What to watch for in 2021 NASCAR season
The NASCAR offseason is getting awful small in the rear-view mirror.
In fact, if you find yourself on I-95 between Charlotte and Daytona this week, don’t be surprised if you see a hauler or two headin’ south!
Before we officially get to Speedweeks, though, let’s make sure we’re all up to speed on the 2021 season.
Here’s a cheat-sheet on the four big teams:
First gear
There will be no shortage of storylines at Hendrick Motorsports this season.
Kyle Larson is back in NASCAR after losing his Chip Ganassi seat last spring for using a racial slur during an iRacing event. He’ll be in the No. 5 Hendrick Chevy, which is also back in the stable for the first time since the Kasey Kahne days.
Alex Bowman will be the new driver of the No. 48 after Jimmie Johnson’s retirement, while William Byron will be working with his third different crew chief (Rudy Fugle) in four years.
Oh yeah, then there’s Chase Elliott—the defending Cup champion and NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver.
Probably worth monitoring him as well.
Second gear
Let’s shift over to the Joe Gibbs camp. Denny Hamlin is still searching for that elusive Cup title despite having one of the best years of his career last season. Hamlin won seven races, but couldn’t close the deal for the second year in a row, finishing fourth in the
Championship race.
Kyle Busch, meanwhile, is coming off one of his worst seasons. The two-time Cup champion won just once in 2020, and wasn’t a part of the Championship Four for the first time since 2014. Think he’ll be motivated?
Same can be said about Martin Truex Jr., who also visited Victory Lane just once last season.
Finally, there’s a new driver in the No. 20, where Christopher Bell will replace Erik Jones. Bell had seven top-10s in the No. 95 Toyota last year.
Third gear
Plenty of things to talk about over in the Team Penske stable, too.
Joey Logano is coming off a thirdplace showing last season, and is three years removed from his only Cup title.
Brad Keselowski signed a contract extension with Penske last summer, but the Associated Press reported it was only through 2021. Could this be a walkyear for the 2012 champion?
Ryan Blaney has long been viewed as one of NASCAR’s rising stars, but he’s won just four races in five years. He’s coming off a solid 2020 season with 17 top-10sand11 top-5s. He’ll be looking for that breakout year in 2021.
Fourth gear
That brings us to Stewart-Haas Racing.
Kevin Harvick won a career-high nine races last season, yet stumbled down the stretch and somehow missed the championship race. The 45-year-old last won a Cup title in 2014, and figures to be plenty motivated as he starts his 21st Cup season.
Aric Almirola had career-highs in laps led (305) and top-10s (18) in 2020, bu t he’s currently in the middle of a twoyear winless streak. Don’t be shocked if he’s in the mix to break that at Daytona.
And then there’s Chase Briscoe, who will somehow have to replace NASCAR’s best personality — Clint Bowyer.
Briscoe, who will wheel the No. 14 Ford, won nine Xfinity races last year.