Getty Cody Ware races at Martinsville Speedway on October 31.
Rick Ware Racing has just provided a significant tease for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. The team counted down the days until the Daytona 500 but only showed two vehicle numbers on the graphic.
The race team tweeted out a photo featuring the Rick Ware Racing logo and the Daytona 500 logo, which is nothing unusual. All Cup Series teams are expressing excitement about the next season. However, the team only listed the No. 15 and No. 51, along with the caption, “Just in case anyone was wondering, we’re just going to leave this right here.”
Just in case anyone was wondering, we’re just going to leave this right here 😬
RWR has four charters in the NASCAR Cup Series, including one under the Petty Ware Racing name. The team fields the No. 52, No. 15, and No. 53 Cup Series cars. The No. 51 is a partnership between Richard Petty Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing.
The tease of two cars follows another major update from Rick Ware Racing. The team held a press conference on October 10 and announced a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing and Roush-Yates Engines, making them an official part of the Ford Performance Family for the 2022 season and beyond.
RWR Has Previously Teased a 2-Car Operation
While RWR hasn’t officially released a statement confirming that there will only be two entries in the Cup Series instead of four, the team has provided several comments in the past hinting at this future. Owner Rick Ware started on July 31 with an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. He said that his goal is to have two really strong cars for the upcoming season.
“My dream and my goal is to step everything up to the next level, both competition-wise, technology-wise,” Ware said. “You know, we got our first charter in [2019]. The whole idea and premise then was: we were going to start building cars at the end of [2019]. [2020] was when we were going to be rolling out.
“Obviously, the whole world changed. It all got pushed back. We’re kind of one year behind where we thought we were going to be, but we’re trying to have two really strong cars for next year.”
Following the announcement that RWR has a technical alliance with Stewart-Haas Racing and Roush-Yates Engines, Ware also told FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass that he has sponsorship in hand for two of his cars. He added that he had not determined if he would field a third car during the 2022 season and that he doesn’t expect to have four.
What Happens to RWR’s Other Charters?
If Ware does move forward with only two of his four charters active, what will happen to the other two? Will he sell them to one of the teams in need of the charter that grants entry into every single race?
There are multiple organizations in search of a charter for the 2022 season. 23XI Racing tops the list as Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan plan to move forward with Bubba Wallace and Kurt Busch as the two main drivers. The first-year team was close to acquiring one charter, but discussions with the potential seller fell apart.
Another option is GMS Racing, the team that will make its Cup Series debut in the 2022 season. The organization unveiled Ty Dillon’s No. 94 Chevrolet Camaro during a press conference on October 10 and confirmed that they still need to acquire a charter for the upcoming season.
Finally, there is Spire Motorsports. The two-car team sold two of its charters to Kaulig Racing, leaving it with the one that Trackhouse Racing leased during the 2021 season. The team could purchase another charter prior to the 2022 season and then lease it to another organization, per a report by the Sports Business Journal.
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