The 2018 NASCAR season will be one full of changes for the #43 Richard Petty Motorsports. In addition to a brand new driver–rookie Darrell (“Bubba”) Wallace, Jr.–behind the wheel, the #43 team will also be dealing with a manufacturer change, as it was announced that RPM has aligned with Chevrolet after running Fords from 2010 through 2017. Before that, the organization ran Dodge race cars from 2001 through 2009.
The #43 team will be supplied chassis and engineering support from Richard Childress Racing, and the engines used in the #43 car will be from Earnhardt-Childress Racing. Looking back at last season, the Richard Childress Racing cars struggled quite a bit on the intermediate race tracks on the schedule but did show strength on short and flat tracks.
Cup Series History
Bubba Wallace has a very limited history in the NASCAR Cup Series. When Aric Almirola injured his back last season, Bubba was called in for replacement driving in four events, and he did show some promise. After a disappointing 26th-place finish at Pocono, Wallace improved with each passing race before posting an 11th-place result at Kentucky. He ended up with an average start of 22.5 and an average finish of 17.8.
Predictions for the Upcoming Season
From an engine standpoint, you have to wonder whether or not the switch to Chevrolet will force the Richard Petty Motorsports organization to take a step back in 2018. Not only did the Richard Childress Racing cars disappoint in 2017, but the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets weren’t at the level we’ve come to expect, either. And those type of struggles rarely get resolved in one offseason.
Additionally, is ECR Engines spreading itself too thin? In addition to providing engines for the two (maybe three) Richard Childress Racing teams, ECR will also be the engine supplier for Ty Dillon’s #13 car at Germain Racing, Chris Buescher’s and A.J. Allmendinger’s #37 and #47 cars at JTG-Daugherty, the #95 Leavine Family Racing car with Kasey Kahne behind the wheel, and of course Bubba Wallace’s #43 ride.
Overall Expectations: Honestly, you shouldn’t expect too much out of Bubba Wallace and the #43 team this season. If he matches Aric Almirola’s total of six top 10s from last season, Bubba’s rookie campaign can probably be considered a success. With all of the changes that this #43 team is going through next year, I’m expecting them to struggle quite a bit. Add in the fact that Richard Petty Motorsports has consistently been one of the under-performing teams in the Cup Series garage and you can’t really expect too much from this group.
Can Bubba Wallace win a Cup Series race in 2018? It’s hard to imagine the #43 Chevrolet getting to victory lane in 2018. There’s always a chance that the team could be at the right place at the right time to steal a win at a restrictor plate track–Aric Almirola did that at Daytona in 2014–but the Fords should once again be at the top of the charts on the superspeedways this season. Bubba hasn’t won a race in 85 total Xfinity Series starts thus far, and he probably won’t get one in his first 85 Cup Series starts, either.
Bubba Wallace as a Fantasy Option in 2018
DraftKings: You can expect Bubba Wallace to be priced similarly to how Aric Almirola was priced last season: right above the junk cars. With that being said, don’t be surprised if the #43 Chevrolet ends up being a good option in DraftKings in 2018; I’m expecting Bubba Wallace to struggle a bit in qualifying throughout the season, but he has the talent to challenge for a top 20 finish. He should be able to get a good amount of place differential points throughout the year to be a solid low-dollar choice on a weekly basis in DraftKings.
Season-Long Salary Cap Games: With this being his rookie season, Bubba Wallace will be priced accordingly in most salary cap games–and that’s near the bottom. With that being said, William Byron is in the exact same boat, and Alex Bowman will be a cheap option as well. Both of those drivers should have significantly better 2018 seasons that Bubba Wallace, so while it may be tempting to roll the dice with the new Richard Petty Motorsports driver, you’ll probably end up disappointed if you do so.
