The NASCAR Cup Series regular season is only just past its midpoint, but there are already major questions about the future. Specifically, fans want to know who will replace Aric Almirola in the No. 10 Ford at Stewart-Haas Racing.
The veteran driver announced prior to the 2022 season that he would retire from full-time competition after the championship race at Phoenix Raceway. He will dedicate his time to his family while another driver will replace him on the track. But who will it be?
There are multiple options to replace Almirola. Ryan Preece is currently considered the heir apparent given his role as a reserve driver at SHR. After all, Hendrick Motorsports had Alex Bowman in a similar role before he took over the No. 88 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2018.
Preece has spent the 2022 season splitting his time between multiple teams. He made two starts so far for Rick Ware Racing, two for BJ McLeod Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, and five for David Gilliland Racing in the Camping World Truck Series.
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“I think for me, I’ve kind of seen Ryan and seen how he operates, and he’s just a hard-nosed racer and can put everything together himself and do everything himself,” Kevin Harvick told reporters ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, transcript courtesy of The Athletic. “And to me, that’s the kind of guy you want, right? You want somebody who knows it all, and he’s just a fun kid to be around and works hard and can race. He just needs the right opportunity.”
A Chevrolet Driver Could Be an Option
GettyA member of the JR Motorsports roster could receive consideration for the No. 10.
Preece is the most obvious candidate, but there are multiple other drivers that could move over to SHR and take control of the No. 10. One potential candidate is Noah Gragson, who currently drives the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports.
The Xfinity Series championship contender would be a more logical choice for a Chevrolet team such as Kaulig Racing or even Richard Childress Racing if Tyler Reddick departed after the 2022 season. Though the latter option remains unlikely considering that Richard Childress has expressed his intention to exercise Reddick’s contract option for 2023.
Gragson’s continued growth as a driver will certainly create conversations entering the heart of Silly Season even with his ties to Chevrolet. Plus, having a driver move between manufacturers when switching series is nothing new. Harrison Burton is the most recent example. The Cup Series rookie drives the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing, but he spent his Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series tenures in the Toyota camp.
A Championship Driver Remains a Longshot
GettyKyle Busch is a less likely option for SHR.
With Silly Season about to fully kick-off, there are bound to be numerous rumors about which driver will take over which seat. Many are likely to involve Kyle Busch, who is currently without a contract or primary partner for 2023.
The two-time champion would be a potential option for SHR and the No. 10. He is one of the most talented drivers in the Cup Series, and he has reached Victory Lane 60 times. This is the most among active drivers, and Busch will have multiple opportunities to add to the total considering that he is only 37 years old.
Would SHR swing for the fences and try to get Busch to switch allegiances? This is a possibility, but it’s more likely that he will remain in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. David Wilson, President of Toyota Racing Development, spoke about the concept of losing Busch, and he made very strong comments.
“We’ve been very close to Kyle for years and years and years, and some of that relationship, to be candid, has been born through trials that we’ve gone through together and through controversy that we’ve gone through together,” Wilson explained, transcript courtesy of NASCAR Media. “We’ve had some really tough times with Kyle Busch but we also are sitting on two championships and in celebrating recently our 1,500 starts across the three national series.
“I’ll pull this up because I keep the stat handy all the time — One driver has accounted for 36% of our total wins across all three series, and you know who that driver is. It’s just amazing. So any scenario that doesn’t have Kyle Busch retiring from Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota would be a monstrous disappointment — for us and for Coach Gibbs and the family.”
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A Reserve Driver Headlines Options To Replace Aric Almirola