3 things to watch this NASCAR offseason

NASCAR season ended on Sunday in Phoenix. The next race will be in Los Angeles in 90 days. NASCAR has the shortest offseason in all of sports.

This year's NASCAR offseason will be different from last year. Teams will assemble the new Next Gen race car and have some testing opportunities. The cars will get a safety update and each manufacturer will submit fresh designs to the car.

The silly season has been completed. The only thing left is Ty Gibbs' announcement that the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs will replace Kyle Busch. Other than that, the teams are set. Penske signed Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano to multi-year extensions. Ford signed Austin Cindric on a rookie deal. Harrison Burton is back with the Wood Brothers. HMS is set with their current 4 car lineup. Trackhouse has Daniel Suarez and Justin Haley back. RCR has Reddick and Buschi. Petty GMS signed Erik Jones to an extension.

Hendrick Motorsports (4) – Larson, Elliott, Byron and Bowman are back in 2023. Trackhouse Racing (2) Ross Chastain is back while Daniel Suarez signed a one-year extension. Richard Childress Racing 2 – Austin Dillon is in the 3 and Kyle Busch in 8. Petty GMS Racing, 2 - Erik Jones and Noah Gragson - are both back. Kaulig Racing - Justin Haley is also back and AJ Allmendinger will drive the 2nd car next season. Spire Motorsport - Corey LaJoie is driving the 7 and Ty Dillon the 77. JTG Daugherty Racing 1 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is coming back for 2022.

Hendrick Motorsports (4) have drivers back in 2023. Trackhouse Racing (2) has Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez. Richard Childress Racing has Austin Dillon and Kyle Busch. Petty GMS Racing is back with Erik Jones and Noah Gragson. Kaulig Racing will have Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger in 2nd car next season. Spire Motorsport has Corey LaJoie in 7 and Ty Dillon in 77. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is also back for 20th.

Ford (15), Stewart-Haas Racing (4), Team Penske (3), RFK Racing 2 and Rick Ware Racing 1 are all back in 2023. Front Row Motorsports (2) and Live Fast Motorsport (1) have seats open for now in the next season.

Stewart-Haas Racing has 4 drivers back in 2023, but 3 of them are free agents for the season after. Team Penske has 3 drivers, 2 of whom signed extensions this season. Rick Ware Racing (2) and Front Row Motorsports (1) have 2 seats open for 20th year. Live Fast Motorsport (0) has 1 seat open now. Wood Brothers ( 1) is back for next season, Harrison Burton is coming back.

Joe Gibbs Racing has 4 drivers back in 2023. Truex signed a one-year extension this past June. Bubba Wallace signed an extension in August. Tyler Reddick will replace Kurt Busch in the 45. Kevin Harvick, Alex Bowman, Suarez, Truey and Harrvck are free agents at the end of next season.

Joe Gibbs Racing has 4 drivers back in 2023. Martin Truex Jr. signed a one-year extension this past June. Bubba Wallace signed an extension in August. Tyler Reddick will replace Kurt Busch in the 45.

The RTA stepped in because of the lack of progress on the negotiations between the owners and NASCAR. The teams are worried about the future because NASCAR wants them to cut more cost via employment. They are already operating on their slimmest budgets in decades. NASCAR's version of a new TV deal is a slim increase for the teams.