With the 2022 season on the horizon, many teams are beginning to offer insight into their plans for the arrival of Next Gen.
As charters are becoming increasingly difficult to obtain (not to mention expensive), eyes have been set on Rick Ware Racing and their four full-time entries that are all backed by charters.
On Saturday, the team’s namesake offered insight into what the future of Rick Ware Racing is likely to become heading into next season.
ICYMI: On today's #FrontStretch with @JackOnSports, Cup Series team owner Rick Ware joined the show and gave some insight into what his current 4-car team could look like in 2022. @RickWareRacing | #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/jKLCBimvGm
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) July 31, 2021
“We’re trying to have two really strong cars for next year; that is our goal,” Ware explained to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
After acquiring their first charter in 2019, Ware described the original plan for RWR heading into the new decade.
As Ware explained, “We were going to be starting to build the cars at the end of ’19, ’20 is when we were going to be rolling out. Obviously, the whole world change, all got pushed back..we’re kind of one year behind.”
Ware’s operation currently operates four full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, with a set of core drivers. Their roster is dominated by Cody Ware, James Davison, Garrett Smithley, with the most starts for RWR in 2021. In addition, Joey Gase and J.J. Yeley have stepped in a handful of times for RWR.
Self-proclaiming themselves as “the BIGGEST little team in Motorsports,” the Rick Ware Racing operation has a Penske-like reach regarding the world of motorsports. RWR competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, IMSA, the Asian Le Mans Series, and the NTT IndyCar Series.
With all their charters and what some fans may call poor performance, it begs whether RWR is deserving of their charters and if it is time for a pair to sell.
Should RWR choose to sell, 23XI could become one of the first buyers to lock in the rumored second full-time entry for 2022. Additionally, GMS confirmed their intent to participate in the Cup Series in some capacity heading into 2022 but failed to confirm a part-time or full-time plan.
The 57-year-old told NBC Sports’ Dustin Long in May that his “more inclined” to lease a charter rather than sell one.
“I think there are maybe some opportunities there to maybe assist some manufacturers that maybe want other people to come in,” Ware told NBC Sports. “Right now, I’m trying to negotiate the best road for RWR, and that may be leasing to somebody in particular that helps the program from a technology share, those kind of things.”
Should charters from RWR become available, this year’s edition of Silly Season could get wacky.
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