Here we are! The 2018 NASCAR season is set to
begin at Daytona, and I could not be more excited. We're coming off a year with 3
first-time winners, several great races, and about the best champion you could
ask for in Martin Truex Jr... While some drivers are no longer in Cup – most
notably Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth – new faces will join us in 2018,
including the likes of William Byron and Darrell Wallace Jr…
Once again, I'll keep track of the Cup season as if several modern adjustments hadn't been put in place... For starters, I'll keep track of the season's points using the last structure to not use stage points: 2016... The winner gets 40 points (plus bonus points for winning, and leading laps), while 40th place gets 1 point... Also, I don't factor in the playoffs... hence the term "classic points." The driver who puts together the best 36-race season is your champion on this blog!
With that, here's a look at your NASCAR Cup Series drivers for 2018...
Once again, I'll keep track of the Cup season as if several modern adjustments hadn't been put in place... For starters, I'll keep track of the season's points using the last structure to not use stage points: 2016... The winner gets 40 points (plus bonus points for winning, and leading laps), while 40th place gets 1 point... Also, I don't factor in the playoffs... hence the term "classic points." The driver who puts together the best 36-race season is your champion on this blog!
With that, here's a look at your NASCAR Cup Series drivers for 2018...
2018 NASCAR Cup Drivers
Age: 36
12th season in Cup
2017 stats: 5 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 26th
AJ Allmendinger returns to JTG-Daugherty Racing’s #47 Chevrolet. Allmendinger’s
2017 highlight was finishing 3rd in the Daytona 500. He looks to win
his first Cup race since Watkins Glen in 2014, 122 races ago…
Aric Almirola
Age: 33
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 28th
2017 was a tough season for Aric Almirola. He broke his back in a hard crash at Kansas in May, forcing him to miss seven races, and surprisingly not more. He finished 2017 on a higher note, with 3 top-tens in his last six races. After six full seasons driving the famed #43 for Richard Petty Motorsports, Almirola moves to Stewart Haas Racing this year, replacing Danica Patrick in the #10.
Ryan Blaney
Age: 24
5th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 14 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 17th
2017 was a breakout year for Ryan Blaney. The 24-year old posted 14 top-tens, and won his first race at Pocono in June. This year, Blaney moves from the Wood Brothers to Team Penske, where he will pilot the #12 Ford, joining teammates Brad Keselowski, and Joey Logano.
Alex Bowman
Age: 24
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: No Cup starts
Alex Bowman takes a powerful step this season, replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the #88 Chevrolet. Bowman is no stranger to Cup; he raced full seasons in 2014 and 2015 with BK Racing... In 2016 he filled in for Dale Jr., who was out with a concussion. In ten starts in the #88, Bowman had three top-tens, including a race at Phoenix where he started from the pole and led the most laps. Bowman didn’t compete in a single Cup event last season, but he’s set to be a favorite driving for Hendrick Motorsports.
Clint Bowyer
Age: 38
14th season in Cup
2017 stats: 13 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 12th
After going winless for five straight seasons, Clint Bowyer hopes for more success in 2018. Last year, Bowyer put up several good runs in the #14; finishing 2nd three times... He returns for a second year at Stewart Haas, seeking his first Cup win since Charlotte in October 2012...
Chris Buescher
Age: 25
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 25th
Chris Buescher returns for a second season with JTG-Daugherty Racing, in the #37 Chevrolet. The former Xfinity champion posted 4 top-tens in 2017, and had an average finish of 21st. Buescher hasn’t won – or come close – since his fluke victory in 2016 at a rain shortened Pocono race.
Kurt Busch
Age: 39
19th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 15 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 15th
Winning his first Daytona 500 with a last lap pass was Kurt Busch’s greatest moment of 2017. Everything went downhill from there, as Busch had multiple poor finishes throughout the year, leading to a 15th in classic points. He returns for a fifth season with Stewart Haas, in the #41 Ford.
