NSCA Cup Series Showroom

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#88 | Mikey Willard
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Rookie Season: 2021
Starts: 54
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 6
Top 10s: 14

Entering just his 5th season in a national-touring stock-car racing series, Mikey Willard made it clear that the reason he's in Cup is due to his natural talent. 4 top 10 finishes to kick off the season, and 7 in the first 10 races was nothing to scoff about, even with being in some of the best equipment in the series While he didn't score a win (a best finish of 2nd at Bristol), he did wind up 8th in points, and won Rookie of the Year honors over William Sparks. Mikey originally had a 2 year contract to be in the #88, but over the off-season has signed an extension to his contract, meaning he'll be home at Hendrick for quite some time. Axalta remains aboard the #88 Chevy, though no throwback this time around. Hooters jumps aboard as a secondary sponsor.

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jacobc62

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#3 | Eric Reinhardt
Scheme: 2000 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet (Talladega 2) | Burlington Racing
Active Seasons: 1979-2001 (Debuted in 1977)
Starts: 621
Wins: 76 | 5-Time Champion, 1998 Daytona 500 Champion

My league's lore/history is filled with drivers that range from "unique and not based on anyone in particular", such as Randy Carpenter to "Is literally just a stand-in for a real life counterpart with maybe a couple of changed statistics". As you might've guessed by looking at the stats for Eric Reinhardt, he is my Dale Sr. stand-in, and had a pretty similar career, albeit with only 5 championships to his credit compared to Earnhardt's 7. Sadly, existing in a fictional alternate-history world doesn't spare Eric from sharing Dale's fate in the 2001 Daytona 500, a tragedy that NASCAR has been able to prevent from further happening in real life for it's top 3 nationally-touring series...... On a more uplifting note, Eric Reinhardt does share his real-life counterpart's final win as well - The Clayton 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in October of 2000. Coming from 18th and charging to the front in only 7 laps was something few could ever do, and Reinhardt was one of the few to pull it off. Taking no prisoners, and giving no quarter, Eric was able to edge out Wayne Foster after getting a push from Trace Legacy in the final run to the line.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#2 | Ryan Vaughan
Team: Team Penske
Rookie Season: 2013 (Debuted in 2012)
Starts: 315
Wins: 2
Top 5s: 35
Top 10s: 77


It may not have been "top of the pile", per say...... But Ryan Vaughan was able to lead Team Penske further up the order.... Even though he himself was not the highest points finisher of the three Penske drivers. With William Sparks coming into his own, and with rookie Ian Wallace moving up to Cup, Ryan has really come into his own as a mentor for the team. Heading into 2022, Ryan finds himself in new colors as Shell/Pennzoil jumps over from the #12 team, as Freightliner notches a few races as a secondary sponsor.

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jacobc62

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Eric Reinhardt Jr.
#8 Scheme: 2002 Budweiser Chevrolet | Eric Reinhardt Inc.
#88 Scheme: 2009 Amp Energy Chevrolet | Hendrick Motorsports
Active Seasons: 2000-2016 (Debuted in 1998)
Starts: 596
Wins: 27 | 2-Time Daytona 500 Champion

Son of the legendary Eric Reinhardt, and the third-generation in the line of racers in the Reinhardt family, Eric Jr. has much to live up to. Following his father's death in the 2001 Daytona 500, Eric seemed almost lost in his way. But after coming back to Daytona in July and edging out teammate Cole Donnovan in what was then known as the Pepsi 400, Eric Jr seemed to begin healing mentally. It was Jr's first win since Atlanta the previous fall, and his first top 5 of the 2001 season after his 2nd place finish at Daytona in February. On the fanbase side of things, many of Sr's fans came to follow Jr as well, supporting him as much as they did the elder Reinhardt. Jr picked up several wins throughout the early-mid 2000s, including the 2004 Daytona 500. However, behind the scenes, things took a turn for the downhill. The team Sr. built and Jr. drove for was facing serious financial issues, even with some big names sponsorship-wise backing the team. After a difference in opinion on how to save the team with his team owner and step-mother, Eric left the team, joining Chuck Rinsci Racing for 2008 before moving over to Hendrick Motorsports in 2009, where he would remain for the rest of his career. In 2014, he would get his 2nd career Daytona 500 victory, but late in the season have to sit out 1/3 of the season due to a concussion he received in a wreck midway through the season.

