Explaining Charter Placement for the 2018 Season

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As the 2018 NASCAR season is fast approaching, charters are beginning to take place. NASCAR implemented the charter program beginning in the 2016 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series to help bring value to the sport and a form of security. A full two seasons later it's still kicking but it's not as important as it was in 2016. Now the big news is whether a charter is sold or leased. After one season of being leased a charter must be used or sold. Here is a rundown of what the charter placement looks like for the 2018 season.

Charter Placement for the 2018 Season 

• The No. 32 of Go Fas Racing and Matt DiBenedetto will use their charter for the 2018 season after leasing it to the No. 21 of Wood Brothers Racing and at the time Ryan Blaney. His strong finish in the points last season gives GFR a good chunk of money in the bonus. 
• The No. 43 charter will be leased to the No. 51 and Rick Ware Racing where Ray Black Jr. will chase after the Rookie of the Year. Darrell Wallace Jr. will use the No. 44 charter that Go Fas Racing used in 2017. 
• The No. 77 charter was sold to an unnamed team that will be announced at a later date. As for the No. 77, it was shut down following the 2017 season, Erik Jones moves to Joe Gibbs Racing to replace Matt Kenseth. 
• As for the rest of the field, charters will remain the same as 2017. 
• StarCom Racing, MBM Motorsports, Beard Motorsports, BK Racing's No. 83, and Rick Ware Racing's second entry will all drive as open teams. These teams were part-time in 2017 and expected to do the same in 2018. 
• The Motorsports Group will run the full-season with an unknown driver, they will be the only full-time team to run without a charter.