Kyle Busch
Age: 32
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 5 wins, 22 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 2nd
It was quite the adventurous 2017 for Kyle Busch; one where he never seemed to leave the headlines... After a fight with Joey Logano at Las Vegas, Busch found just about every way to lose a race. It wasn’t until Pocono in July where he finally went to victory lane, preceding to dominate the second half of the season... There were still several rough weekends, including crashing with Martin Truex Jr. at Indianapolis, or needing medical attention immediately after a rough race at Charlotte in October. Busch mounted the biggest challenge to Truex Jr.’s championship, but fell short. He’s a heavy favorite heading into 2018.
William Byron
Age: 20
1st season in Cup
Coming off powerful seasons in Trucks, then the Xfinity series, William Byron is ready to take on the Cup drivers. The 20-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina makes his Cup series debut in the Daytona 500, driving the #24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Byron had 4 Xfinity wins in 2017, and took home the championship.
Matt DiBenedetto
Age: 26
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 32nd
Matt DiBenedetto and Go Fas Racing gained ground in 2017. DiBenedetto drove the #32 Ford to top tens in both the Daytona 500, and the Brickyard 400. He returns this year for his second full season with the team, and a growing legion of fans...
Austin Dillon
Age: 27
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 4 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 19th
After years of overhype, Austin Dillon finally pulled through with his first career Cup win in the Coca Cola 600, being handed the race with 2 to go when leader Jimmie Johnson ran out of gas. Aside from his win, Dillon had the lousiest resume of all playoff drivers in 2017. He only recorded 4 top-tens, and barely graced the top-20 in classic points.
Ty Dillon
Age: 25
5th season in Cup
2017 stats: 36 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 24th
Ty Dillon returns to Germain Racing in 2018 to field the #13 Chevrolet for a second season. The younger Dillon brother failed to record a single top-ten in his first full season, but had a few strong runs, including at Dover’s June race. Despite the poor results, Dillon only failed to finish three races in 2017.
Jeffrey Earnhardt
Age: 28
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 34 starts, 0 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 36th
The Earnhardt tradition will continue, as fourth generation driver Jeffrey Earnhardt will compete in the Daytona 500, with StarCom Racing. Driving with Circle Sport-TMG last year, Earnhardt finished a season best of 26th in three separate races, and had countless DNF’s due to accidents and part failures. Plans for Earnhardt’s full season haven’t been finalized, pending on sponsorship… After Dale Jr.’s retirement, Earnhardt returns to Daytona with the hopes of millions of fans on his shoulders.
Chase Elliott
Age: 22
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 21 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 6th
What else could you ask Chase Elliott to do in 2017? The driver recorded 21 top-tens, including five runner-up finishes, but he just couldn’t get that first win. His 6th in points is the best season for a winless driver since Ryan Newman in 2014. Elliott moves to the #9 this year, honoring his father, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott.
Denny Hamlin
Age: 37
14th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 22 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 5th
Denny Hamlin had an adventurous year in the #11 FedEx Toyota. A highlight would be his thrilling win in the Southern 500, with a throwback scheme honoring “Mr. Modified” Ray Hendrick. Hamlin then lost some fans at Martinsville, after dumping Chase Elliott while battling for the lead. The drivers’ feud continued through the rest of the season… Nonetheless, Hamlin came home 5th in classic points. It was his 12th straight season with a victory, once again proving himself as one of NASCAR’s most consistent drivers.
Kevin Harvick
Age: 42
18th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 23 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 3rd
It was another great season for “Happy Harvick.” He used good strategy to win Sonoma, then pulled off a huge feat at Texas in November, by beating Martin Truex Jr. at a 1.5 mile track. It’s amazing that he didn’t win more... Harvick has proven himself as NASCAR’s most consistent driver in the last few years. He has at least 20 top-ten finishes in each of the last 5 seasons, the only driver with that feat. Harvick enters 2018 looking for a 4th classic championship. He is now the 2nd oldest full-time driver in the sport.
Erik Jones
Age: 21
3rd season in Cup
2017 stats: 5 top-5’s, 14 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 18th
The pride of rural Michigan had a great rookie season. Erik Jones had plenty of good runs in 2017, and some close bouts with victory, including the Bristol night race in August. He ended the year with 14 top-tens, and Rookie of the Year honors. He looks for his first Cup win as he moves to Joe Gibbs Racing, and the #20 Toyota.
