How Will Jesse Love Make It Up to the Cup Series
What’s Happening? Jesse Love is one of the top prospects in NASCAR today, and he’s impressed in his first season…
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NASCAR Silly Season continues to get sillier. Jordan Bianchi reported on Thursday that Richard Childress Racing is one of many teams currently shopping for a charter. A surprise addition to the charter market for many, but, one that makes some sense. What would RCR do with this third charter?
The easiest place to start speculating is to look at RCR’s current crop of young prospects. Austin Hill and Jesse Love both compete full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for the team, and they both sit in the top 4 in the points standings as of right now.
What’s Happening? Jesse Love is one of the top prospects in NASCAR today, and he’s impressed in his first season…
Jesse Love probably has the higher ceiling of the two. At only 19 years old, he’s already one of the top drivers in the Xfinity Series, but, that’s just it, he’s only 19. Typically, drivers spend multiple seasons in the lower National Touring Series before jumping up to the Cup Series. However, experience is not an issue for his counterpart, Austin Hill.
What’s Happening? Austin Hill is the modern NASCAR definition of a late bloomer. One of the top drivers in the…
Hill is 30 years old, and he already has 6 lower series seasons under his belt. He’s also very good, as evidenced by 16 wins over those 6 years despite never making a Championship 4. However, Bianchi suggested another driver that could take the reins at RCR.
Bianchi reported that RCR is watching Noah Gragson very closely. Gragson seems all but certain to be a free agent at the end of the year because multiple reports say SHR is expected to sell all four of its charters. Gragson would be an interesting addition to RCR’s organization.
He would bring a much-needed influx of youth to a team with veterans Kyle Busch and Austin Dillon. Gragson has also proven this year that the talent he flashed in the Xfinity Series is transferrable to the Cup Series. While RCR’s equipment is not the best in the garage, Kyle Busch is still in Playoff position, so it’s arguably an upgrade over SHR.
RCR might have to compete with other race teams, however. If Ford really wants to keep Gragson, then maybe Front Row could give Gragson a ride, or, maybe even The Wood Brothers.
What’s Happening? The NASCAR Cup Series has attracted some of the top drivers from a different continent, Australia. This week,…
Now, this is unquestionably a wild card move, but, it’s a fun idea to explore. Supercars stars have shown interest in NASCAR in recent years, and RCR has been squarely in the middle of it with Brodie Kostecki getting a start with the team at Indianapolis in 2023 and Will Brown joining the team for one race this summer at Sonoma.
It would take a lot for a Supercars driver to race in the Cup Series full-time. They would have to have an SVG-like performance to even consider the move. However, SVG proved that it can be done.
This seems incredibly unlikely, but it can’t be completely discounted. As they say, anything can happen.
What do you think RCR should do if they buy a third charter? Let us know on Discord or X what your take is. And don’t forget you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and even YouTube.
