NASCAR Cup Series Rankings: Evaluating New Driver-Crew Chief Pairings for the 2024 Season
Introduction: A New Era of NASCAR Partnerships
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season marks a significant shift in the dynamics of driver-crew chief collaborations, with 12 of the 36 full-time cars featuring either new drivers or new crew chiefs. This article delves into these fresh pairings, analyzing their potential for success in the upcoming season.
Ranking the New NASCAR Pairings: Predicting Success
To rank these partnerships effectively, we consider driver-crew chief pairings that have completed fewer than 11 races together last year in their current ride. Here’s a comprehensive ranking based on predicted success for the 2024 season:
1. Daniel Suarez and Matt Swiderski (Trackhouse Racing No. 99):
– Swiderski joins Suarez as his crew chief, replacing Travis Mack, who moved to Kaulig Racing.
– Suarez finished 19th in the 2023 standings, higher than anyone else on this list.
– Swiderski’s experience includes a Cup race win with AJ Allmendinger in 2023.
– The key challenge lies in elevating Suarez to the level of teammate Ross Chastain, who secured two wins and a ninth-place finish in 2023.
2. Austin Cindric and Brian Wilson (Penske Racing No. 2):
– Cindric and Wilson’s partnership began during the 2023 playoffs, part of a crew chief swap at Penske affiliate Wood Brothers Racing.
– Their shared Xfinity title provides hope for Cindric’s improvement in his third season.
– A slight concern arises from Cindric’s average points per race dropping from 18.5 to 14.5 after the crew chief change.
3. Josh Berry and Rodney Childers (Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4):
– Berry takes over for the retired Kevin Harvick, who made the playoffs in a winless 2023 season.
– Childers, a former racer and successful crew chief with 40 Cup wins, joins Berry.
– This pairing holds promise, considering Childers’ experience and Berry’s potential.
4. John Hunter Nemechek and Ben Beshore (Legacy Motor Club No. 42):
– Nemechek and Beshore come from JGR, where they won seven Xfinity races together.
– Beshore has three Cup wins as a former crew chief for Kyle Busch.
– The question remains on Legacy’s potential improvement after switching from Chevrolet to Toyota.
5. Zane Smith and Stephen Doran (Spire Motorsports No. 71):
– Smith, the 2022 truck series champion, joins Spire on loan from Trackhouse Racing.
– Doran, formerly Harvick’s lead engineer at SHR, joins Smith.
– Both Smith and Doran are new to Spire, which is expanding from a two-car team.
– They aim to achieve respectable results in their new environment.
6. Noah Gragson and Drew Blickensderfer (Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10):
– Gragson replaces Aric Almirola, finishing 33rd in the standings before his release from Legacy in 2023.
– Blickensderfer remains as crew chief, with four career Cup wins under his belt.
– Gragson has shown potential with 13 career Xfinity wins but needs to rebound from a disappointing 2023 season.
7. Justin Haley and Chris Lawson (Rick Ware Racing No. 51):
– Haley moves from Kaulig Racing to RWR as its anchor driver, finishing 26th in the 2023 standings.
– Lawson joins Haley after serving as Zane Smith’s crew chief at Front Row Motorsports.
– RWR continues to build its organization, showing signs of progress in 2023.
– The No. 51 car seeks to improve its 35th place finish in the owner points from last year.
8. Harrison Burton and Jeremy Bullins (Wood Brothers Racing No. 21):
– Burton finished 31st in the 2023 standings, partnering with Bullins for the final 10 races.
– Their chemistry showed promise, with Burton averaging 10 points per race compared to 13.5 points per race earlier in the season.
– Burton and Bullins aim to start the 2024 season on a strong note.
9. Carson Hocevar and Luke Lambert (Spire Motorsports No. 77):
– Hocevar joins Spire after winning four truck races in 2023, despite controversies and dustups.
– He and Lambert worked together for eight Cup races in 2023, achieving five top-20 finishes.
– Hocevar’s rookie season presents challenges, especially in a developing organization like Spire.
10. Daniel Hemric and Trent Owens (Kaulig Racing No. 31):
– Hemric returns to full-time Cup competition after winning the Xfinity title in 2021.
– Owens guided Haley to 26th place in the 2023 standings.
– Kaulig Racing faces some uncertainty with an unnamed driver for the No. 16 car, potentially impacting Hemric’s performance.
11. TBA and Travis Mack (Kaulig Racing No. 16):
– Kaulig plans to rotate drivers in this car, including Xfinity drivers Josh Williams and AJ Allmendinger.
– The lack of consistency due to rotating drivers may hinder this team’s success.
12. Kaz Grala and Billy Plourde (Rick Ware Racing No. 15):
– Grala will participate in 25 races for RWR, with Riley Herbst likely driving in the Daytona 500.
– Grala aims to gain experience in this ride after finishing 17th in the Xfinity standings in 2023.
Conclusion: A Season of Change and Potential
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season promises excitement and uncertainty as new driver-crew chief pairings embark on their journeys. Each team faces unique challenges and opportunities, and only time will tell which partnerships will flourish and which will face adversity. As the season unfolds, fans will witness the evolution of these relationships and the impact they have on the overall standings.