Kasey Kahne
Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 20th
If not for Kasey Kahne’s win in a crash-filled Brickyard 400, 2017 would have been even worse for the now departed Hendrick driver. Kahne had his worst average finish in a decade, only managing six top-tens. After six seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne will pilot the #95 for Leavine Family Racing, replacing Michael McDowell.
Brad Keselowski
Age: 34
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 wins, 21 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 4th
2017 was another great season for Brad Keselowski... The Michigan native scored two early season victories at Atlanta and Martinsville, before getting his 5th win at Talladega - now the leader among active drivers. Keselowski will seek his second championship this year, his 9th full season with Team Penske.
Kyle Larson
Age: 25
6th season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 wins, 20 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 7th
Kyle Larson had a breakout year in 2017. The 25-year-old dominated the big tracks, sweeping Michigan and winning at California. He also notched first short track win, taking Richmond in September. For the first half of the season, Larson looked like the man to beat. But everything slowly went downhill after a 35-point penalty at Kentucky, the up-and-down summer that followed, and four-straight DNF’s in the fall. Larson, who had 12 top-two finishes, just needs to find consistency in 2018.
Jamie McMurray
Age: 41
17th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 top-5’s, 17 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 9th
Jamie McMurray rode the consistency train all year long in 2017, proving that his season is exactly what NASCAR’s new format does not benefit. While “Jamie Mac” only recorded 3 top-fives, he still had his best average finish (14.6), and classic points finish since 2004. Despite that, he failed to make it to victory lane, and heads into 2018 with a 148-race winless streak. It will be his 9th season driving the #1 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi.
Paul Menard
Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 top-5’s, 3 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 22nd
2018 will be a fresh start for Paul Menard. The 37-year-old will join the Wood Brothers in the storied #21 Ford. The Daytona 500 will also be Menard’s 400th career start. He looks to improve on his last two seasons with Richard Childress Racing, where he finished 23rd and 22nd in classic points. Menard is also hoping to snap a 232-race winless streak, dating back to the 2011 Brickyard 400.
Ryan Newman
Age: 40
19th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 13 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 11th
It’s hard to believe Ryan Newman is now a 40-year-old veteran in the Cup series. Newman provided a feel-good victory for Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix – his first since 2013 – by holding off the field with old tires on a late restart... He returns to the #31 Chevrolet for a fifth season with RCR. Newman is one of only five full-time drivers remaining from the Winston Cup era.
Danica Patrick
Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Age: 30
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 9 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 16th
After four winless full seasons, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finally had a breakthrough year. He got his first career win at Talladega, followed up with another plate win at Daytona. He had a career best 9 top-tens throughout the year, and a career best 16th in classic points. This hopefully means some resurgence for Roush Fenway Racing, which hadn’t visited victory lane since 2014 with Carl Edwards.
Daniel Suarez
Age: 26
2nd season in Cup
2017 stats: 12 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 13th
Daniel Suarez had a great rookie season, overshadowed by not making the playoffs or winning a race. Regardless, he had 12 top-ten finishes, including a strong performance at Watkins Glen, where he finished 3rd. Suarez narrowly missed out on Rookie of the Year honors, finishing runner-up to his now-teammate Erik Jones... He begins his second full season with Joe Gibbs Racing in the #19 Toyota.
Cole Whitt
Age: 26
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 36 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 33rd
After 148 career starts, Cole Whitt is scaling back in the Cup series. Opting for more time with his family, Whitt will drive in select races for TriStar Motorsports this year… His best finish of 2017 was a 12th at Indianapolis.
Age: 33
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 28th
2017 was a tough season for Aric Almirola. He broke his back in a hard crash at Kansas in May, forcing him to miss seven races, and surprisingly not more. He finished 2017 on a higher note, with 3 top-tens in his last six races. After six full seasons driving the famed #43 for Richard Petty Motorsports, Almirola moves to Stewart Haas Racing this year, replacing Danica Patrick in the #10.
