Bubba Wallace announced his departure from Richard Petty Motorsports last week. His tweet explains he thinks it’s time “for someone else to take over the reins of No. 43” RPM has made no remarks on who may take Wallace’s place, though they say an announcement is coming soon. Hours after Bubba Wallace’s announcement via Twitter, the team tweeted to NFL’s Antonio Williams, joking they may be able to help him enter the racing scene.
Here are the five candidates NASCAR.com thinks may fill Bubba Wallace’s seat in the iconic No. 43.
Can Ty Dillon Take Bubba Wallace’s Place?
Dillon is relatively new to pro racing, as his rookie year was 2017. The 28-year-old is the grandson of NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Richard Childress. He currently drives the No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has also driven for his grandfather’s Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Infinity Series. Similar to the driver who is leaving Richard Petty, Ty Dillon uses his platform to encourage open conversations for change. Earlier this summer he took to Instagram to discuss societal injustice with Bubba Wallace. Dillon’s 2021 plans have not yet been announced, so a move to Richard Petty Motorsports could well be his next move.
What About Erik Jones Taking Bubba Wallace’s Place?
Jones is just 24 years old but in his fourth Cup Series full-time season. Erik Jones earned Rookie of the Year honors in all three national divisions consecutively as he moved up the ranks from 2015 to 2017. He drives the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing but has already announced his departure from the team following this season. The decision to leave JGR makes Jones a free-agent and a phenomenal pick for RPM.
