NASCAR Cup Series: Way-too-early 2021 power rankings

Way-too-early 2021 NASCAR Power Rankings: #20 and #19

Many believed that Ross Chastain would be behind the wheel of the #42 Chevrolet immediately after Chip Ganassi Racing fired Kyle Larson four races into the 2020 season, but that did not happen. Instead of replacing Larson behind the wheel of this car, he is set to replace Matt Kenseth. But should Kenseth’s lack of pace be of concern of Chastain, who did not manage to win a single race in the 2020 Xfinity Series driving for Kaulig Racing despite incredible consistency which saw him record a series-high 27 top 10 finishes? It won’t be easy, and while the argument can be made that putting him in the #42 Chevrolet earlier could’ve helped him ahead of his first full season, not rushing him may have been the right move for Chip Ganassi.

Last season, I ranked the Stewart-Haas Racing’s rookie, Cole Custer, #13 in these rankings. He at least made me close by winning a race to secure a playoff berth and thus a top 16 finish in the championship standings, but despite being one of the “Big 3” of the Xfinity Series, his rookie season in the Cup Series proved to be a challenge. Chase Briscoe is now in a similar position after winning a series-high nine races in the 2020 Xfinity Series season en route to a Championship 4 berth. He has all the makings of a future star, but the jump to the Cup Series is by no means an easy adjustment. I am still a bit skeptical that he will contend in year one, especially since Stewart-Haas Racing have just one win by a driver other than Kevin Harvick in the last 77 races, during which time Harvick won 14 times.