Yes, the logical answer is for Richard Childress Racing. But it’s not an easy answer. Even if family ties make Dillon seem a shoo-in.

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An answer could come in the next few weeks as a knot of strings, most notably involving sponsors, is unraveled.

Team owner Richard Childress is, after all, Ty’s grandfather. And grandpa already has Austin Dillon as a full-time Cup driver. It smacks of nepotism, this apparent family collection. It also seems unlikely Childress will be splitting heirs.

The Dillon brothers aren’t weak sisters in NASCAR. Austin, 26, won championships in what are now the Xfinity Series and the Truck series. Ty, 24, is more a work in progress but has done well in his Cup races this season.

The answer to our opening question — for whom — comes with subplots. Childress fields three Cup teams, with Ryan Newman and Paul Menard in the other two seats. And neither of those drivers has a contract beyond 2016. An organization is allowed to field four Cup teams. 

Jump to conclusion if you will. But remember what Childress said earlier this year.

“I think [Ty will] be in a Cup car next year,” Childress told NBC Sports. “I’m pretty sure he’ll be in a Cup car. We’re working on some different programs. Hell, he may be with us, who knows? We’re just working on a lot of different things.

“Right now it’s just a lot of things hanging. We’re trying to put together what’s going to be the best for everybody, not just for RCR, but for the drivers and the sponsors, we’re trying to put together good programs.”

Another twist in this plot? Menard’s father is founder of the Menard’s home improvement chain. Guess who is primary sponsor of Menard’s No. 27 car? And Childress has said he expects that sponsorship will continue.

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If Menard is safe, attached firmly by sponsor money, does that mean Newman is on the bubble?

If he is, it’s through no fault of his own. Ahead of July 31’s race at Pocono, Newman was 14th in the Cup Chase standings and in position to make the championship series. Menard was 24th. One place ahead of Newman was Austin Dillon.

Two years ago, “Rocket Man” Newman was in the Chase championship final four, losing to Kevin Harvick. Bitter pill time: Harvick began his career with Childress and left amid acrimony involving the Dillons.

After crashes with Ty in a 2013 Truck race, Harvick let out his frustration. “That’s exactly the reason I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those punk-ass kids coming up,” Harvick said. The door didn’t hit Harvick’s rear end as he headed to Stewart-Haas Racing.

Last year, Newman returned to the Chase but was eliminated after the second round.

The biggest failing for Richard Childress Racing is its failure to win races. The most recent Childress driver to stand in victory lane was Harvick in 2013.

In fact, Childress cars finished in the top five just 24 times since then.

Newman is in his third season with Childress but said this week that he isn’t sure how much longer he will be in the fold.

“We haven’t talked about it in-depth yet, but we have talked about it,” Newman said. “Hopefully, we’ll get to sit down and talk about it soon.”

In the meantime, Newman continues to be competitive as a points-style racer. Problems occur, like last week’s late crash at Indianapolis when he was collected by Carl Edwards. Still, Newman can’t be dismissed lightly at any track.

“We’re kind of getting back into that zone of having better finishes, better runs,” Newman said.

Unless Childress wants to add a fourth car — remote possibility, not a likely one — either Menard or Newman will be out of a ride. Another scenario is getting Dillon into a back-marker affiliate full time, and he has been splitting time for Circle Racing-Leavine Family Racing. He got three rides in place of Tony Stewart early in the year.

Newman, a veteran racer, says: “If they’ll have me back, I’ll be there.”  Contributing: NASCAR.com