Trevor Bayne
Age: 26
9th season in Cup
2017 stats: 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 21st
Trevor Bayne has shown progress driving for Roush Fenway’s #6 Ford. 2017 was his best full-season yet, posting six top-10’s, and an average finish of 19.5… He still has yet to win since his upset victory in the 2011 Daytona 500.9th season in Cup
2017 stats: 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 21st
Age: 24
5th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 14 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 17th
2017 was a breakout year for Ryan Blaney. The 24-year old posted 14 top-tens, and won his first race at Pocono in June. This year, Blaney moves from the Wood Brothers to Team Penske, where he will pilot the #12 Ford, joining teammates Brad Keselowski, and Joey Logano.
Age: 24
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: No Cup starts
Alex Bowman takes a powerful step this season, replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the #88 Chevrolet. Bowman is no stranger to Cup; he raced full seasons in 2014 and 2015 with BK Racing... In 2016 he filled in for Dale Jr., who was out with a concussion. In ten starts in the #88, Bowman had three top-tens, including a race at Phoenix where he started from the pole and led the most laps. Bowman didn’t compete in a single Cup event last season, but he’s set to be a favorite driving for Hendrick Motorsports.
Age: 38
14th season in Cup
2017 stats: 13 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 12th
After going winless for five straight seasons, Clint Bowyer hopes for more success in 2018. Last year, Bowyer put up several good runs in the #14; finishing 2nd three times... He returns for a second year at Stewart Haas, seeking his first Cup win since Charlotte in October 2012...
Age: 25
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 25th
Chris Buescher returns for a second season with JTG-Daugherty Racing, in the #37 Chevrolet. The former Xfinity champion posted 4 top-tens in 2017, and had an average finish of 21st. Buescher hasn’t won – or come close – since his fluke victory in 2016 at a rain shortened Pocono race.
Age: 39
19th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 15 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 15th
Winning his first Daytona 500 with a last lap pass was Kurt Busch’s greatest moment of 2017. Everything went downhill from there, as Busch had multiple poor finishes throughout the year, leading to a 15th in classic points. He returns for a fifth season with Stewart Haas, in the #41 Ford.
Age: 32
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 5 wins, 22 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 2nd
It was quite the adventurous 2017 for Kyle Busch; one where he never seemed to leave the headlines... After a fight with Joey Logano at Las Vegas, Busch found just about every way to lose a race. It wasn’t until Pocono in July where he finally went to victory lane, preceding to dominate the second half of the season... There were still several rough weekends, including crashing with Martin Truex Jr. at Indianapolis, or needing medical attention immediately after a rough race at Charlotte in October. Busch mounted the biggest challenge to Truex Jr.’s championship, but fell short. He’s a heavy favorite heading into 2018.
Age: 20
1st season in Cup
Coming off powerful seasons in Trucks, then the Xfinity series, William Byron is ready to take on the Cup drivers. The 20-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina makes his Cup series debut in the Daytona 500, driving the #24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. Byron had 4 Xfinity wins in 2017, and took home the championship.
Age: 26
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 32nd
Matt DiBenedetto and Go Fas Racing gained ground in 2017. DiBenedetto drove the #32 Ford to top tens in both the Daytona 500, and the Brickyard 400. He returns this year for his second full season with the team, and a growing legion of fans...
Age: 27
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 4 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 19th
After years of overhype, Austin Dillon finally pulled through with his first career Cup win in the Coca Cola 600, being handed the race with 2 to go when leader Jimmie Johnson ran out of gas. Aside from his win, Dillon had the lousiest resume of all playoff drivers in 2017. He only recorded 4 top-tens, and barely graced the top-20 in classic points.
Age: 25
5th season in Cup
2017 stats: 36 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 24th
Ty Dillon returns to Germain Racing in 2018 to field the #13 Chevrolet for a second season. The younger Dillon brother failed to record a single top-ten in his first full season, but had a few strong runs, including at Dover’s June race. Despite the poor results, Dillon only failed to finish three races in 2017.