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On a more outside-the-4th-wall tangent...... Dale Jr was my favorite driver growing up, having been a fan of his since the early 2000s when he was still in the Budweiser #8 car, but he was at Hendrick Motorsports for more seasons (10 compared to 8 full-time seasons at DEI), so I had a hard time deciding on which of the two scheme ideas I wanted to replicate for his stand-in in my league's universe....... So I just went ahead and did both!
 

jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
565
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#15 | Theodore Cox
Team: Bishop Family Racing
Rookie Season: 2021
Starts: 30
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 1
Top 10s: 2

In racing, there are times where even having the fastest car or the best driver, or even the best pit crew doesn't win you the race. Sometimes, it's the one who refuses to lose an uphill battle. Other times, you just get lucky. That is exactly what Theodore Cox experienced at Auto Club Speedway last fall, as he was able to beat Chase Marks to the line in a chaotic race that found some of the drivers normally in the back half of the field up front and leading laps. The rest of the season, however, was quiet and not very notable, with Cox getting a 29th place points finish at the end of the season. Mobil 1 and MoneyLion continue to be onboard his #15 Dodge for 2022.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#02 | Rei Takita
Team: Axiom Racing Union
Rookie Season: 2017
Starts: 142
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 7
Top 10s: 15


Over the last few years, Axiom Racing Union has fell back to being a bit of a backmarker team, with the drivers struggling to be in the top 25 in points, as well as decent finishes throughout the season. However, a switch to Pontiac seemed to have put ARU back on the right track, as both drivers finished in the top 28 in points. Most improved was Rei Takita, whom went from 37th in 2020 to 26th in 2021. Having begun to find her groove, she remains part of the team, continuing to drive the #02 Pontiac. The team, however, will see major changes in 2022 as new sponsorship rolls in. 3M moves over from the closure of the Factory Dodge #91 car, and Fastenal jumps aboard from the #4 of Steven Merzlak after a season on his car.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#42 | DJ Harris
Team: Harris Motor Racing
Rookie Season: 2019
Starts: 80
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 5
Top 10s: 15


DJ Harris might not have had as great of a 2021 season as he did in 2020, but it was still respectable. Top 20 average start, 24th place finish, and still smiling after most of the season. Entering 2022, Harris will have more sponsorship as Western Digital joins the team as a secondary sponsor to Konica Minolta, whom return as Harris' primary sponsor.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#6 | Sean English
Team: English Motorsports
Rookie Season: 2019
Starts: 80
Wins: 8
Top 5s: 35
Top 10s: 45


Bridesmaid once again. That just about sums up the championship battles Sean English has been part of in his time in Cup. 6 poles, 2 wins, and having finished nearly 2/3rds of races in the top 10, and leading the points for 13 of the last 16 races of the year? Surely that would mean he would be champion, right? Wrong. Now 2-time champion Steven Merzlak had equal stats across the board, even down to the exact same amount of top 5s and top 10s (11 and 18, respectively). The problem for Sean is that on his off-days when he wouldn't have a great finish, it was dismally outside the top 35, and usually a DNF, while Steven's off days were still somewhat middle of the pack, giving him a better average finish. It also didn't help that Sean's luck just plain ran out in the final few races of the year. Finishes of 33rd, 9th, 3rd, 11th, and 10th to finish off the season, but Merzlak was able to catch and surpass English in the points with finishes of 13th, 5th, 7th, 5th, and 2nd. 2020's championship fight was an acceptable loss for Sean, but 2021 stung. Sean looks to minimize the mistakes that cost him a shot at the big prize in 2022, now the owner of a 2-car team. Valvoline and PPG Paints remain aboard the #6, an extension of an already strong partnership....

