NASCAR drivers driving for different teams in 2018 season

By Asher Fair | Feb 9, 2018

KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 22: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 DeWalt Flexvolt Toyota, leads Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway on October 22, 2017 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

There have been many changes between the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season and the 2018 season. Let’s look at which drivers will be driving for different teams.

With the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season quickly approaching, as the 60th annual Daytona 500, which is set to kick off the season, is just days away, now is a great time to familiarize yourself with the drivers who will be driving different cars for different teams in 2018.

There were plenty of changes between the 2017 and 2018 Cup Series seasons that have sent numerous drivers to drive for different teams this season. Let’s have a look at each and every one of those changes that are set to affect this season’s full-time drivers. Keep in mind that there are other changes involving part-time drivers, but they are not discussed in this article.

At Hendrick Motorsports, Alex Bowman, 24, is set to replace the recently retired Dale Earnhardt Jr., 43, as the driver of the #88 Chevrolet. William Byron, 20, is set to replace Kasey Kahne, 37. While Kahne drove the #5 Chevrolet, Byron is actually set to drive the #24 Chevrolet, which had been driven by Chase Elliott, 22. Elliott is set to drive the #9 Chevrolet.

Neither Bowman nor Byron were full-time Cup Series drivers last season. Bowman was a simulator driver for Hendrick Motorsports, while Byron was the Xfinity Series champion as the driver of the #9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports.

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At Leavine Family Motorsports, Kasey Kahne is set to replace Michael McDowell, 33, as the driver of the #95 Chevrolet. At Front Row Motorsports, McDowell is set to replace Landon Cassill, 28, as the driver of the #34 Ford.

At Wood Brothers Racing, Paul Menard, 37, is set to replace Ryan Blaney, 24, as the driver of the #21 Ford. Menard previously drove the #27 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, which will not have a driver this season. At Team Penske, Blaney is set to take over the driving duties of the team’s third car, which is the #12 Ford.

At Richard Petty Motorsports, Darrell Wallace Jr., 24, is set to replace Aric Almirola, 33, as the driver of the #43 Chevrolet, although it was the #43 Ford when Almirola drove it. Wallace Jr. was a substitute driver for the team last season for four races when Almirola was injured. At Stewart-Haas Racing, Aric Almirola is set to replace Danica Patrick, 35, as the driver of the #10 Ford.

At Joe Gibbs Racing, Erik Jones, 21, is set to replace Matt Kenseth, 45, as the driver of the #20 Toyota. Jones previously drove the #77 Toyota for Furniture Row Racing, which will not have a driver this season.

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Which drivers will perform at a high level driving for new teams in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season, and which drivers will struggle? Tune in to the season from start to finish to find out. The season is set to last until Sunday, November 18th after starting with the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 18th.