NASCAR Silly Season Tracker: Chris Buescher signs RFK extension

Two current Cup drivers hold the keys to the stupid NASCAR season. And we’re not even in a contract year. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) is the most high-profile driver not signed for next year. Whether he continues at Hendrick Motorsports could determine how the silly season turns out. The other key driver is Connor Zilisch, who is signed until next season. He is one of the most heralded prospects and Trackhouse is struggling. Could he sign with another team early – much like Tyler Reddick did a few years ago, a move that ultimately led to him leaving a year early at the end of the season? It’s possible. Obviously, there are things that we cannot predict. The devastating death of Kyle Busch on May 21 leaves a much bigger void beyond a Cup Series seat. It will likely take some time for Richard Childress Racing to determine how it will progress for 2027. The most recent development of the silly season came on June 16, when Chris Buescher and RFK Racing announced he had signed a contract extension. Here’s how things look for each organization, in order of owner points after the June 14 race at Pocono. 23XI Racing Corey Heim has been announced as a full-time driver, replacing Riley Herbst (27th in the standings). Tyler Reddick (first in the ranking) just signed a contract extension at the start of the year. Bubba Wallace (13th) is on an option year and would be expected to return. Joe Gibbs Racing It would be a surprise if JGR made any changes for next year. Ty Gibbs (fifth) isn’t expected to go anywhere and Denny Hamlin (second), Chase Briscoe (12th) and Christopher Bell (10th) are signed beyond this season. The only thing JGR may have to expect is Hamlin to retire from full-time racing after 2027 and then have to fill that race. Brent Crews, who drives for JGR in the O’Reilly Series, is the team’s priority on the side of development drivers who could be Cup-ready. Team Penske With Ryan Blaney (third) recently signing a contract extension, Team Penske has its former champions Blaney and Joey Logano (18th) under contact. Austin Cindric does not yet have a deal for next year. He’s 16th in points, and it looks like everyone ahead of him could very well return to their same races next year. Hendrick Motorsports Kyle Larson (sixth), Chase Elliott (fourth) and William Byron (11th) are signed through next year. Bowman is the question and not just because it might be time for a change. He’s also in limbo due to injuries that have sidelined him three times in the past five years, including four races this year that put him 32nd in the standings. The team does have Corey Day competing in the O’Reilly Series, but he’ll probably be a year away, although his recent performances – including wins at Talladega and Dover – suggest he could move up for 2027. Zilisch is also a possibility. It wouldn’t be out of the question to extend Bowman for another year until HMS can lock down one of these drivers. It also wouldn’t be out of the question that Bowman decides he’s too tired to continue running. RFK Racing Ryan Preece, 19th in the standings, is a driver whose future seems somewhat uncertain. RFK will likely only have two charters for next season (he’s leasing one that will go to Legacy Motor Club next year), but he also has strong sponsorship from Kroger and its suppliers, to the point where running Preece as an open car next year is definitely a possibility. But he still has to sign an agreement. Chris Buescher (seventh) signed a contract extension (announced June 16). Brad Keselowski (17th) will race at RFK until he is ready to retire, which he says won’t be for several years. Spire Motorsports Spire Motorsports has Carson Hocevar (ninth) locked in long-term, while Michael McDowell and Daniel Suárez are not. Spire has shown its willingness to eat up a year of contract to find the driver it wants. But who would it be at this point? Suárez is eighth in the rankings and McDowell is 20th. Spire, who has an alliance with Hendrick, could also be a spot for Day, Zilisch or Bowman, if Hendrick needs to find a Cup spot for one of them. Trackhouse Racing All three Trackhouse drivers – Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen and Zilisch – are signed until at least next season. Zilisch is the one who could move if there was enough money to make money talk. Only van Gisbergen (14th in the ranking) has had a season that we can be happy about since Chastain is 23rd and Zilisch 34th. Front Row Motorsports Zane Smith signed a contract extension last year that makes him solid at FRM (which is good for FRM since Smith is 24th in the standings. Team owner Bob Jenkins and sponsor Love’s like Todd Gilliland (25th), who is expected to be renewed. Noah Gragson? He has a strong personality but hasn’t had the results that would wow many, as he is 29th in the standings. Would FRM move Layne Riggs or Chandler Smith at the Cup? Most likely depends on sponsorship And now that Berry is available, he could be considered a candidate for an opening at FRM but, again, sponsorship would likely be necessary. Legacy Motor Club Erik Jones and John Hunter Nemechek could very well return next year as an improvement in performance since April (Jones is now 15th in the standings; Nemechek is 26th) is an indication of the organization’s progress next year. and that’s the expected landing spot for Riley Herbst Racing Neither AJ Allmendinger nor Ty Dillon are stuck at Kaulig next year The organization is in a tough spot without manufacturer support, and it would be a huge scramble for Dodge to enter the Cup in 2027, although any changes to this lineup are still to be determined. Stenhouse Jr. (22nd in the standings) signed a contract extension in May and is expected to remain with the organization. Richard Childress Racing Austin Dillon is expected to return in 2027 as he sits 28th in the standings. Austin Hill was the driver of the renumbered #33 car, and he will be a candidate for that car in the long run. which might require a driver aged 25 or older, as these companies generally want someone who doesn’t appear to be underage. Wood Brothers’ Josh Berry confirmed on June 10 that he will not return to the team after this season. He is 30th in the standings. Jesse Love, the reigning O’Reilly series champion, is a contender for this year (he is 33rd in the standings), but whether a change is made is questionable. the team still seems to be trying to find its footing. He had a respectable May. As long as RWR doesn’t sell out, this should remain Cody Ware’s run.