NASCAR Cup Series: Confirmed, unconfirmed driver changes for 2019

Between the 2018 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series seasons, there are set to be several changes to the driver lineup. Here are the confirmed and unconfirmed changes up until now.

While a number of drivers are set to continue driving for the teams for which they drove in the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series season next year, the driver lineup is set to look a lot different than it did this past season for the 2019 season.

Many driver changes have been confirmed for the 2019 season, which is scheduled to start in under two months with the 61st annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida, but there are still several confirmations that have not yet been made.

Here is a list of the confirmed drivers, in alphabetical order, who are set to drive full-time for teams in the 2019 season for which they did not drive in the 2018 season.

Kurt Busch

Team in 2018: Stewart-Haas Racing
Car in 2018: #41 Ford
Team in 2019: Chip Ganassi Racing
Car in 2019: #1 Chevrolet
Replacing: Jamie McMurray
Being replaced by: TBD

Matt DiBenedetto

Team in 2018: Go Fas Racing
Car in 2018: #32 Ford
Team in 2019: Leavine Family Racing
Car in 2019: #95 Toyota
Replacing: Kasey Kahne (#95 Chevrolet)
Being replaced by: TBD

Daniel Hemric

Team in 2018: Did not compete in NASCAR Cup Series
Team in 2019: Richard Childress Racing
Car in 2019: #8 Chevrolet
Replacing: Ryan Newman (#31 Chevrolet)

Ryan Newman

Team in 2018: Richard Childress Racing
Car in 2018: #31 Chevrolet
Team in 2019: Roush Fenway Racing
Car in 2019: #6 Ford
Replacing: Trevor Bayne and Matt Kenseth
Being replaced by: Daniel Hemric (#8 Chevrolet)

Ryan Preece

Team in 2018: Did not compete in NASCAR Cup Series
Team in 2019: JTG Daugherty Racing
Car in 2019: #47 Chevrolet
Replacing: A.J. Allmendinger

Matt Tifft

Team in 2018: Did not compete in NASCAR Cup Series
Team in 2019: Front Row Motorsports
Car in 2019: #36 Ford
Replacing: N/A (Front Row Motorsports added third car)

Martin Truex Jr.

Team in 2018: Furniture Row Racing
Car in 2018: #78 Toyota
Team in 2019: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car in 2019: #19 Toyota
Replacing: Daniel Suarez
Being replaced by: N/A (Furniture Row Racing shut down)

#32 Go Fas Racing Ford

Driver in 2018: Matt DiBenedetto
Likely driver in 2019 (if applicable): Corey LaJoie

#41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford

Driver in 2018: Kurt Busch
Likely driver in 2019 (if applicable): Daniel Suarez

#77 Spire Sports + Entertainment Chevrolet

Driver in 2018: N/A
Likely driver in 2019 (if applicable): N/A

Here is a list of the drivers, in alphabetical order, who are set to be replaced by other drivers for the 2019 season but have not landed and/or will not land rides for next year.

A.J. Allmendinger

Team in 2018: JTG Daugherty Racing
Car in 2018: #47 Chevrolet
Replaced by: Ryan Preece
Future NASCAR plans: Unknown

Trevor Bayne

Team in 2018: Roush Fenway Racing
Car in 2018: #6 Ford (part-time)
Replaced by: Ryan Newman
Future NASCAR plans: Unknown

Kasey Kahne

Team in 2018: Leavine Family Racing
Car in 2018: #95 Chevrolet
Replaced by: Matt DiBenedetto (#95 Toyota)
Future NASCAR plans: Retired

Matt Kenseth

Team in 2018: Roush Fenway Racing
Car in 2018: #6 Ford (part-time)
Replaced by: Ryan Newman
Future NASCAR plans: Unknown

Jamie McMurray

Team in 2018: Chip Ganassi Racing
Car in 2018: #1 Chevrolet
Replaced by: Kurt Busch
Future NASCAR plans: Fox Sports NASCAR analyst, possible 2019 Daytona 500 entry

Daniel Suarez

Team in 2018: Joe Gibbs Racing
Car in 2018: #19 Toyota
Replaced by: Martin Truex Jr.
Future NASCAR plans: Likely to replace Kurt Busch at Stewart-Haas Racing as the driver of the #41 Ford

On a side note…

Landon Cassill drove in 29 of the 2018 season’s 36 races for StarCom Racing. He is set to continue driving for StarCom Racing in the 2019 season, but he is set to do so as the team’s full-time driver. He is set to drive the #00 Chevrolet.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Which drivers will have the most success driving for different teams in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season? Which drivers will end up landing the rides that still do not yet have confirmed drivers for the 2019 season? The 36-race season is scheduled to get underway in under two months, so expect to know the full driver lineup for next season in the near future. Also, be sure to tune in to all 36 of the season’s races.

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