New Teams, New Numbers...And it's Only September

Photo Credit:  Streeter Lecka for Getty Images

It's only the beginning of September and drivers are already switching teams like it's going out of style.

On Friday, the NASCAR community learned that Joey Logano would not be returning to Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2012 season due to a full-time Cup Series ride not being available for him because of a lack of sponsorship.  This is a big step for Logano, who has spent his entire NASCAR career with Joe Gibbs Racing.  Logano has two Sprint Cup Series wins:  one at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2009 and the second one at Pocono Raceway in June of this year.  However, success hasn't found Joey in the Sprint Cup Series, but in the Nationwide Series, he has the most wins this season: six.  It was released that Joey Logano would be going over to Penske Racing to fill the No. 22 starting in 2013.  I know what you're thinking, "What's going to happen to Sam Hornish, Jr.?"  I'm not worried about Sam; he's doing well in the Nationwide Series, and I think that Penske will keep Hornish in Nationwide for at least another year before bringing him up to the Sprint Cup Series full-time.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Next driver moving to a new home:  Matt Kenseth.  Kenseth announced earlier this year that he would not be re-signing with Roush-Fenway Racing for the 2013 season and beyond.  Kenseth, who has had a lot of success with Roush-Fenway Racing, including twenty-two Cup Series wins and a Championship in 2003, will  be heading over to Joe Gibbs Racing.  It was announced on Tuesday, September 4, that Kenseth will be piloting the No. 20, formerly driven by Joey Logano, starting next season. 

For some reason, I don't think that this is the last of the drivers switching teams for next season.