NASCAR: Full driver lineup prediction for the 2024 season

With the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season scheduled to come to an end this Sunday afternoon, let’s look ahead to next year’s lineup.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to come to an end this Sunday afternoon with the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway, where one of four remaining title contenders is set to be crowned champion.

The last several months have also seen several announcements regarding the 2024 driver lineup, including a few unexpected silly season developments. But not all 36 chartered entries have been solidified for next year.

Here is our best guest for what next year’s driver lineup will look like.

NASCAR Cup Series: Chevrolet

Hendrick Motorsports

• No. 5 – Kyle Larson
• No. 9 – Chase Elliott
• No. 24 – William Byron
• No. 48 – Alex Bowman

All four entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

JTG Daugherty Racing

• No. 47 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse is confirmed for a fifth season with JTG Daugherty Racing.

Kaulig Racing

• No. 16 – Ty Dillon
• No. 31 – Daniel Hemric

Hemric has been confirmed as the replacement for Justin Haley, while Dillon is rumored to replace A.J. Allmendinger, who will likely be sent back to Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series team to compete for the championship.

Richard Childress Racing

• No. 3 – Austin Dillon
• No. 8 – Kyle Busch

Both entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

Spire Motorsports

• No. 7 – Corey LaJoie
• No. 77 – Carson Hocevar
• No. TBD – Zane Smith

LaJoie is set to return for a fourth season with the team, but the rest of the lineup is changing. Hocevar is set to replace Ty Dillon, and Spire Motorsports have purchased a third charter from Live Fast Motorsports to field an entry for Smith. Smith is set to compete for the team on loan after signing a multi-year contract with Trackhouse Racing Team.

Trackhouse Racing Team

• No. 1 – Ross Chastain
• No. 99 – Daniel Suarez

Both entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

NASCAR Cup Series: Ford

Front Row Motorsports

• No. 34 – Michael McDowell
• No. 38 – Todd Gilliland

Despite speculation of the team moving on from Gilliland in favor of Zane Smith, both entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

Rick Ware Racing

• No. 15 – Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, J.J. Yeley, possibly others
• No. 51 – Justin Haley

Haley confirmed in July that he is set to leave Kaulig Racing to compete full-time for Rick Ware Racing, a move that many believe puts him in the Ford camp to eventually emerge as Brad Keselowski’s replacement at RFK Racing.

Whether he drives the No. 15 Ford or the No. 51 Ford remains to be seen, but we’re going with the No. 51 since that is the car that had been driven full-time by Cody Ware before his arrest.

Rick Ware Racing have always run a shared entry, and Almirola refused to rule out running part-time after announcing his departure from Stewart-Haas Racing. Newman has also made the most of his time with the team in 2023 and figures to be a part of it next year as well. Rick Ware Racing regular Yeley will also likely be back for a seventh straight year.

RFK Racing

• No. 6 – Brad Keselowski
• No. 17 – Chris Buescher

Both entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

Stewart-Haas Racing

• No. 4 – Josh Berry
• No. 10 – Noah Gragson
• No. 14 – Chase Briscoe
• No. 41 – Ryan Preece

Berry is set to replace the retiring Kevin Harvick, and both Briscoe and Preece are set to return. As for the outgoing Almirola, his replacement behind the wheel of the No. 10 Ford has not yet been named, but Noah Gragson has emerged as the favorite. Gragson lost his ride with Legacy Motor Club a few months ago after “liking” an inappropriate social media meme.

Team Penske

• No. 2 – Austin Cindric
• No. 12 – Ryan Blaney
• No. 22 – Joey Logano

All three entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

Wood Brothers Racing

• No. 21 – Harrison Burton

Burton is confirmed for a third season with Wood Brothers Racing, despite speculation that he could be dropped.

NASCAR Cup Series: Toyota

Legacy Motor Club

• No. 42 – John Hunter Nemechek
• No. 43 – Erik Jones

Both entries are confirmed, with Jones set to return and Nemechek set to replace Gragson amid Legacy Motor Club’s switch from Chevrolet to Toyota.

Joe Gibbs Racing

• No. 11 – Denny Hamlin
• No. 19 – Martin Truex Jr.
• No. 20 – Christopher Bell
• No. 54 – Ty Gibbs

All four entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

23XI Racing

• No. 23 – Bubba Wallace
• No. 45 – Tyler Reddick

Both entries are confirmed, with no changes from 2023.

All things considered, three chartered entries are still without confirmed drivers for 2024, while the other 33 are all confirmed — and each with full-time drivers. There will likely be 35 drivers competing for next year’s Cup Series title.