NASCAR Cup Series: 5 drivers who will improve in 2021

The start to the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season is right around the corner. The offseason has been full of schedule shakeups, driver changes, and new organizations joining the sport. However, many of the sport’s top drivers are staying put. Of this group, which five are the most likely to improve in performance?

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season was headlined by the dominance of Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin. The two combined for 16 victories and had average finishes of 7.3 and 9.3, respectively. Their performance throughout the campaign limited others’ opportunities for wins.

The only other drivers with more than one win on the season were Chase Elliott (five), Brad Keselowski (four), and Joey Logano (three). While these three did finish as the top three in the championship standings, the entire story of the 2020 season is impossible to tell without focusing on Harvick and Hamlin.

Such domination is hard to repeat at the Cup Series level; thus, a touch more parity is likely to ensue in 2021. Along with drivers who could regress this year, there are drivers who are primed to improve from their 2020 seasons and contribute to said parity.

Among 2020’s 16 playoff drivers, all but the retired Clint Bowyer will return to the same team. Despite a plethora of changes, these 15 drivers, among others, have a shot to improve without heading to new organizations.

Let’s take a look at five drivers, among those returning to the same teams, who will take a step up in 2021.