NASCAR Cup Series

NASCAR: Five Drivers On The Hot Seat In 2017

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 12:25 a.m. ET

Fansided, Christopher Olmstead/FanSided via Beyond the Flag

Feb 18, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Chase Elliott (24), Denny Hamlin (11) and Kasey Kahne (5) during the Cam-Am Duels at Daytona race one at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

NASCAR is a little different than football when it comes to the proverbial hot seat. NFL coaches usually get fired after being on the hot seat, in NASCAR the hot seat tends to stay hot for a while before a change is made.

Regardless of whether a change is imminent or not, there are going to be a handful of drivers on the proverbial hot seat in 2017.

The NASCAR hot seat is fueled by a few different factors. The biggest factor is when a driver has an expiring contract. Sometimes a driver can make or break their career with a stellar performance during a contract year. Other times the hot seat is brought on by a driving not living up to expectations brought on by their contracts or the hype that has been built up around them.

Other times the hot seat is fueled by previous success. When a driver sets the bar and they cannot constantly live up to it, that too causes the collar on the fire suit to feel a bit tight.

Nov 6, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick (10) is introduced before the start of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Honorable Mention – Danica Patrick

Danica Patrick makes this list because she is in the hot seat from the point of view of the fans, not so much Stewart-Haas Racing.

Patrick will begin her fifth full-time season in NASCAR in 2017 and the time has come for her to prove she has what it takes to matter in the sport otherwise all of her critics will officially be proven right. Through four seasons Patrick’s progress has been marginal at best.

Sure, her average finish has gone up ever season and is up over four position from her first full-time season to her most recent. That being said, she still lacks consistency, only has a handful of top-10 finishes and even fewer top-five finishes. If Patrick’s name was Cole Whitt, nobody would have much to say about her and if she has another sub-par 2017 season that might be the case anyways.

Nov 6, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Aric Almirola (43) is introduced before the start of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Aric Almirola

Richard Petty Motorsports is down from two drivers to one and the last driver standing is Aric Almirola. Following the 2016 season the team shutdown operation of the No. 44 car which in previous seasons was the No. 9 car after Brian Scott announced his retirement.

Prior to Scott, Sam Hornish Jr. was in the No. 9 car in 2015 and Marcos Ambrose was in it in 2014.

Now that RPM is down to one car and one driver, Almirola’s performance will be under an even larger microscope. In past seasons Almirola’s struggles have been hidden by the failures and revolving door that was the other team. In 2017 and moving forward there will be nothing to shield Almirola.

If Almirola struggles in 2017 the team might begin to think he isn’t the long-term solution in the No. 43 machine.

Nov 11, 2016; Avondale, AZ, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Paul Menard (27) during practice for the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Menard

Paul Menard usually runs on a year-to-year deal with Richard Childress racing and that seems to once again be the case this season.

The one interesting thing about Menard is that there is the whole Ty Dillon thing. Dillon is going to run the 2017 season with the No. 13 team. It’s unclear what the terms of the deal with the No. 13 team are or whether or not moving Dillon to RCR is even in the cards.

Should Dillon have a solid season with the No. 13 team and Menard struggle with the No. 27 team, it would seem feasible that Dillon could move over to RCR. After all, with the added support from RCR to the No. 13 team, it would make sense to takeaway that support and move Dillon to RCR if they see it as a beneficial move.

In the end I would imagine this would only be a thought if Menard struggles mightily and Dillon exceeds all expectations in the No. 13 machine.

Nov 6, 2016; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Jamie McMurray (1) is introduced before the start of the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Jamie McMurray

Jamie McMurray will enter 2017 in a similar situation to that of Paul Menard as his contract is reportedly coming to an end after this season.

The difference between McMurray and Menard is Kyle Larson.

Larson is on the rise in the world of NASCAR, winning his first race in 2016 and making the NASCAR Chase for the first time. McMurray is closer to the end of his career than he is the beginning and following the 2017 season Chip Ganassi Racing could be at a crossroads.

If Larson wins again in 2017 and makes the Chase and McMurray doesn’t, the team might feel the need to go in a different direction in 2018. They might find it better to pair their rising star with a driver who is finding more success themselves.

Much like with Menard, it would seem as though it would require a fairly poor performance this season for change to happen.

Nov 12, 2016; Avondale, AZ, USA; Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer (15) during practice for the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Clint Bowyer

Clint Bowyer will start 2017 with what will most likely best the best chance of his NASCAR career to contend for wins on a weekly basis, make the Chase and ultimately go for a championship.

For Bowyer, 2017 is about opportunity and taking advantage of that opportunity. However, 2017 might also be about setting the tone for his time with SHR.

SHR is going through a transition as they move from Chevy to Ford and that transition ha brought with it optimism from them and doubt from others. Let’s assume the move to Ford keeps the team as strong as they were in 2016. That would mean Kurt Busch and Kevin Harvick will win races, Danica Patrick will be Danica Patrick and then there is Clint Bowyer.

Can Bowyer win in the No. 14 machine? Bowyer hasn’t won a race since 2012 when he won three times with MWR. Bowyer also hasn’t been in quality equipment since 2012 as 2013 was the beginning of the end of MWR and 2016 was a wash with HScott Motorsports.

Is Bowyer better than Stewart?

Stewart is a three-time NASCAR champion who was only able to win once in the No. 14 machine over his final few seasons in NASCAR. Is Bowyer really that much of an upgrade? Is the team really expected to be that much better without Stewart?

SHR moved to Ford to stake their claim as a dominant team in NASCAR. Dominant teams don’t have two weak links and Bowyer will certainly get the boot before Patrick does. If Bowyer does in 2017 what he did in 2016, his time with SHR won’t last all that long.

Kasey Kahne

Jimmie Johnson just won a championship, Chase Elliott just won Rookie of the Year and Dale Earnhardt Jr. just won NASCAR’s Most Popular driver Award for seemingly the millionth consecutive time. So where does that leave Kasey Kahne?

Kahne is the weak link at HMS, plain and simple.

Kahne has not won a race since 2014, which is also the last time that he made the NASCAR Chase. Kahne and the No. 5 team have had spurts of strong finishes only to be overcome by inconsistency and eventually fall off of the face of the universe before the Chase begins or the season ends.

At some point push is going to come to shove when it comes to Kahne and HMS and that point might be after next season when Kahne’s contract with the team is up. Kahne has been one of the biggest free agent disappointments in NASCAR history, which makes it surprising that he still has a spot with the team.

Then again, Jeff Gordon retiring when he did most likely had a lot to do with Kahne’s most recent contract extension. Could lightning strike twice for the driver of the No. 5 machine? Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans are certainly hoping that isn’t the case.