News broke this week in the racing world that three-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart was injured while driving dune buggies through the desert with a group of fellow racers. The injuries to Stewart’s back will prevent him from competing in the opening weeks of the 2016 NASCAR season, his final season before retiring.
With Tony Stewart injured and undergoing surgery before what is expected to be a lengthy recovery process, the conversation has shifted to who will replace him in the #14 Chevrolet to begin the year. Retired veterans Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon have already ruled themselves out of the conversation, but there are plenty of other young guns that could have what it takes to give Stewart’s car a competitive start to the season.
Tony Stewart Injured – Who Replaces Him in the #14 Car?
Here are just a few of the candidates to replace Tony Stewart to begin the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season:
Ty Dillon
Arguably the strongest candidate to fill the position in the interim, Dillon was hopeful to land a full-time Cup ride in 2016, only to remain part-time. He will compete with Leavine Family Racing in a handful of races, while also running for the title in the Xfinity Series again. He has the strongest track record of success of drivers that could be considered for the spot, as well as an existing relationship with Bass Pro Shops.
Justin Allgaier
Returning to full-time racing in the Xfinity Series in 2016, Allgaier previously ran for HScott Motorsports for two years at the Cup level, with limited success. However, the Hendrick connection between Stewart-Haas Racing and JR Motorsports may help build a bridge for an interim ride. Allgaier’s likeable demeanor and good sponsor relationships may also be a plus.
Alex Bowman
Shocked after his sudden replacement at Tommy Baldwin Racing with Regan Smith, Bowman was left without a full-time ride in NASCAR, with just a handful of races at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series on his plate. This could allow one of the up-and-comers of the sport to fill in for Stewart, and learn from his temporary teammates in Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch.
David Gilliland
The driver with the most fill-in experience could have another similar role to start 2016. After being released from Front Row Motorsports in favor of Landon Cassill, Gilliland has been searching for rides. But it could be his experience stepping in for drivers like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin that help to give him another opportunity to shine.
More news will come in the days and weeks ahead of Daytona, including who will get to drive the #14 among many other cars in the prestigious Daytona 500.
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