NASCAR Cup Series: 2019 full-time driver lineup set
By Asher Fair
With Spire Motorsports not set to have a full-time driver in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, the full-time driver lineup for the 2019 season is set.
Following the announcement that former Joe Gibbs Racing driver Daniel Suarez would be the replacement for Kurt Busch behind the wheel of the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, it was widely believed that there was only one full-time ride remaining for which a full-time driver had not yet been confirmed.
This was true in that Spire Motorsports, which became the newest team in the Cup Series after purchasing the charter that the now defunct Furniture Row Racing team used to field the #78 Toyota before they shut down following the conclusion of the 2018 season, had not yet named a full-time driver of their #77 Chevrolet.
However, despite the fact that several signs pointed to them do so, especially the fact that this charter sale was the most expensive charter sale in Cup Series history, Spire Motorsports will not have a full-time driver of the #77 Chevrolet in the 2019 season.
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This was confirmed when it was announced that they will be partnering with Chip Ganassi Racing to field the #40 Chevrolet for Jamie McMurray in the 2019 season opener, the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida on Sunday, February 17.
For the first time since the 2002 season, McMurray will not compete on a full-time basis in the Cup Series this year, as he is set to become an analyst for the Fox Sports NASCAR broadcast team. This means that at least one other driver will drive for Spire Motorsports in the 2019 season, likely as the driver of the #77 Chevrolet.
As a result, the full-time driver lineup is set for the 2019 season. A total of 34 drivers are set to compete on a full-time basis in the series this year.
Here is a grouping of drivers who are set to return to their teams from the 2018 season next season, drivers who are set to switch teams for next season, new drivers who are set to enter the Cup Series next season and drivers from the 2018 season who are not set to return to the sport in 2019.
No change
Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Jimmie Johnson are all set to return to Hendrick Motorsports while Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick are set to return to Stewart-Haas Racing and Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Erik Jones are set to return to Joe Gibbs Racing. Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano are set to return to Team Penske while Michael McDowell and David Ragan are set to return to Front Row Motorsports.
Kyle Larson is set to return to Chip Ganassi Racing while Ty Dillon is set to return to Germain Racing, Chris Buescher is set to return to JTG Daugherty Racing, Austin Dillon is set to return to Richard Childress Racing, Darrell Wallace Jr. is set to return to Richard Petty Motorsports, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is set to return to Roush Fenway Racing and Paul Menard is set to return to Wood Brothers Racing.
New teams
Kurt Busch is set to drive for Chip Ganassi Racing while Ryan Newman is set to drive for Roush Fenway Racing, Daniel Suarez is set to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing, Martin Truex Jr. is set to drive for Furniture Row Racing and Matt DiBenedetto is set to drive for Leavine Family Racing.
New drivers
Ryan Preece is set to drive for JTG Daugherty Racing while Daniel Hemric is set to drive for Richard Childress Racing, Matt Tifft is set to drive for Front Row Motorsports, Corey LaJoie is set to drive for Go Fas Racing and Tanner Berryhill is set to drive for Obaika Racing.
Old drivers out
Jamie McMurray is set to leave Chip Ganassi Racing while Matt Kenseth and Trevor Bayne are set to leave Roush Fenway Racing as part-time drivers. A.J. Allmendinger is set to leave JTG Daugherty Racing and Kasey Kahne is set to leave Leavine Family Racing.
On a side note…
Ross Chastain competed nearly full-time for Premium Motorsports in the 2018 season, but he was ineligible to score points as a result of the fact that he was eligible to score points in the Xfinity Series. As of now, he is set to drive full-time for the team in the 2019 season, and he is set to be eligible to score points since he no longer has a ride in the Xfinity Series lined up for him.
Landon Cassill competed nearly full-time for StarCom Racing in the 2018 season, and he is set to drive full-time for the team in the 2019 season.
Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark
Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to host the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season opener, the 61st annual Daytona 500, at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 17. Be sure to tune in to Fox for the live broadcast of this race, and click here to read more details about this season’s schedule.