Age: 28
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 34 starts, 0 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 36th
The Earnhardt tradition will continue, as fourth generation driver Jeffrey Earnhardt will compete in the Daytona 500, with StarCom Racing. Driving with Circle Sport-TMG last year, Earnhardt finished a season best of 26th in three separate races, and had countless DNF’s due to accidents and part failures. Plans for Earnhardt’s full season haven’t been finalized, pending on sponsorship… After Dale Jr.’s retirement, Earnhardt returns to Daytona with the hopes of millions of fans on his shoulders.
Age: 22
4th season in Cup
2017 stats: 21 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 6th
What else could you ask Chase Elliott to do in 2017? The driver recorded 21 top-tens, including five runner-up finishes, but he just couldn’t get that first win. His 6th in points is the best season for a winless driver since Ryan Newman in 2014. Elliott moves to the #9 this year, honoring his father, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott.
Gray Gaulding
Age: 20
3rd season in Cup
2017 stats: 27 starts, 1 top-10
Classic points finish: 35th
Gray Gaulding will compete in his first
Daytona 500, driving for BK Racing. At 20, Gaulding will be the youngest driver
in the field… He’s coming off a rookie season where he had a single top-ten
finish, 9th at Talladega last fall. Full season plans are up in the
air, as BK Racing faces a lawsuit over unpaid loans, and has not announced a
full-time driver. Gaulding will drive a white, sponsorless #23 Toyota in the
500…
Age: 37
14th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 22 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 5th
Denny Hamlin had an adventurous year in the #11 FedEx Toyota. A highlight would be his thrilling win in the Southern 500, with a throwback scheme honoring “Mr. Modified” Ray Hendrick. Hamlin then lost some fans at Martinsville, after dumping Chase Elliott while battling for the lead. The drivers’ feud continued through the rest of the season… Nonetheless, Hamlin came home 5th in classic points. It was his 12th straight season with a victory, once again proving himself as one of NASCAR’s most consistent drivers.
Age: 42
18th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 23 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 3rd
It was another great season for “Happy Harvick.” He used good strategy to win Sonoma, then pulled off a huge feat at Texas in November, by beating Martin Truex Jr. at a 1.5 mile track. It’s amazing that he didn’t win more... Harvick has proven himself as NASCAR’s most consistent driver in the last few years. He has at least 20 top-ten finishes in each of the last 5 seasons, the only driver with that feat. Harvick enters 2018 looking for a 4th classic championship. He is now the 2nd oldest full-time driver in the sport.
Jimmie Johnson
Age: 42
18th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 wins, 11 top-10's
Classic points finish: 14th
The oldest full-time NASCAR driver is now, believe it or not, Jimmie Johnson. The driver of the #48 Chevy is also the longest tenured driver with any team, first driving for Hendrick in 2001. Johnson won three times in 2017, with early-season victories at Texas, Bristol, and Dover. A lack of consistency cost him; Johnson only had 11 top-tens and finished 14th overall... This year, Mr. 7-Time* is also going for his 4th classic championship... He won the old format in 2006, 2009, and 2013, and since then hasn't placed better than 6th...
The oldest full-time NASCAR driver is now, believe it or not, Jimmie Johnson. The driver of the #48 Chevy is also the longest tenured driver with any team, first driving for Hendrick in 2001. Johnson won three times in 2017, with early-season victories at Texas, Bristol, and Dover. A lack of consistency cost him; Johnson only had 11 top-tens and finished 14th overall... This year, Mr. 7-Time* is also going for his 4th classic championship... He won the old format in 2006, 2009, and 2013, and since then hasn't placed better than 6th...
Age: 21
3rd season in Cup
2017 stats: 5 top-5’s, 14 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 18th
The pride of rural Michigan had a great rookie season. Erik Jones had plenty of good runs in 2017, and some close bouts with victory, including the Bristol night race in August. He ended the year with 14 top-tens, and Rookie of the Year honors. He looks for his first Cup win as he moves to Joe Gibbs Racing, and the #20 Toyota.
Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 6 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 20th
If not for Kasey Kahne’s win in a crash-filled Brickyard 400, 2017 would have been even worse for the now departed Hendrick driver. Kahne had his worst average finish in a decade, only managing six top-tens. After six seasons with Hendrick Motorsports, Kahne will pilot the #95 for Leavine Family Racing, replacing Michael McDowell.
