NASCAR Cup Series: Early 2020 power rankings

#18 and #17

Matt DiBenedetto was one of the most improved drivers if not the most improved driver in the Cup Series last season, not just from a career standpoint or a season to season standpoint but from an individual year standpoint. As Leavine Family Racing’s first season with a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing progressed, they made big strides, and DiBenedetto showed that he is more than capable of capitalizing when given good equipment, most notably by almost winning the August race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Landing a ride with Wood Brothers Racing as the replacement for the retired Paul Menard is by far the best opportunity he has had. What can he do this time around at a different one-car team, one that also have a technical alliance with a top-tier team in Team Penske?

The 2019 Cup Series champion was Kyle Busch, but the driver of the year discussion can’t go on without Ryan Newman being included. He did more with less throughout the entire season, and he turned that into Roush Fenway Racing’s second playoff appearance since 2014 in his first year driving for the team and the #6 Ford’s first playoff appearance since 2006 when Mark Martin qualified for the postseason. He and the team made big strides throughout the 2019 campaign, and their best results came late, with two top five finishes, including a second place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, in the playoffs. We know what Newman is capable of if he advances to the playoffs, so don’t sleep on him in 2020.