Front Row finalizes No. 83 charter, lease to TriStar

Another charter in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is on the move, and this time it has Front Row Motorsports eyeing the future.

Friday, the organization revealed it had finalized the purchase of the charter from the No. 83 car at BK Racing in early December. While it gives Front Row three charters, the organization will only run two full-time cars in 2017 with Landon Cassill and David Ragan.

But the third charter will be used this year.

Front Row has leased the charter to TriStar Motorsports, a day after TriStar announced a return to the Cup Series with Cole Whitt driving the No. 72 Ford. Whitt is now guaranteed into every Cup race.

The charter will then return to Front Row ahead of the 2018 season as the organization stated they are preparing to expand to three cars.

"I'm proud of the way this team has grown since we first joined the sport, and we're here to stay," Front Row Motorsports team owner Bob Jenkins said in a team release. "Now we're taking the next step that will strengthen our foundation as a team and help us build more meaningful, lasting relationships on all levels – driver, sponsor, and manufacturer."

As for BK Racing, the team will operate with just one charter for this season with the No. 23 Toyota.

"I believe operating with one charter will allow this team to focus our resources in a way that will make us more competitive on the racetrack,” BK Racing team owner Ron Devine said in a statement. “I have the utmost confidence that we will give both Joey Gase in the No. 23 and Corey LaJoie in the No. 83 the equipment they need to give us a strong run in Daytona, and I’m eager to see Gray Gaulding do great in the No. 23 starting in Atlanta. As previously announced, Corey Lajoie will run multiple races in the No. 83 this season. Like last year, you will likely see the No. 93 on track from time to time as well. We have excellent, young talent this year, and I plan for this to be BK Racing’s most competitive year ever.”