Photo – Getty Images
The farewell tour for three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart is not going the way anyone in the sport could have imagined.
Stewart, who suffered a burst fracture in his back while driving a dune buggy Sunday, January 31, will miss the beginning of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
The entry list shows Ricky Stenhouse Jr will race in lieu of the no. 14 for Stewart in the pre-season, non-points paying event, the Sprint Unlimited at Daytona on February 13th. Also racing in lieu of the no. 24 for the Jeff Gordon, who is now retired, is Casey Mears. Both drivers will continue racing with their existing teams for their season opener, the Daytona 500 on February 21st and beyond.
So now, the biggest question that remains is, who will fill in for Stewart beyond the Sprint Unlimited? There are many drivers without a full-time ride in Sprint Cup or without a ride in any NASCAR division and several candidates from the XFINITY or Camping World Truck Series. Here is a list of five candidates I feel have the best shot to get the ride for at least some of the races, that Stewart will miss.
- Ty Dillon: Even though Dillon is running for the championship in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, I think Dillon has the best chance to drive the no. 14 for multiple reasons. First, he has a strong relationship with Stewart-Haas sponsor Bass Pro Shops and it wouldn’t be the first time a Dillon has subbed for Stewart, as Ty’s older brother Austin, drove the no. 14 for two races in 2013, while Stewart missed time with a broken leg.
- Elliott Sadler: Sadler has been around the sport for a while and has a lot of experience. Sadler has three wins to his name in the Sprint Cup Series and since 2011, has driven full-time in the XFINITY Series for multiple teams. Now he drives for JR Motorsports, who have aligned themselves with Hendrick Motorsports, as does Stewart-Haas Racing. If Stewart-Haas decides they want an experienced veteran, look for Sadler as their go to guy.
- Justin Allgaier: Allgaier is back in the XFINITY Series for 2016 after a two-year dive in the Sprint Cup Series. In Cup, he drove for HScott Motorsports, who have aligned themselves with Ganassi Racing, so Allgaier is familiar with Chevy equipment. Allgaier is also driving for JR Motorsports this year in the XFINITY Series, and again like Stewart-Haas Racing, they are with Hendrick Motorsports.
- Alex Bowman: Bowman was a recent addition to the NASCAR free agent pool. After extending his contract with Tommy Baldwin Racing last summer, the team and driver parted ways in January. Bowman, like Allgaier, has been in Sprint Cup for the last two years and has the support from NASCAR fans on social media. Bowman does have a part-time ride in the XFINITY Series with JR Motorsports but his first race isn’t until Dover in May.
- Josh Wise: Wise’s name has not come up as a possible replacement, but I consider him a candidate because he and Stewart go way back to their time racing on dirt. Wise does not have a ride in any NASCAR division at this point, but maybe with his long friendship with Stewart, Wise will get his chance of a lifetime and the opportunity to drive for a championship caliber team.
Other drivers whose names have come up are recently retired drivers: Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Jeff Burton, and future Stewart-Haas driver Clint Bowyer. Martin and Burton both took to Twitter to remind fans of their retirement from racing, and Jeff Gordon told Fox Sports that he will not come out of retirement either. Bowyer has a one year deal with HScott Motorsports before taking over the no. 14 in 2017 and it will be difficult to get him out of the contractual agreement.
Ty Dillon? So the fact he already has a part time cup ride not mean anything to you? Yes he has ties with bass pro. But guess what? Bass pro is only sponsoring the 14 for 3 races. Pretty sure the sponsor sponsoring 3 races isn’t going to have a big day in who’s driving.. Stop your click bait and do some real jurnalism. *drops mic*
Tanner, Thanks for your opinion….but there is no click baiting happening here. If you read the front page of this site you’ll realize, this is a blog…not USA Today, or ESPN we are simply blogging the news and “views’ of NASCAR racing. Although, you have every right to disagree with someone’s commentary, they also have a right to their own opinion as well, whether you agree or not. An opinion article should be considered as just that, a personal commentary of the writer’s point of view and opinion. We understand not everyone will agree with every opinion….and that’s quite alright.
Your point about Ty Dillon racing part-time in the Sprint Cup Series is valid only IF Colby is saying that Ty would fill in for every race Tony Stewart misses. But Colby is simply saying these are five potential candidates to fill in while Tony Stewart is out of the no. 14. That may be for one race or more, the ultimate decision is for Stewart Haas Racing to make. I think Colby’s point is that there is a sponsorship connection, and not that the sponsor would be involved in the decision making process. Just some additional food for thought.
Gilliland.
Although Gilliland is involved in his own late-model racing team, he’s a great choice as well. Except, not at Daytona since it’s now been announced, that David Gilliland is racing the Daytona 500 with Front Row Motorsports