INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 15: Car owner Richard Childress sits on pit lane before qualifications for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on August 15, 2021, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway Indiana. Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: AUG 15 NASCAR Cup Series - Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Qualifying Icon116210815015200
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - AUGUST 15: Car owner Richard Childress sits on pit lane before qualifications for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Verizon 200 at the Brickyard on August 15, 2021, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway Indiana. Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: AUG 15 NASCAR Cup Series - Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Qualifying Icon116210815015200
While Toyota dominated the Cup Series points table and Chevrolet attempted to close the gap, it’s Ford that is having a tough time on all fronts.
19 races into the season, and Ford has just 1 win with Ryan Blaney in the 12 Team Penske car at Phoenix. They sit in third with 270 points behind the leader, Toyota.
While they suffer from a lack of performance on track, Ford is currently losing drivers like flies across the lower series, and that situation is about to get worse, according to rumors.
A widely followed page on Instagram, Stock Car Rumors and Nostalgia, posted an update on the situation at Richard Childress Racing. After the 8 RCR car was renumbered 33, Austin Hill took over the responsibilities at RCR and is now the driver likely to continue in 2027 as well.
Stock Car Rumors and Nostalgia’s post read, “As has been said by several, all signs currently point to Austin Hill remaining in the 33 next year. I’ve also heard Carson Brown is expected to move up to RCR’s O’Reilly program (he’s driving at a test for them this week), as well as…Chandler Smith?”
Hill was pushed up to take the Cup car responsibilities beyond his usual NOAPS duties, but now with Hill being slated as the full-time RCR 33 driver for next year, RCR could be looking to poach Chandler Smith and put him into their NOAPS programme.
Smith, at 24, is one of the brightest talents in the Ford driver programme. However, with reduced opportunities to get into a Ford Cup car, and Ford’s performance being low with a three-time champion like Joey Logano sitting down in 18th, an offer from RCR may make Smith's chance for a possibly better future.
Ford’s dicey ladder problem
Ford is in a situation where they don’t have enough development or Cup cars. Since the Haas Factory Team shifted from Ford to Chevrolet, Ford has been in a downward trend.
Next season, RFK Racing has only two charters and may have to run the may have to run their third car open. Rick Ware, too, has shifted to Chevrolet.
Currently, in the Truck Series, Ford still has a larger presence with at least 9 drivers competing in Ford cars, including the likes of Layne Riggs and Chandler Smith.
In the NOAPS race that will take place at EchoPark Speedway this weekend, Ford has just two cars, driven by Logan Bearden and Joey Case.
Earlier in the year, AM Racing, who were running Ford cars, shut down their operations because of the increasing losses they were facing by running in NOAPS.
With 9 drivers in the Truck series having almost no seats to look forward to in the NOAPS and eventually the Cup series, drivers like Chandler Smith will be hoping that RCR’s calling isn’t just restricted to rumors.
What do you think is Ford’s biggest problem when it comes to retaining talent? Let us know.
You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!
Written by
Debrup Chaudhuri
Edited by
Suyashdeep Sason