NASCAR: Every 2021 driver lineup confirmation from 2020

Many of the seats in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series driver lineup were solidified during the 2020 season. Here is a brief rundown as the offseason commences.

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season is officially behind us, and many of the key storylines regarding Silly Season for the 2021 campaign are as well.

This is despite the fact that there are still a few notable free agents who are not signed for next year and the fact that there are plenty of open seats with decent teams.

Many of the confirmed seats in the 2021 driver lineup were solidified during the 2020 season itself, as not many drivers entered the year under contract to compete in the sport next year.

Here is a brief rundown of every confirmation, not necessarily in chronological order, that was made since NASCAR got to Daytona International Speedway back in February.

More from NASCAR Cup Series

It seems like a lifetime ago given what has transpired since then, but Stewart-Haas Racing kicked things off by securing the services of Kevin Harvick behind the wheel of the #4 Ford through the 2023 season.

Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney are both now set to return to Team Penske behind the wheels of the #2 Ford and #12 Ford, respectively. Christopher Bell is set to move from Leavine Family Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing to replace Erik Jones behind the wheel of the #20 Toyota, with Leavine Family Racing having been sold.

Matt DiBenedetto is set to return to Wood Brothers Racing behind the wheel of the #21 Ford, although that is a ride he won’t return to in 2022, with Team Penske Xfinity Series driver Austin Cindric provisionally set to replace him, barring a last-minute change like we saw earlier this year.

Ross Chastain is set to move from the Kaulig Racing Xfinity Series team to the Chip Ganassi Racing Cup Series team as the replacement for Matt Kenseth behind the wheel of the #42 Chevrolet. Kenseth replaced Kyle Larson earlier this year after Larson was fired following his usage of the N-word during an iRacing event that resulted in the loss of several sponsors.

Alex Bowman is set to return to Hendrick Motorsports, albeit behind the wheel of seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Chevrolet and not the #88 Chevrolet with Johnson having retired.

Kyle Larson is set to return to NASCAR behind the wheel of the renumbered #5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, effectively as Johnson’s replacement. William Byron is set to return for another year behind the wheel of the team’s #24 Chevrolet.

Aric Almirola is set to return to Stewart-Haas Racing behind the wheel of the #10 Ford. Stewart-Haas Racing also signed Xfinity Series driver Chase Briscoe to replace Clint Bowyer behind the wheel of the #14 Ford.

Daniel Suarez is set to move from Gaunt Brothers Racing to Justin Marks’s new team, Trackhouse Racing Team, behind the wheel of the #99 Chevrolet.

Bubba Wallace is set to move from Richard Petty Motorsports to Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s new team, 23XI Racing, behind the wheel of the #23 Toyota. Jones is set to replace Wallace behind the wheel of the #43 Chevrolet.

Tyler Reddick also confirmed that he is set to return for a second season at Richard Childress Racing behind the wheel of the #8 Chevrolet.

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

Also set to stay put for next year are Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, Team Penske’s Joey Logano, JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr., StarCom Racing’s Quin Houff, Roush Fenway Racing teammates Ryan Newman and Chris Buescher as well as Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr.

Home/NASCAR Cup Series