Age: 34
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 wins, 21 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 4th
2017 was another great season for Brad Keselowski... The Michigan native scored two early season victories at Atlanta and Martinsville, before getting his 5th win at Talladega - now the leader among active drivers. Keselowski will seek his second championship this year, his 9th full season with Team Penske.
Corey Lajoie
Age: 26
3rd season in Cup
2017 stats: 32 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 34th
The son of 2-time Busch Series champion Randy
Lajoie, Corey Lajoie will switch gears this season. Lajoie leaves BK Racing,
and will drive for TriStar Motorsports, competing in a majority of races for
the #72 team. He looks to improve on his best career finish of 11th,
at Daytona last July.
Age: 25
6th season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 wins, 20 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 7th
Kyle Larson had a breakout year in 2017. The 25-year-old dominated the big tracks, sweeping Michigan and winning at California. He also notched first short track win, taking Richmond in September. For the first half of the season, Larson looked like the man to beat. But everything slowly went downhill after a 35-point penalty at Kentucky, the up-and-down summer that followed, and four-straight DNF’s in the fall. Larson, who had 12 top-two finishes, just needs to find consistency in 2018.
Joey Logano
Age: 27
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 17 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 10th
One of the biggest surprises of 2017 was Joey Logano’s disappointing season. After a good start, Logano’s win at Richmond was encumbered for a rear suspension issue. He followed that up with five straight finishes of 21st or worse, failed to win again, and did not qualify for the playoffs. After three straight years of finishing 2nd in classic points, Logano finished up 2017 in 10th.Age: 27
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 17 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 10th
Michael McDowell
Age: 33
11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 top-10
Classic points finish: 27th
Michael McDowell gets a fresh start in 2018, moving to Front Row Motorsports and replacing Landon Cassill in the #34 Ford. McDowell recorded a single top-ten finish in 2017, a 4th place in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona. On a positive note, he also only recorded two DNF’s all year.11th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 top-10
Classic points finish: 27th
Age: 41
17th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 top-5’s, 17 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 9th
Jamie McMurray rode the consistency train all year long in 2017, proving that his season is exactly what NASCAR’s new format does not benefit. While “Jamie Mac” only recorded 3 top-fives, he still had his best average finish (14.6), and classic points finish since 2004. Despite that, he failed to make it to victory lane, and heads into 2018 with a 148-race winless streak. It will be his 9th season driving the #1 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi.
Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 top-5’s, 3 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 22nd
2018 will be a fresh start for Paul Menard. The 37-year-old will join the Wood Brothers in the storied #21 Ford. The Daytona 500 will also be Menard’s 400th career start. He looks to improve on his last two seasons with Richard Childress Racing, where he finished 23rd and 22nd in classic points. Menard is also hoping to snap a 232-race winless streak, dating back to the 2011 Brickyard 400.
Age: 40
19th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 win, 13 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 11th
It’s hard to believe Ryan Newman is now a 40-year-old veteran in the Cup series. Newman provided a feel-good victory for Richard Childress Racing at Phoenix – his first since 2013 – by holding off the field with old tires on a late restart... He returns to the #31 Chevrolet for a fifth season with RCR. Newman is one of only five full-time drivers remaining from the Winston Cup era.
Age: 35
7th season in Cup
2017 stats: 1 top-10
Classic points finish: 29th
Danica Patrick plans to end her NASCAR career in this year’s Daytona 500, driving the #7 GoDaddy Chevrolet for Premium Motorsports. Patrick made history in the Cup series, becoming the first female driver to ever sit on the pole. She posted a single top-ten finish in 2017, a 10th place at Dover.
