Bob Pockrass
Fox Nascar Insider
More than half of the total -time groups of the Nascar Cup collection have a brand new driver or a brand new crew of the crew.
What groups or pilots have made the most effective strikes?
Fans of the Nascar will make their first look this weekend on the Clash on the Bowman Gray Stadium. Here is a have a look at the mixtures that would have the best influence.
1. Brad Keselowski-Jeremy Bullins (RFK Racing n. 6)
Brad Keselowski returned together with his head of the crew who guided him to 17 wins within the XFinity collection, and which brings an excellent ambiance. After all, Keselowski has a narrative of translation of Xfinity’s success with a crew of the crew within the success of the cup (see his pairing with Penske with Paul Wolfe). It appeared that Keselowski and the previous head of the crew Matt McCall had totally different concepts on adjustments, changes and configurations within the second half of final season. McCall has now moved to Motor Sports to Guglia in a task of Department of Competition.
2. Chase Briscoe-James Small (Joe Gibbs Racing n. 19)
Chase Briscoe replaces Martin Truex Jr. as a driver of this automotive jgr. Briscoe spent his 4 seasons within the Cup in Stewart-Has Racing, the place he gained two races within the final three years. Team n. 19 has gained three races within the final three years (all in 2023). This workforce desires to indicate what it might do with a youthful driver who may very well be extra receptive for the preparation primarily based on the information and heavy of the simulator presently requested from cup drivers.
3. Michael McDowell-Travis Peterson (Spend Motorsports n. 71)
Michael McDowell and the pinnacle of the crew Travis Peterson transfer from the Motorsport within the entrance row to the spire. And whereas many think about it a lateral transfer, will probably be as much as McDowell and Peterson to indicate how this transformation will enhance efficiency from a victory and 15 between the primary 10 years within the final two years. They have been a bit handicap final yr within the entrance row as a result of Peterson had been lower by among the info flows from Ford.
4. Noah Gragson-Dew Blickensderfer (first Row Motorsports n. 4)
Noah Gragson and the pinnacle of the crew designed Blickensderfer, coming from Shr after FRM purchased one of many Charter Shr. In their first yr collectively, that they had 5 among the many 5 and 10 Top-10 objectives, with a end of the twenty fourth within the standings. This was an enchancment from Gragson from his first half of the season within the cup in 2023. The two constituted a hyperlink and doubtless entered a extra secure scenario in 2025.
5. Justin Haley-Rodney Childers (Spend Motorsports n. 7)
Justin Haley and Rodney Childers are each new to show. Haley has arrived for the final seven races of 2024 and has closed twice within the high 20. The expectations are a lot greater for its first full season with the workforce, whereas the pinnacle of the whisper winner of the Childers Championship come from Shr, the place He spent nearly all of his profession with Kevin Harvick. Childers, who gained 40 cup races as head of the crew, appears to be a bit of a kid with this transfer. Not solely will his expertise be the important thing, however will it even be elementary in bringing concepts on how you can strengthen the alliance with Hedrick.
6. Shane Van Gisbergen-Stephen Doran (Trackhouse Racing n. 88)
Shane Van Gisbergen is likely one of the two cup rookie this yr (Riley Herbst is the opposite), and is mixed with Stephen Doran, a former SHR engineer who was a head of the crew of the newbie cup final yr at Spendi With Zane Smith. Svg gained his first begin of the cup in 2023 on the inaugural course of Chicago Street, he’s a 3 -time supercar champion and will probably be a menace to every highway route. How will he do on Otals in Cup after a yr in Xfinity? It is right here that an engineer like Doran should step it shortly.
7. Todd Gilliland-Cris Lawson (Front Row Motorsports n. 34)
The head of the crew Chris Lawson replaces Ryan Bergenty as head of the crew of Todd Gilliland (Bergenty Will Chief Chief Zane Smith) and has had the duty of constructing a workforce for the driving force who’s now FRM veteran with three years of expertise in cup. Lawson and Gilliland gained the races collectively within the East Series and within the vehicles. If they handle to depend on their success story, they may typically be a menace.
