Thursday, January 26th 'What If' Question

A big part of any NASCAR season is not just what takes place on the track in terms of winners, great finishes, boring races, rivalries or any other such events.

Before long the rumblings and rumors start about which drivers could be where the following year. It's called silly season and sometimes appropriately so with all the moves that teams make. It starts with drivers who become free agents, those with contracts about to end with their current team, and snowballs from there and 2012 will be no different.

There have already been plenty of changes heading into the season but it won't stop the talking. One drivers who will hear the whispers, again, will be Joe Gibbs Racing's Joey Logano whose contract ends after this season. Logano enters his fourth fill NSCS season behind the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota that he inherited, perhaps prematurely, when Tony Stewart left JGR to form his own team.

Logano has one win, rain shortened at New Hampshire in 2009, on his resume but not much else. He's never finished higher than 16th in points (2010), hasn't contended for the Chase and fails to impress in the statistical categories of top 10s and top fives. That was with champion crew chief Greg Zipadelli, a veteran in the garage and on top of the pit box who won two championships and 33 races with Stewart.

Zipadelli has moved to Stewart-Haas Racing to reunite with Stewart as the company's director of competition. He'll also serve as part-time crew chief for rookie Danica Patrick in select events. It left a void on Logano's team that has been filled by Jason Ratcliff, a crew chief in the NNS for JGR.

Ratcliff used to work with teammate Kyle Busch, the two winning the driver's title in 2009 and owner's title in 2010. He has 11 NNS seasons under his belt and 36 wins on his resume, 33 coming from Busch. Now he'll lead the Home Depot as he ventures into the Cup Series as a crew chief, looking to turn Logano into a winner and Chase contender like his teammates.

Says Logano of the upcoming season, “I definitely feel like it’s my team now. With Jason there, I can voice my opinion and I think we’re all working together very well. We value each other’s opinion a lot and with the accomplishments we have, we respect each other a lot.

“I think it is going to be a very positive change for us. And I think it is a positive change for Zip. It is a good change for him. Every once in a while, you’ve got to hit the reset button and go at it again.”

But ...

What if Joey Logano does not show improvement in 2012 with his contract up at the end of the season, will he be come a free agent? #NASCAR

@ARosser14 Probably. Might end up in a Roush Ford, either with RFR, RPM, or the Woods.

@HarpAmyStabler Possibly. He also might get another shot with his own team now that Zippy is gone. Give that time to work now.

@StrokerAce90 I would think so, It's got to be oh so tempting for JGR to want to put Kurt Busch in that 20 car if Joey don't improve soon.