Posted on by Staff Report

AVONDALE, Ariz. – From race-winner Brandon Jones’ standpoint, it’s too bad there wasn’t a bounty on Kyle Busch in Saturday’s LS Tractor 200 at Phoenix Raceway.

Buoyed by a strong run through Turns 3 and 4, Jones shot past Busch into the lead on the frontstretch on Lap 181 and pulled away to win by 3.556 seconds over Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Harrison Burton, who passed Busch on Lap 190 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ runner-up position.

RELATED: Race results | Weekend schedule

Next weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, there will be a $100,000 bounty on Busch in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series race, courtesy of NASCAR Cup Series veteran Kevin Harvick and Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO of Camping World.

On Saturday, Jones had to be content with the satisfaction of beating the career leader in NASCAR Xfinity Series victories, who rolled home third without adding to his 96 wins in the series. Jones was happy to settle for the trip to Victory Lane — after beating Busch and fellow NASCAR Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, who ran fourth.

“These are two of arguably the best in the business,” Jones said. “We just had a car to beat ’em today. These guys just did an incredible job.”

Crucial to the win was a quick pit stop on Lap 130 that got Jones second off pit road and fourth in the running order for a restart on Lap 134.

“I told (crew chief) Jeff (Meendering) kind of early in the race… I’m like, ‘Man, I’m just lacking track position — that’s the only thing I’m lacking,'” Jones said. “The pit crew did a heck of a job, and they said, ‘There you go. There’s your track position,’ and it paid off at the end.”

The 1-2-3 finish for JGR was the sixth in company history. More important, Jones’ second victory in the series and first at Phoenix was the 500th win for Toyota in NASCAR’s top three national series combined.

Burton’s No. 20 Toyota improved throughout the afternoon, as the 19-year-old driver — fresh from his maiden win at Auto Club Speedway last week — posted his fourth straight top-five finish to start the season.

“Early in the day, we weren’t good enough at all,” Burton said. “We were running ninth, 10th, somewhere back there. We fought really hard and got a lot better by the end. The 19 (Jones) kind of did the same thing.

“We got better and better and better as the race went on, so I’m really proud of that. That was Toyota’s 500th victory, so that’s really cool. Good to have a 1-2-3 when we do it. Proud of our guys. Proud of our effort. Not quite enough, but we’ll be back (at Phoenix in November), hopefully with a chance to win the championship.”

Keselowski recovered from an off-sequence pit stop and a brush with the outside wall to finish fourth, followed by Xfinity regulars Justin Haley, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain (who overcame a power-steering issue that put him a lap down) and Riley Herbst.

Justin Allgaier had perhaps the fastest car in the race, but the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was trapped in a pit-stop zugzwang after staying on the track under caution early in Stage 3. Subsequently, Allgaier pitted for fuel only under the sixth yellow on Lap 139, but he failed to get a timely caution late in the race that would have allowed him to use his final set of new tires. He ultimately finished 13th.

Allgaier, who led 51 laps and won Stage 1, stood by crew chief Jason Burdett’s pit call.

“I’m good with the decision,” Allgaier said. “Obviously, it didn’t work out, and to say that I’m not disappointed would be lying to you. We had a fast, fast Camaro today. I thought we made the right call. I told him (Burdett) multiple times that I thought we made the right call.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

Ross Chastain is happy to fill in for recuperating Ryan Newman as long as he is needed in the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

On the other hand, Chastain would be just as happy if Newman were able to return to the car sooner rather than later.

Newman has been sidelined since suffering a head injury during a vicious wreck on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. Though he hasn’t been cleared to race medically, Newman is spending the weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

RELATED: Newman makes first track appearance | Blaney catches up with Newman

“Just as guys and as people, it’s just good to see him and see him walking around,” Chastain said after qualifying 24th in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series time trials. “As a person it’s just good to see him. He has a lot of information in that noggin of his. He has degrees that I probably can’t even spell. He understands these race cars and has given me a lot of information.”

