With Petty-GMS merger, 2022 Cup field all but complete

With Tuesday’s news of GMS Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports merging to form Petty GMS Motorsports, it all but solidifies the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series grid.

The 36 charters available in the Cup Series are now occupied. Although the team hasn’t confirmed it yet, Spire Motorsports will control the final available charter to rerun two full-time cars next year.

With Chip Ganassi Racing, JTG Daugherty Racing, StarCom Racing, and Rick Ware Racing all either downsizing or ceasing operations while Kaulig Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and 23XI Racing all increasing their involvement, the field appears to be set for full-time entries.

Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing will keep their driver lineups the same. JTG will downsize to one full-time car for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kaulig will field two full-time cars for Justin Haley in the No. 16 and a rotation of drivers, including A.J. Allmendinger in a not-yet-number car. Petty GMS will field Ty Dillon and Erik Jones in the Petty-styled Nos. 42 and 43, respectively. Corey LaJoie will return to Spire’s No. 7, while the No. 77 will likely have multiple drivers. Trackhouse adds a car for Ross Chastain, and Todd Gilliland replaces Anthony Alfredo in the No. 38 Ford at Front Row Motorsports.

Perhaps the most notable change is Brad Keselowski’s departure from Team Penske to become a co-owner and driver with the Roush organization, which how now been rebranded RFK (Roush Fenway Keselowski) Racing. He replaces Ryan Newman in the No. 6 car.

Penske’s No. 2 car will be driven by 2020 Xfinity Series champion Austin Cindric and Harrison Burton will replace Matt DiBenedetto in the Penske-affiliated Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 Ford.

Kurt Busch will join 23XI in a second entry as the team continues to build upon its first year in Cup as a single-car team with Bubba Wallace.

Rick Ware Racing will field the Nos. 15 and 51 but have not yet named drivers for the upcoming campaign. Live Fast Motorsports will enter its second season, and B.J. McLeod will likely drive the No. 78 for most of the races.

As for open entries, Noah Gragson will again attempt the Daytona 500 with Beard Motorsports. The team failed to qualify for the race in February, and Gragson, now an Xfinity veteran, is still looking to make his Cup debut.

Loris Hezemans, whose father is a class winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, will run a partial schedule with Team Hezeberg and Reaume Brothers Racing to drive the No. 27 Ford. According to a Twitter post from Wednesday, fan-favorite Boris Said will make at least one other Cup start in the No. 66 for MBM Motorsports, too.