David Ragan
Age: 32
13th season in Cup
2017 stats: 3 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 30th
David Ragan continues his second stint with Front Row Motorsports, piloting the #38 Ford. He has been one of FRM’s mainstay drivers – only David Gilliland has made more Cup starts with the team. Ragan posted 3 top-tens last season, including 6th at Daytona in July, a race he came close to winning… With new teammate Michael McDowell, Ragan looks for more success, and his first win since Talladega in 2013…
Age: 30
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 2 wins, 9 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 16th
After four winless full seasons, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finally had a breakthrough year. He got his first career win at Talladega, followed up with another plate win at Daytona. He had a career best 9 top-tens throughout the year, and a career best 16th in classic points. This hopefully means some resurgence for Roush Fenway Racing, which hadn’t visited victory lane since 2014 with Carl Edwards.
Age: 26
2nd season in Cup
2017 stats: 12 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 13th
Daniel Suarez had a great rookie season, overshadowed by not making the playoffs or winning a race. Regardless, he had 12 top-ten finishes, including a strong performance at Watkins Glen, where he finished 3rd. Suarez narrowly missed out on Rookie of the Year honors, finishing runner-up to his now-teammate Erik Jones... He begins his second full season with Joe Gibbs Racing in the #19 Toyota.
Martin Truex Jr.
Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 8 wins, 26 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 1st
What else can you say? Martin Truex Jr. is the man! His championship was the ultimate feel-good story of the year, and his best season yet. Truex won a staggering eight races in 2017, and posted 19 top-fives… he even had five straight top-3 finishes to end the season. Truex Jr. returns to the #78 for Furniture Row Racing, looking to win back-to-back titles.Age: 37
15th season in Cup
2017 stats: 8 wins, 26 top-10’s
Classic points finish: 1st
Darrell Wallace Jr.
Age: 24
2nd season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 41st
One of the biggest stories heading into 2018 is Bubba Wallace. He’s not only making headlines for being NASCAR’s first black driver in years, but also because he finally has the Cup ride that he deserves. Wallace made four starts in the famed #43 last year, subbing for an injured Aric Almirola. His good driving was enough to land him a full-time job. Wallace also had an impressive Truck series win at Michigan last year, in his only Truck series start of the season. He now leads Richard Petty Motorsports into a new era, as the #43 switches to Chevrolet.Age: 24
2nd season in Cup
2017 stats: 4 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 41st
Age: 26
8th season in Cup
2017 stats: 36 starts, no top-10’s
Classic points finish: 33rd
After 148 career starts, Cole Whitt is scaling back in the Cup series. Opting for more time with his family, Whitt will drive in select races for TriStar Motorsports this year… His best finish of 2017 was a 12th at Indianapolis.
Final thoughts
Now the part where I predict this
year’s champion… Clearly with NASCAR’s current ‘playoff’ format, it’s almost
impossible to predict who will be in the final four at Homestead. So instead, I’m
picking your ‘classic points’ champ; basically the driver who would win the old
Winston Cup format on consistency.
 |
| Kyle Busch celebrates his victory at Dover last October, one of his five victories in 2017 |
This year I’m picking Kyle Busch.
Last year, ‘Rowdy’ had some tough luck, and despite his powerful runs, didn’t
even win a race until the 2nd half of the season. If not for that,
he could have easily beat Martin Truex Jr. for the title. The only question is
whether or not the new Chevrolets will have the power to dethrone Toyota this season. So far, the Camaro body has looked pretty stout. Depending on
that, I could also make a strong case for Chase Elliott or Kyle Larson.
As for the season, I’m not a fan
of the schedule changes, or in some cases, the schedule itself. I don’t believe
moving Indianapolis to the final ‘regular season’ race will add any drama. I
also don’t understand Charlotte’s attempt at a “roval” race, which through
multiple tests, has looked ungodly slow… Out of 36 races, there are still 11
races on 1.5 mile tracks, also known as “cookie-cutters,” and only six on short
tracks (Compare this to a season like 1996, where the Cup drivers raced on a
1.5 mile track only four times, but raced eight times on short tracks). Not to
mention, Las Vegas, Kansas, and Texas all have two race dates this year, while
New Hampshire is now down to a single race in July. That means you’ll see the
same dull, processed-looking racing 11 times…
Regardless of the complaints, I’m
still excited for the year to begin. As a Michigan native, I look forward to
both race dates at MIS, and maybe even a trip to an out-of-state track this
fall...
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