Chastain has no idea how much longer he’ll be needed in the No. 6 Ford.

“We’re just happy he’s alive,” Chastain said. “I want him in the car tomorrow — if he could get in it. He already told me he could drive it without the (seat) insert. If I wasn’t back in time for practice, he said he would practice it.

“I don’t think they would allow that. I think we all know that. I want him back as soon as possible. It has been a great experience and a lot of learning on my side, but I would love for him to be able to get back in the car right now.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

AVONDALE, Ariz. — Brad Keselowski, you’re on the clock.

Team Penske announced Friday at Phoenix Raceway teammate Ryan Blaney had signed a multi-year extension to remain in the No. 12 Ford for next season, shifting the Silly Season focus to the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion and impending free agent.

Keselowski has been among the central figures in the spotlight for the potential ride shuffle for next season, some even pegging the 36-year-old as the favorite to replace the retiring Jimmie Johnson at Hendrick Motorsports.

RELATED: Silly Season in flux | Weekend schedule

In short, it doesn’t sound like that answer will come for some time.

“I really haven’t thought about (the game plan for an extension). I haven’t put any emphasis on it,” Keselowski said Saturday before his qualifying run of 14th. “I’ve been trying to … I had a baby over the offseason, trying to enjoy that. Then we had the team change right after that, trying to make the most of that and get off to the right start here the first few weeks.”

Keselowski’s last extension was signed in July 2017.

“Honestly, I haven’t worked on it but I’m really happy for Ryan that he got his deal done,” Keselowski said. “I understand that probably puts a lot more eyes on me. … So I’m really happy for him, but I haven’t talked to anyone or gone through any of those steps. I’m sure it’ll be coming up soon. I want to race and be in contention to win for a long time. I think I’ve got a pretty good car right now and that’s certainly not always easy to come by. There’s also a lot of really good rides out there, too, so we’ll see how it goes.”

There certainly are.

In addition to the 48, other potentially open top-tier seats are Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88 as well (though Alex Bowman has certainly made a strong case to keep it), along with the Nos. 10 and 14 at Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 20 at Joe Gibbs Racing and the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing.

Keselowski implied he won’t necessarily be looking to leave Penske, but if other teams are calling, he’s not letting it go to voicemail.

“I’m not dialing out,” he said. “But if somebody dials in, I’ll certainly listen for sure.”

While rumors are swirling – many of which, keep in mind, will wind up being false – there’s at least one that can be put to bed.

“I think I can win races and be competitive for another 10 years and that’s really what I want to do,” Keselowski said. “I want to win races and win more championships. I’m certainly very committed to doing that.

“I don’t know where (the retirement rumors) came from, but if it’s on the internet, it must be true.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Kevin Harvick showed the way, and Chase Elliott proved the model student in Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series time trials at Phoenix Raceway.

After Harvick tested the traction compound at the top of the 1-mile track and made it work — running a qualifying lap in 26.110 seconds (137.878 mph) — Elliott followed with a pole-winning effort of 26.065 seconds (138.116 mph).

RELATED: Qualifying results | Weekend schedule

“Kevin kind of made the top work, and I think after everyone saw that, they moved up,” said Elliott, who earned his first Busch Pole Award of the season, his first at Phoenix and the ninth of his career. “It’s great to get a pole. We’ve got different colors this week with (sponsor) UniFirst on our Camaro. I’m excited to grab them a pole.

“It’s always exciting when you can put down a fast lap. Hopefully, (Sunday) goes good — that’s always the challenge. We’ll see, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Elliott and Harvick will line up on the front row for Sunday’s FanShield 500 (3:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Denny Hamlin (137.841 mph) and Kyle Larson (137.604 mph) will start third and fourth, respectively, in the conclusion to the three-race West Coast swing.

Qualifying near the front at Phoenix is nothing new to Elliott, who will start within the top 10 for the eighth straight race at the 1-mile mile track and on the front row for the third time in the last four events here.