8. Denny Hamlin-Chris Gayle (Joe Gibbs Racing n. 11)
Denny Hamlin was paved when she found that Chris Gabehart would transfer to a task as director of the JGR competitors and would have a brand new crew of the crew for 2025. Chris Gayle arrives after being head of the crew within the final three seasons for Ty Gibbs , the place they ran nicely, however I might by no means discover the best way to Victory Lane. Gayle is attempting to not overview how the Hamlin workforce is managed. They have to start out shortly, since Hamlin is aware of that his years are numbered to win a championship.
9. Bubba Wallace-CHARLES DENKE (23xi Racing n. 23)
Bubba Wallace didn’t play the playoffs. So 23xi Racing opted to make a change to the pinnacle of Wallace’s crew. Danike has gained 10 races as head of the crew in truck, of which eight within the final two seasons with Christian Eckes. Perhaps extra essential is that he has a protracted -standing hyperlink with the co -owner of the Hamlin workforce, who ran towards the vehicles ready by Denake on quick tracks in Virginia.
10. Austin Dillon-Rhard Boswell (Richard Childress Racing n. 3)
Austin Dillon appears to be grouped after a troublesome 2024 the place each Keith Rodden and Justin Alexander had as crew of the crew. RCR employed Richard Boswell (who was head of the crew of Briscoe to Shr) and different members of the Shr workforce within the hope that the group might construct on what they have been doing in Stewart-Haas-Ma with Dillon and RCR.
Here is the remainder and so as of the automotive quantity:
10: Ty Dillon and Andrews Dickeson to Kaulig Racing-Dillon goes from sharing of the quantity 16 to a full-time function and is coupled with Dickeson, an engineer who got here from Richard Childress Racing.
16: AJ Allmendinger and Trent Owens-all-Amendinger takes management as full-time driver of Kaulig’s automotive n. 16 after his rotation of the drivers of final yr. Owens was the chief of the crew for Kaulig’s Daniel Hemric final yr.
21: Josh Berry and Miles Stanley – each are new for the Wood brothers, with Berry changing Harrison Burton and Stanley – an engineer Penske – who replaces the Bulllin.
35: Riley Herbst and Davin Restivo-the couple strikes from the Xfinity program of Stewart-Has Racing at 23xi Racing (a brand new third merchandise for 23xi). This is the Rookie Cup season for each.
38: Zane Smith and Ryan Bergenty – Smith replaces Michael McDowell (who was n. 34) and is mixed with Bergenty (who was head of the 38 crew with Gilliland).
41: Cole Custer and Aaron Kramer – Custer strikes from the group’s XFinity program to the cup as a part of the Rebrand of the Factory Haas workforce. Kramer comes from RFK, the place he was the principle engineer for Chris Buescher.
42: John Hunter Nemechek and Travis Mack – Mack comes from Kaulig Racing, the place he labored with workforce n. 16 (a wide range of pilots) and replaces Benhore.
43: Erik Jones and Ben Beshore – These two have been coupled on the finish of final yr. Beshore moved from John Hunter Nemechek’s Legacy Motor automotive to switch Dave ChiVo, who was issued by the legacy in the direction of the tip of final season.
51: Cody Ware and Billy Plourde – They appear to be prepared for a complete season after being mixed with the 9 Ware competitions within the automotive no. 51 cup in 2024.
54: TY GIBBS AND TYLER Allen – Allen strikes from the JGR XFINity program to switch Chris Gayle, who moved to the pinnacle of the Hamlin crew. Allen gained eight races with a wide range of JGR drivers within the XFinity collection final yr.
60: Ryan Preece and Derrick Finley – Preece joins the RFK races for his new automotive whereas Finley – who has 219 experiences of expertise as head of the cup crew – assumes the principle function of the prey crew after being in a wide range of Competition and engineering roles at RFK.
Bob Pockrass covers Nascar for Fox Sports. He spent many years to cowl motor sports activities, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with Espn durations, Sporting News, Nascar Scene Magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow it on Twitter @Bobpockrass.
Get extra from the Nascar Cup collection Follow your favorites to get info on video games, information and extra
