In all honesty, it is starting to feel like a new status update story on Silly Season could be published every day as this has truly been one of the wackiest silly seasons on record. We have heard wild rumors ranging from teams closing down, new teams starting up to even Michael Jordan joining the sport.
Ultimately, some of the rumors have come true, many of them — even if there was any merit to them — have been debunked or tossed aside. In this modern day of social media, where any rumor can be shared instantly to the masses, it’s a little hard to keep up sometimes with what is happening and what isn’t happening. Here is a little update as of Wednesday, September 16th of some of the latest rumors.
Richard Petty Motorsports No Longer Looking at Toyota
Remember when Richard Petty Motorsports was still courting Bubba Wallace in hopes of bringing the driver back to the No. 43 machine for 2021?
As that process was ongoing, there were rumors that RPM would move to Toyota. There were rumors that Denny Hamlin was investing into the team and that Wallace would be retained to drive the No. 43 car.
Well, whatever talks were going on deteriorated and Wallace and RPM announced that they will part ways at the end of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
However, this hasn’t stopped many on social media from speculating whether the team is still mulling on swapping manufacturers to Toyota for 2021. No need to speculate, it isn’t happening.
According to a source within the organization that I have spoken with, the team’s potential swap to Toyota was directly tied to if they were to retain Wallace as their driver.
FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass confirmed the same, but also included that even if the team lands Daniel Suarez — a past Toyota driver — they’re still fully expected to stay as a Chevrolet team going forward.
Even with Suarez, RPM expected to remain Chevrolet.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 16, 2020
So, there will not be a No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Toyota next season in the Cup Series. That being said, who will drive for the team? According to a report from David Smith on Forbes.com, RPM’s team owner Andrew Murstein has also indicated that Daniel Suarez, Kyle Larson and Hailie Deegan are all on the list of candidates as a driver for the organization next season.
Go Fas Racing is Not Closing Down
A rumor popped up on Tuesday, that stated Go Fas Racing, which fields the No. 32 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series, could be shutting down at the end of the 2020 season. The rumor first appeared on Twitter from @MillNASCAR.
Hearing the 32 is closing shop at the end of this year…
— NASCARRumorMill (@MillNascar) September 15, 2020
This sent NASCAR Twitter into a bit of a brief panic, but the flames were exhausted quickly as Go Fas Racing responded to the rumor with a gif.
https://twitter.com/gofasracing32/status/1305895255867305995?s=21
TobyChristie.com was able to confirm with a member of the organization, that not only is the team not closing down, but they have still been having regular tours of their facility for potential drivers of the No. 32 machine for the 2021 season.
Corey LaJoie has driven for the organization for the last two seasons, but announced roughly four weeks ago that he will be moving on from the team at season’s end.
While we don’t yet know who will drive the No. 32 in 2021, we do know that Go Fas Racing WILL NOT be shutting down at season’s end.