Finishing races at Phoenix has proven another matter entirely for the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Contrast Elliott’s average starting position of 5.5 to his average finish of 13.8.

Phoenix, on the other hand, has perhaps done more to cement Harvick’s reputation as “The Closer” than any other track. Harvick will start Sunday’s race trying to extend a streak of 13 straight top 10s in the Sonoran Desert, a string that includes six victories. All told, Harvick has won nine times at Phoenix.

“It was close,” said Harvick, who did not make a mock run in either of Friday’s practice sessions. “I probably didn’t have quite enough confidence on the first lap that I should have had in it. The guys did a great job.

“Not doing a qualifying lap in practice, we just worked on our race stuff, and we were kind of winging it right there as to what we thought was right, and it worked out OK.”

Series leader Ryan Blaney will start fifth, followed by Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch and Alex Bowman, last week’s winner at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Matt DiBenedetto qualified ninth, and Kyle Busch, the defending winner of the race, will line up 10th.

Notes: Elliott qualified for next year’s Busch Clash, which will be run on Daytona International Speedway’s road course for the first time. … Martin Truex Jr. posted the 12th-fastest lap but will start from the rear of the field for the second straight week because of an engine change. At Auto Club, Truex was also sent to the back of the field after his car failed inspection three times.

Posted on by Pat DeCola

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Corey LaJoie has been beaten down.

By the sport, an unforgiving one. By losing sponsors, which tends to end careers. By working with people he, admittedly, didn’t get along with. By wondering if the fire suit should remain hung up and if his true calling was atop the pit box.

And yet, he’s still here.

You’re familiar with LaJoie, right? The 28-year-old who finished 29th in Cup Series standings last year in his first full-time season for Go Fas Racing at NASCAR’s highest level? Sure, he notched a pair of top 10s behind the wheel of the No. 32 Ford Mustang, but each of those results came at a superspeedway race. You might think you’ve got the whole picture by now.

This is a sport that rewards one winner, sending 39 drivers home pissed off on a weekly basis. What else is there to know about a driver who, realistically, knows he likely has little shot at a checkered flag right when the green one drops?

Everything.

“I think that people who strictly watch the broadcast on every Sunday don’t know (much about me or my abilities). The cars look the same, we run in the same race, and we run in the back. It’s easy for people to assume that you’re just a mediocre driver or less-than-capable driver just because of the position you run in,” LaJoie told NASCAR.com Friday afternoon at Phoenix Raceway, site of Sunday’s FanShield 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio). “And there’s also a fine line that I balance personally between shameless promotion and telling the facts, because I’m not one for shameless self-promotion. I would love to be able to go out there and let my driving and results do the talking, but in the Cup Series, your handicap is so much about what you’re driving that the opportunity to show what you’re capable of only presents itself three, maybe four times a year.”

MORE: Phoenix weekend schedule

It’s easy for some to brush off the superspeedway finishes – as those races historically bring parity among the field much, much closer – but those are exactly the opportunities he needs to nail in order to showcase what he’s actually made of. Strong finishes in the Coca-Cola 600 (12th), at Martinsville in the fall (18th, lead-lap finish) and two weekends ago at Las Vegas (16th) go a long way, too.

Knowing that those three to four chances to get his name on the top half of the TV ticker are relatively few – and so much happens and so much goes into the weeks, sometimes months that separate them – LaJoie has taken it upon himself to get his and other smaller teams’ stories out there through other various outlets, namely his MRN podcast, “Sunday Money,” and MotorTrend’s “NASCAR ALL IN: Battle For Daytona” series, highlighting his run-up to the “Great American Race” along with Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and Tyler Reddick.

RELATED: MotorTrend app: LaJoie, crew fume after Daytona Duel incident

If it feels like you’re hearing more about LaJoie these days – more so than we typically hear about the driver of a car with back-half-of-the-field equipment – it’s intentional on his part, sure, but it’s more because people are coming to understand that there’s talent and personality throughout the field. And they’re connecting with his regular-guy, no-frills-added authenticity.