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#48 | Cody Llamas
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Rookie Season: 2002 (Debuted 2001)
Starts: 681
Wins: 69 | 3-TIme NSCA Cup Champion, 2006 Daytona 500 Winner
Top 5s: 81
Top 10s: 144


It's very rare to see a single multi-time champion still running strong in racing. Rarer still is when multiple multi-time champions are able to compete against each other. With Merzlak's 2021 championship, Cody Llamas is joined in elite company. Going into 2022, Cody is tied with Chuck Magnum for 6th on the all-time wins list at 69 (nice) wins each. Llamas just needs to win 3 more times like he did last year to get 5th solely. The chances of that are likely, however, as Cody had his best season in a couple of years, even with a 4th place points finish compared to his 3rd place in 2020. Heading into the season, it was announced that Lowe's would not renew their sponsorship deal with the #48 team, leaving Ally and Carvanna as Cody's only sponsors for the season.


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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
565
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#84 | Darien Arnsdorff
Team: Wolfpack Racing
Rookie Season: 2020
Starts: 55
Wins: 1
Top 5s: 3
Top 10s: 12

Wolfpack Racing seems to be making a comeback, and it couldn't've been made more apparent than with Darien Arnsdorff's win during the 2021 season. Granted, that win came about due to the engine failures of both Jacob Craigo and Alan Bledsoe, whom were both leading at the time of their respective issues, but Darien was sat in a convincing 3rd place prior to either incident. Not only that, but Darien had to hold off defending champion Steven Merzlak for the win, and he was able to pull away on the final lap. That said, the rest of his season was pretty quiet, with a 21st place points finish. Entering his third Cup season, and both Procore and Gulfstream continue to sponsor the young driver.....


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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
565
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#90 | Eugene Demax
Team: RTD Motorsports
Rookie Season: 2016
Starts: 178
Wins: 5
Top 5s: 18
Top 10s: 39


While Demax hasn't visited victory lane since 2018 as a driver, he did get the opportunity as a team owner last season. After picking up Calvin Richards following Calvin's departure from Red Bull midway through 2021, Richards went on to win at Orlando. While Calvin has moved on to Wolfpack Racing, Demax hopes that the win has put enough momentum into the team to continue to move forward for 2022 and push for better finishes throughout the year. Pepsico continues to be RTD's primary backer, essentially turning the team into a backdoor "former glory" version of the old Team Pepsico Racing from back in the 00's and early 10's, as two more Mountain Dew flavors - Frost Bite and regular Zero Sugar - joins the already large lineup of Regular Dew, Baja blast, Sweet Lightning and Code Red. Sirius XM also continue to be a sponsor of Demax's, and Sport Clips jumps aboard the #90 after joining the team with Calvin's arrival last year.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#98 | RJ Bishop
Team: Bishop Family Racing
Rookie Season: 2017
Starts: 133
Wins: 1 | 2019 Daytona 500 Champion
Top 5s: 5
Top 10s: 19


RJ Bishop's 2021 season wasn't all that great, which is evident in the fact that he only had two top 10 finishes all season, and an average finish of 29th with a 36th place points finish. Despite this, he soldiers on, looking to improve the team as a whole this season. Kroger and South Point Casino continue to sponsor Bishop for 2022, and even have collaborated for a combination scheme to be run in the Daytona 500, and maybe perhaps a few other crown jewel events....

