Free Agency Thread (2018 Silly Season underway!)

Free agency for the AARO will work akin to how it does in the primary stick-and-ball sports (NHL, MLB, NFL, etc.).

Some drivers, depending on age, will become Restricted Free Agents (RFA) this offseason. An RFA will have their rights kept by the team they were driving for, but will not be able to drive unless they are offered a contract, hence the term restricted free agency. Another team is able to extend an offer to qualify that driver and sign them to their team if the first team qualifies them. For instance, P.J. Boucher has been qualified by Ritcher Racing. Another team like Short Racing Technologies is able to match that offer, but they would have to give RR a pick or prospect in return. If an RFA is not qualified at all by their team, they immediately become an Unrestricted Free Agent.

An Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) is able to sign with any team they want, provided they receive a contract offer. Jalen Scransen, Barry Juveno and Jordan Tipsun are all key names in the free agency market and all of them are unrestricted. They can sign with a team if they offer them a contract. As far as contract guidelines go, those can be found here.

If there are any further questions, myself and Nick will do our best to answer them. Enjoy the craziness of the offseason!

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List of Qualified RFAs:
KGI: Cameron Kovaly
Ritcher: P.J. Boucher
Short: Tyler Hart, Alain Morel
Scawles: Francois Maxwell
JN: Anthony Foster
KDM: Mikko Ajarvi
Sauer: Trey Hertz
Simmons: Ryan Barley
Carson: Thomas Straka
JRM: TBA
Garth: Craig Bonnett
ACS: Rian Anderson
SPR: Darrel Lawton
Powell: TBA

List of Unqualified RFAs:
KGI: Jon Grobe
Short: Lincoln Short
JN: Damien Miller, Tim Hutchinson Jr., Justin Patterson
SDR: Brendan Hicketts
Sauer: Maxime Dumas
Simmons: Jonah Reagan
Carson: Marcel Davis, Nico Bassanelli
JRM: Silver Cody, Greg Knee (currently)
Garth: Evgeny Zimmerman, Jordy White
ACS: Rachel Gardner
Revolver: Etiénne Pancel, Chase Smith
Venture: Will Mazzone

List of Unrestricted Free Agents:
KGI: Kyle Korbett, Derek Lanigan
Ritcher: Clyde Latinger
Short: Brandon Sholl, Todd Short, Cody Renesse, Carter Davids
Scawles: Ty Smith
JN: Barry Juveno, Jason Carter
KDM: Frankie Stewart
Chautier: Jordan Tipsun, Brian Hensler, Earl McRae, Scott Greer
SDR: Preston Bell
Sauer: Jimmy Barley, Steven Conway
Simmons: Griffin Sharp
Carson: David Jugar, Jack Collins

Also, feel free to post your offseason news here! New or old users who want in for 2019 are welcome!

Niklas Hyerski has reportedly signed with Carson Racing (2 yr HYB, $825K AAV), Jared Kash has been bought out of his contract at Kenny Gerrelds Inc. and Jack Walter and Ross Lowrey have both retired. Jalen Scransen has received a lot of offers from teams around the league, but no official destination yet.

Jarrett Rodriguez has been picked up by Venture Autosport to drive in the Marathon Regional Tour. Southern Pride Racing (formerly Popeye's Racing) has moved to the MRT with a second team; one of the cars will be piloted by Darrel Lawton. Keith Davis Motorsports will not field an APRS team in 2019 and is in the process of finding a team that will take its assets.

Aaron Parker has been signed to an undisclosed amount (currently) by Scawles Racing to take on a reserve role at the team.

Nick Santiago and Powell Racing will be moving up to ANS in 2019. Santiago will be in the #61 car and will be sponsored by Coca-Cola and the team will also have a second car (number will either be 60 or 62), but no driver has been announce. As for Powell's MRT team nothing will change other than Dustin Boden replacing Michael Bell in the #60.

Charles Daughtry still has not signed a deal with a team in ANS yet, but expect something to come out of it in the upcoming weeks. Michael Bell who was kicked out of Powell Racing is still hopeful of picking up a ride in MRT.