“I’ve probably gained 10,000 new followers on Instagram, 12,000 on Twitter and I have people tweeting me all the time like, ‘Hey man, you’re great on the show’ and, like, that’s just my real life,” he said. “I’m not putting on a façade or faking it or putting something on for the camera. Like, they literally just followed me around for six weeks and they got stuff and shot it.”

This kind of demeanor and perspective doesn’t happen by accident, however. The “stacking pennies” mantra that LaJoie has coined – pun only half intended – doesn’t develop overnight.

It comes from getting knocked down 99 times, getting up 100.

“Just getting beat down enough and figuring out how to pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” LaJoie says. “This sport has an amazing way of humbling you, even for the guys on the other side of the garage winning races. For every win, you’re going to have three or four bad weeks and you’re going to have to figure out how to rebound. Whether that be your self-confidence, or your team around you, just morale overall. Going through all the trials and all the hard times and lack of driving opportunities or lack of good driving opportunities that have come about, you kind of figure out what moves the needle when it comes to relating to people and sponsors or the fans.

“That was kind of the letter I wrote to Rick (Hendrick, pitching himself for the No. 48 Chevrolet for next year), it’s like, man, I don’t have the statistics on Racing Reference because I haven’t been in any car that’s capable of putting up any good statistics … but, a lot of this (expletive) you don’t learn unless you have to do it the hard way. That’s what I’ve had to do. Every. Single. Thing. I’ve had to deal with losing the sponsors. Working with people that (I) probably didn’t always get along with. Relating to the fans. Just doing the humbling of yourself and putting your pride on the back burner just for the sake of being able to do what you love.”

Who can’t relate to and appreciate that?

None of this has been easy for Corey LaJoie. There likely have been days when he wished it was, wondering why he didn’t have the fortune of a driver stepping into a top-tier ride immediately because the funding was there. There likely have been times when everything on paper was telling him it made the most sense to walk away, with just one quiet voice in the back of his head gnawing at him to press on.

And still, he’s the driver using what he’s been given to do things that matter. Just last year, he waived a full month’s salary to put Samaritan’s Feet, a charitable cause he believes in, on his No. 32 Ford. He’s currently putting together a kickball tournament to take place during the Charlotte race weeks featuring some of NASCAR and the NFL’s biggest stars for the charity as well.

When his time comes to truly show what he’s capable of – and all recent indications point to that potentially being the case over the next few years, if not 2021 – he won’t want to have changed anything, as everything was as it was supposed to be.

MORE: 2021 Silly Season shaping up to be wild one

“I’ll be honest, man. My faith has a big part of (coming to this perspective.) My self-worth growing up probably was wrapped up in how I did during any particular race because I thought that Rick Hendrick was watching me. I thought how I did that particular Saturday night race at Hickory (Speedway) was going to make or break my career and that’s what I got my self-worth from. I’ve been in church my whole life but the more I started digging in and knowing what it says and knowing what God’s heart is, I don’t get my self-worth out of how I finish on Sundays. Granted, I care about it and I want to win every single race I’m in, but even when I don’t, it doesn’t change what my value is. That doesn’t make the guy who’s in Victory Lane more or less valuable than the next guy.

“ … I’ve read all of Tim Tebow’s books and he gave me a great perspective of using football, or baseball or racing in my case as a platform to spread positive vibes or whatever you’re into, love. Don’t abuse the platform and the blessings and the money and the toys and the stuff that’s easy to take for granted. Just use it and eventually, if it’s meant to be, I will be in a car that’s capable of winning races.

“And if it’s not meant to be, I’m having a hell of a ride right now.”

