or his own team. Waltrip said fe could field the car himself — the process of shutting down MWR will take until April — or bring the sponsorship to another team that fields Toyotas. “I’m going to Daytona in February with Maxwell House,” said Waltrip, who retired from full-time racing after the 2009 season but still competes in select restrictor-plate events. “There will be some cars left over at MWR and I’m probably in line to get a good Toyota engine, being a partner with those guys from the beginning” (12-31-2015). Aaron’s will not sponsor a team in 2016 but will look into participating in the sport via media, brand relationship and track activation (9-17-2015). Robert Kauffman said that MWR will cease operation and not run in 2016. Reports having the team selling assets and owners points (8-21-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing and Clint Bowyer have mutually agreed to separate at the conclusion of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Bowyer will be free to pursue other career options in 2016 and beyond. Team co-owner Rob Kauffman said MWR will not field a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup entry in 2016 (8-19-2015). Ragan, who ran the car since Kansas in May, wants to return to the #55 but things at MWR are up in the air. Aaron’s is not signed as the sponsor in 2016 and word is they are shopping around to other teams. Ragan is signed thru the end of 2015 as is former driver Brian Vickers (put with blood clots) and former sub and MWR development driver, Brett Moffitt. Moffitt was named in May as the primary driver for the #34 Front Row Motorsports ride, pretty much replacing Ragan, who started the season in the #34 at Daytona (8-7-2015). Michael Waltrip Racing principal Owner Rob Kauffman bought into Chip Ganassi Racing. At first it was reported Kauffman would buy out co-owner Felix Sabates, but Sabates says he in not selling or ‘going anywhere’. Some reports have Kauffman dropping his affiliation with MWR. Kauffman said on August 2nd that “any idea that I’m leaving [MWR] or taking anything is actually misplaced. What we’re actually doing is integrating the businesses, trying to get the most competitive product on track,” and indicated there are many details still to be determined. Reports have #15-Clint Bowyer and some of MWR sponsors [5-Hour Energy, Aaron’s, Peak, AAA, Maxwell House] moving to Chip Ganassi Racing. Other reports have MWR merging into CGR and being a four-car team, all with Chevy. CGR principal Owner Chip Ganassi would continue to retain majority control (8-2-2015). Brian Vickers started out the season by missing Daytona and Atlanta recovering from heart surgery. Vickers returned at Las Vegas and Phoenix before being sidelined again with a re-occurrence of blood clots, which required Vickers to take blood-thinning medication. Vickers was not able to race while on the medicine and announced in May he would not return to the car for the rest of the season, Vickers was signed thru 2015. Brett Moffitt ran the car from Auto Club in March until Richmond in April. Michael Waltrip ran at Talladega. The team then hired David Ragan to run the #55 car the rest of the 2015 season (5-8-2015). |
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| 62 | x | Chevy | x | Jay Robinson Premium Motorsports |
x | x |
| The 2nd Premium Motorsports team, a part-time team, will run the #49 in 2016. The full-time team is the #98 with Cole Whitt as the driver (2-3-2016). Premium Motorsports announced on Jan 5th that the they have hired Mike Hillman to head up its NASCAR SPRINT CUP operation for 2016. The deal also includes the hiring of Crew Chief, Mark Hillman, along with most of the staff from the #40 team. Team owner Jay Robinson also announced the purchase of additional cars and equipment from Mike Hillman Racing. No word which of the four teams will run in 2016: #40, #98, #62 or #66. Driver and sponsor announcements are expected soon. Supposedly, there will be one full-time team out of the four and one-part time team (1-5-2016). The team started off 2015 with Brian Scott in the car for the Daytona 500 in a deal with Richard Childress Racing. Brendan Gaughan was named to run the car for the full season. After many 16 races (8 made, 8 DNQ’s), Gaughan left the team after Daytona in July. Premium Motorsports also started the season with a 2nd team, the #66 Toyota/Chevy which made the Daytona 500 with Mike Wallace, DNQ’d the next two races. Tanner Berryhill attempted Phoenix but DNQ’d. The team ran in the Sprint Showdown at Charlotte and hasn’t attempted another race. Premium Motorsports / Jay Robinson bought the #98 Phil Parsons Racing team mid-season with crew chief Scott Eggleston moving to that team. No word on 2016 plans, drivers or manufacturer (8-13-2015). | ||||||
| ?66* | x | x | x | Premium Motorsports Jay Robinson |
x | x |
| Premium Motorsports announced on Jan 5th that the they have hired Mike Hillman to head up its NASCAR SPRINT CUP operation for 2016. The deal also includes the hiring of Crew Chief, Mark Hillman, along with most of the staff from the #40 team. Team owner Jay Robinson also announced the purchase of additional cars and equipment from Mike Hillman Racing. No word which of the four teams will run in 2016: #40, #98, #62 or #66. Driver and sponsor announcements are expected soon. Supposedly, there will be one full-time team out of the four and one-part time team (1-5-2016). Premium Motorsports also run the #62 and #98 teams. Premium Motorsports / Jay Robinson bought the #98 Phil Parsons Racing team mid-season. No word on 2016 plans, drivers or manufacturer (8-13-2015). After failing to qualifying for the three races after the Daytona 500, the team suspended operations (3-18-2015). Tanner Berryhill announced he would run the #66 Chevy at Phoenix in March, but failed to qualify (3-9/13-2015). After missing Atlanta and Las Vegas in March, Wallace announced the team was not going to Phoenix and would skip races (3-8-2015). Premium Motorsports bought interest in #36 Tommy Baldwin Racing ran it as the #62 Chevy team. This team ran the #49 and #87 in 2014. Was known as Identity Ventures Racing in 2014, changed to Premium Motorsports late in the 2014 season. Michael Waltrip Racing partnered with this team in 2014 but not in 2015. | ||||||
| 77* | ? | Ford | ? | Randy Humphrey | ? | ? |
| Made no attempts in 2015 | ||||||
| 87* | ?Joe Nemechek | ? | ? | Andrea Nemechek | ? | ? |
| No word on 2016 plans. Nemechek didn’t run the team in any 2015 Sprint Cup Series races and is concentrating on his sons Truck Series team (2-1-2016) | ||||||