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#4 | Steven Merzlak
Team: Steven Merzlak Racing
Rookie Season: 2018
Starts: 116
Wins: 11 | 2-Time NSCA Cup Champion
Top 5s: 35
Top 10s: 59

Steven Merzlak seems to be unstoppable. While his 2021 championship wasn't as dominant as 2020's, he still would see himself top of the pile with only 2 races left in the year, and wouldn't look back. While he only picked up 2 wins last year, Steven did manage to get 11 top 5s and 18 top 10s, and secure an 11th place average finish, allowing him to edge Sean English for the title towards the end of the year. Entering 2022, Merzlak has the chance to do something that hasn't been done in over 20 years now..... Winning 3 championships in a row! It's entirely possible for him to do it, assuming he is able to keep the momentum from the past two seasons going. Advance Auto Parts replaces the outgoing Fastenal as Merzlak's primary sponsor. DoorDash and Body Armor return from last year as 1QBit exits the sport.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
565
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#60 | Cole Dillon
Team: English Motorsports
2022 Rookie of the Year Contender

Cole Dillon was thought to be on track for a career in Indycar, having raced in USAC and Indy Lights. However, after some talks with Ford executives and a couple of teams under the NSCA banner, Cole was steered into stock-car racing with a couple of seasons in the National Series. While many thought that he would join the ranks of the plethora of open-wheel drivers to come over to stock-car racing and sink rather than swim, Cole not only survived, but he thrived. While he didn't blow the doors off his competition, he did manage to secure a few wins, and back to back top 10 points finishes. Now, he moves up to Cup, racing for English Motorsports. Subway and UPS follow Dillon up to the Cup Series to sponsor his #60 Ford.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#48 | Cody Llamas
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
Rookie Season: 2002 (Debuted 2001)
Starts: 681
Wins: 69 | 3-TIme NSCA Cup Champion, 2006 Daytona 500 Winner
Top 5s: 81
Top 10s: 144

**SCHEME UPDATE**

Found a better looking scheme to use for Ally, let folks vote on whether to keep the original, replace it with this flames base, or keep both.... It was a unanimous decision to replace the original with this new scheme:
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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
565
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#3 | Jennifer Legacy
Team: Lionheart-Legacy Racing
Rookie Season: 2015
Starts: 214
Wins: 5
Top 5s: 21
Top 10s: 46

Jennifer Legacy's 2021 season was quiet for the most part. A 16th place points finish and a small hand-full of top 10s may not have been what her or the team wanted, but it was nothing to write off about. Despite the finish she had, Jennifer looks to try and move into the top 10 for points next year, and is hoping more opportunities to pick up wins comes her way. NOS Energy and Best Buy return to the #3 for 2022, with Comcast Xfinity jumping aboard as well.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#04 | Joshua Michaels
Team: Axiom Racing Union
Rookie Season: 2015
Starts: 214
Wins: 2
Top 5s: 13
Top 10s: 29

As mentioned earlier in the post with Rei Takita, Axiom Racing Union actually managed to not take 3 steps back with it's 2 steps forward in 2021. While Joshua Michaels may not have seen as much improvement as Rei Takita did, a new season always brings with it the opportunity to outshine not only the competition, but also your teammates. Michaels looks to regain his place as team leader, and to lead the team up the order once again. DeviantArt returns to the sport after a few years out since they were the title sponsor of the Cup Series. Aaron's also returns after a slightly longer hiatus from the sport, both aboard the #04 driven by Joshua.

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jacobc62

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Jun 25, 2017
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#86 | Alex Miller
Team: Queen City Racing
Rookie Season: 2017
Starts: 141
Wins: 0
Top 5s: 8
Top 10s: 11

2021 was a complete write-off for Alex Miller. One of three drivers to finish in points behind a guy who started mid-season, with no top 10s and an average finish well outside the top 30, one wonders why Miller has continued to run in the Cup Series despite the very poor showings. Maybe he's running R&D, maybe he's a masochist.... Who knows? All we know is that the team he was running for last year merged with two others, and now he's running for Queen City Racing alongside Chase Marks..... CMR Roofing & Construction jumps over from Marks to Miller this year, as One Main backs out of the sport. Vans continues to run as Miller's secondary sponsor.

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