Posted on by Staff Report

Martin Truex Jr. will start at the rear of the field due to an engine change prior to Sunday’s FanShield 500 for the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway (3:30 p.m. on FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team swapped out the power unit of its Toyota Camry before pre-qualifying technical inspection Saturday morning at the 1-mile oval.

RELATED: Weekend schedule | Qualifying order

Truex posted the 24th-fastest time during Friday afternoon’s opening practice session, followed by a 25th-place result in final practice.

Front Row Motorsports had indicated earlier Saturday that John Hunter Nemechek would also drop to the rear during pace laps on Sunday due to a radiator change, but the race-day status of his No. 38 Ford is still being determined.

NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying is slated for 2:35 p.m. ET on FS1.

Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Even before Ryan Newman visited Phoenix Raceway on Friday, he surprised his fellow Ford drivers at a team-building session at Arizona State University’s football stadium.

Ryan Blaney, who was a central figure in the Daytona 500 wreck that sent Newman into the path of Corey LaJoie’s car, was especially happy to see Newman looking fit and healthy after injuries kept the Roush Fenway Racing driver in the hospital for two anxious nights.

RELATED: Ryan Newman treated, released from hospital  | Ross Chastain going ‘week to week’

“We had no idea that he was going to show up,” Blaney said. “We were having dinner and he walked in. That was great. That was the first time I’ve seen Ryan personally (since the accident)… I think the first time a lot of us had seen Ryan. That was really cool to see. We sat and talked, the whole Ford group, for an hour, hour-and-a-half once he got there. We talked about a lot of stuff.

“It was nice to see him. He’s full Ryan Newman caliber and it is great to see. It was cool to hear some of the process that he went through and some of the doctors that worked on him. They were very extensive with him and he has been passing everything with flying colors, which is unheard of and great to hear.”

Though the timetable for Newman’s return to racing remains unclear, subject to medical clearances, the driver of the No. 6 Ford provided a one-word answer when asked how he was feeling.

“Lucky,” Newman said Friday morning at the one-mile track. “It’s great to be alive. If you’re looking at my (wrecked) car, it’s a miracle.”

RELATED: Watch the final lap of the 2020 Daytona 500

Newman came to Phoenix as both a cheerleader and helper.

“I’m here just spectating,” he said. “Just having fun. I’m really just here to support the 6 team. Stay integrated with what I can do with the team. Have some fun, obviously. That’s really what it’s all about. I want to see (substitute driver) Ross (Chastain) do well, but I’d rather be in Ross’s seat.

“I just want to make sure we’re doing everything we possibly can for our sponsors and for myself to have a good weekend.”

Though sidelined, Newman is using the Phoenix trip not only to observe his own team in action but also that of teammate Chris Buescher.

“I get a chance now to watch not just the 6 but the 17 and how they work and the teamwork that goes into that,” Newman said. “That’s equally as important to me to have an opportunity to see them and watch them perform when I’m not in the race car.

“I feel like I should be able to take advantage of this crazy opportunity.”

Posted on by Reid Spencer

AVONDALE, Ariz. – When Harrison Burton stepped up in class to the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year, there was talk the 19-year-old driver hadn’t earned the opportunity to drive some of the best equipment available at Joe Gibbs Racing.

After all, Burton had just spent a winless 2019 Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series season at Kyle Busch Motorsports, whose Toyotas are consistently among the best trucks in the garage.

PHOENIX: Full schedule | Paint schemes | At-track gallery

Burton heard the talk, and the chip on his shoulder to start the Xfinity season was about the size of a fire log.

“The biggest one in my career,” Burton said. “I’ve never gone a year where I didn’t win. I won last year, right, but in an ARCA car. I’ve never, I don’t think in my life – well yeah, in K&N my first season I didn’t win, but I won late model races, I won a lot that year. I won races that kind of made me still know I could do it and be confident in myself. At the time, that was probably the roughest year, but last year was probably the roughest I’ve had in my entire career.”

After finishing second in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and fifth at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Burton got a breakthrough victory last Saturday at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, in his first start at the abrasive two-mile track.

PHOTOS: Father-son duos to win in Xfinity Series

“There’s a huge chip on your shoulder to come out and be better, win races and prove to yourself and others you can do it,” Burton said. “I always believed in myself that I could do it, but it’s hard to say that when you’ve not won yet. Getting that win… now it was only a season (last year), but it felt like forever for me. Getting that win definitely made me feel a lot better.”

The win in Fontana vaulted Burton into the series lead, and he’ll have a chance to extend his streak of top-five finishes in Saturday’s LS Tractor 200 at Phoenix Raceway (4 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Posted on by Pat DeCola

AVONDALE, Ariz. – Christopher Bell just wants to finish a race – something he didn’t anticipate longing for nearly a month after the season started.

Three races into his inaugural NASCAR Cup Series season, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year favorite coming into the year is ranked 32nd in points, has completed just 542 of 676 laps run and has only had a functioning car at the end of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway race – a 33rd-place finish that he crashed in the middle of.

RELATED: Memorable rookie classes | Weekend schedule

It’s worth a reminder this is the same Bell who has been a perennial national series title heavyweight the past few years, compiling 23 wins at the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series levels since 2015.

“(Acclimating to) married life has definitely been easier so far,” the recently-wed Bell said Friday at Phoenix Raceway, site of Sunday’s FanShield 500 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio). “The biggest thing is just getting to the end of the race. We see from all of the JGR cars, they’ve all been starting in the back and it takes them a while, but eventually they get up front. I haven’t even seen Stage 2 yet. I can’t speak to how we would run the second half of the race. Here we are at Race 4, hopefully I’ll be able to see the checkered flag.”

That’s a wild thing for a driver many pegged to win a race this year to say – that he’s just hoping to see a checkered flag, forget about being in contention to win one.

To his credit, though, sometimes bad luck just comes in spurts, and sometimes those spurts come at the start of one’s Cup career. The Daytona 500 was the Daytona 500, and an engine issue at Auto Club Speedway last week wasn’t something he could have avoided. A wreck at Las Vegas the week prior, however, was “pretty disappointing” and “not cool.”

The ironic thing here? Bell was insistent during preseason interviews one of his main priorities was not running into many DNFs.

“And what do you know!” Bell quipped to NASCAR.com with a giant grin. “I mean, we’re almost dead last in points, so that’s not cool. But, that’s the story of my career. Maybe at some point, I’ll figure it out. Fortunately, on the flip side of it, I’ve been able to win some races, too. But I need to win this year otherwise I’m going to be in trouble.

” … Other than that, just here we go again. Week 4.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

AVONDALE, Ariz. – It’s still only March but, hey, let the 2021 NASCAR Silly Season begin.

The first in-season domino fell Friday at Phoenix Raceway, as Team Penske announced it had signed impending free agent Ryan Blaney to a multi-year extension nearly a full year before his current contract was set to expire.

MORE: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske agree to extension | Jayski: Latest on driver contracts

“I was really happy with where I was at. I love the people I am around and working with all the teams,” Blaney said. “I feel like I owe so much to Roger (Penske) for what he has done for me. I just didn’t really see myself, right now, anywhere else.

“There are a couple doors open, a couple seats open with other teams but I didn’t talk with any other teams. If I was approached by another team I don’t even know if I would want to talk to them because I am so happy with where I am at and so loyal to Roger. My mindset was if they would have me back, I would love to be back. It was great that both of our minds were set on that.”

It’s hard to find fault with Blaney’s reasoning for wanting to stay at Penske – he’s the current NASCAR Cup Series points leader and there’s a certain degree of familiarity that comes along with having all of his national series starts since 2013 come with the team or a Penske affiliate. That sense of security simply can’t be replicated if he were to get behind the wheel of another car in 2021.

However, what makes it interesting that this deal was completed in March, months ahead of when it technically needed to be, is that these potentially open rides aren’t run-of-the-mill opportunities Blaney wasn’t interested in hearing about. They’re among some of the best in the sport, and things are about to ramp up to full silliness, and soon.

There’s a significant possibility there will be some sort of shake-up among superstar drivers and well-funded cars along the likes of Blaney’s teammate Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Ford, free agent), Aric Almirola (No. 10 Ford, free agent), Clint Bowyer (No. 14 Ford, free agent), Erik Jones (No. 20 Toyota, free agent), Corey LaJoie (No. 32 Ford, free agent), Kyle Larson (No. 42 Chevrolet, free agent), Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Chevrolet, retiring), Alex Bowman (No. 88 Chevrolet, free agent) and Christopher Bell (No. 95 Toyota, potential free agent).

Things could potentially ramp up in a significant way over the coming months, and Blaney’s just happy he won’t be a part of the madness.

“There are a lot of great seats open. A lot of things up in the air with drivers retiring or their deal being up. There is always that silly season and rumors and stuff like that,” he said. “It is nice to have our deal so that I am out of that conversation. It will be nice not to have to answer questions about it and save them for those guys.

“If something comes out I will be like, ‘Oh, that is neat.’ But I am not going to pry. That is their personal business.”

The three-time Cup winner isn’t interested, either, in prying for info on even his teammate’s situation, saying, “I don’t know anything about it. It is his deal, not mine.”

RELATED: Ryan Blaney’s career highlights | Every Team Penske Cup win

For context, Keselowski’s last extension was announced toward the end of July 2017, so don’t expect this overall story to be resolved any time soon – but do expect the pressure to mount on these drivers to prove themselves over the coming months.

So many more shoes still need to drop (including one of the “super” variety).

The biggest questions yet to be answered? Glad you asked.

  • Brad Keselowski
    • Has never raced full time at the Cup level for any owner other than Team Penske; would he leave the organization he won a championship with after nearly a decade and double-digit wins?
    • A former JR Motorsports product who ran a handful of Cup races for Hendrick, is he the favorite to land Johnson’s vaunted No. 48?
  • Aric Almirola
    • The No. 10 Ford is easily the best car he’s driven at the Cup level, why would he leave on his own volition unless a better option opened up?
    • How much better does he need to perform in 2020 than 2019 (17.0 average finish) to secure his spot?
  • Clint Bowyer
    • If Chase Briscoe runs the gamut at the Xfinity Series level this year, could it potentially push Bowyer out of the No. 14 if he underperforms in 2020?
    • Would the 40-year-old hang up the fire suit if a comparable ride doesn’t open for him?
  • Erik Jones
    • Does Jones need to match the performance of his JGR cohorts – all of whom made the Championship 4 in 2019 – to keep his ride?
    • Was his 2019 Southern 500 victory enough to prove himself?
  • Corey LaJoie
    • Is “Supershoe” a legitimate candidate for the No. 48 and did the letter to Rick Hendrick gain him points with the boss man?
    • If he overperforms in the No. 32, would a mid-tier ride open up for him?
  • Kyle Larson
    • Another potential favorite to hop into the No. 48, would Larson’s insistence on continuing to run dirt races be a deal-breaker at Hendrick?
    • Has a great relationship with longtime owner Chip Ganassi – is it worth jeopardizing that and what they’ve built together as the team feels like it’s rounding into form and showing signs of improvement?
    • Larson also has a relationship with Tony Stewart and is a former winner at Eldora Speedway. Is Stewart-Haas Racing an option?
  • Jimmie Johnson
    • Will Johnson have a say in who replaces him?
    • Has the No. 48 Chevrolet re-established itself as a premier ride?
    • Will he make any one-off NASCAR starts in 2021?
  • Alex Bowman
  • Christopher Bell
    • Would Toyota move Bell over to the No. 20 Toyota if Jones underperforms?
    • Does Toyota view Bell (25 years old) or Jones (23 years old) as the better prospect?