What to Expect From Each Driver Changing Teams for 2014 NASCAR Season
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is transitioning from the end of the regular season to the beginning of a crazy offseason, called “the Silly Season.”
The Silly Season consists of NASCAR teams changing drivers, manufacturer changes, crew chief changes and sponsor changes. Keeping up with the many changes in NASCAR’s Silly Season can be challenging but also exciting for fans.
The phrase "Silly Season" came about because the jockeying for a spot on a team can become “silly” at times. It is like a game of musical chairs, and no driver wants to be the one without a seat when the season is complete.
So far, there have been 10 major driver changes for the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Each team believes the changes it made will make it a better team in 2014, but is that really the case?
Here is a list of the 10 driver changes made so far and what to expect from each driver during the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
Austin Dillon, No. 3, Richard Childress Racing
1 of 10
Austin Dillon will drive the third car for Richard Childress Racing in 2014. The speculation is that he'll drive the No. 3 car for the team. This will be the first time the number has appeared on the race track full time since the late Dale Earnhardt drove the car.
Dillon is likely to compete for the Rookie of the Year (ROY) award in 2014. Last season, he competed in 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup races, with his best finish coming at Michigan, where he finished 14th.
The defending Nationwide Series champion will have a hard time making the Chase in his first full season in the Sprint Cup Series. However, a top-20 finish and the ROY award can be expected in 2014.
Kevin Karvick, No. 4, Stewart-Haas Racing
2 of 10
Kevin Harvick will drive the No. 4 car for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014. Rodney Childers will come over from Michael Waltrip Racing to be the crew chief for Harvick’s team.
Usually, when a driver changes teams, it is expected that it will take time for the new team to come together and win races. Matt Kenseth proved that theory wrong last year when he moved from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing. It took him just three races to find Victory Lane. The same can be expected from Harvick in 2014.
Harvick’s relationship with his new owner, Tony Stewart, should make it easier for him to transition to his new team. He will be one of the drivers racing for the championship at the end of the 2014 season.
Michael Annett, No. 7, Tommy Baldwin Racing
3 of 10
Michael Annett will take the place of Dave Blaney in the No. 7 car for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Annett will compete for the ROY award in 2014.
Last season, he finished 15th in the Nationwide Series standings. It will take some time for the young driver to learn to compete with the stronger competition in the Sprint Cup Series. A top-30 finish in the season-ending standings would be an accomplishment for Annett next season.
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Ryan Newman, No. 31, Richard Childress Racing
4 of 10
Ryan Newman will take over for Jeff Burton in the No. 31 car for Richard Childress Racing. He will bring over Quicken Loans as his primary sponsor, and Luke Lambert will serve as the team’s crew chief.
Newman made the Chase last season while driving for Stewart Haas racing. He finished the season 11th in the points standings with a win at his home race track in Indianapolis. It will be hard for Newman to match his 2013 results next season, though. He will be the veteran driver for Richard Childress Racing and will not have the help of Tony Stewart in the garage.
Newman will not make the 2014 Chase, but he will finish in the top 20.
Kurt Busch, No. 41, Stewart-Haas Racing
5 of 10
Kurt Busch will be another new driver in the Stewart-Haas Racing stable. Busch will drive the No. 41 car for the team with Haas Automation as the primary sponsor and Daniel Knost serving as the crew chief.
It was amazing to see what the elder Busch was able to do in the No. 78 car for Furniture Row Racing in 2013. He was the biggest surprise of all the drivers who made the Chase.
Busch will have no problem finding Victory Lane in 2014 and will be one of the 12 drivers competing in the Chase.
Kyle Larson, No. 42, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing
6 of 10
Kyle Larson will take over for Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 car for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
Larson is one of the most talented young drivers in the Sprint Cup Series and is expected to compete for the ROY award in 2014. The only reason he will not win the award is because Austin Dillon will have more experience and better equipment than him.
Larson will shock fans and win a race in 2014, but his up-and-down season will only get him a top-25 finish in the final standings.
A.J. Allmendinger, No. 47, JTG Daugherty Racing
7 of 10
After bouncing around for two seasons, A.J. Allmendinger has found a permanent ride in the No. 47 car for JTG Daugherty Racing.
Last season, he drove the car in nine races. His best finish in the No. 47 car came at Watkins Glen, where he finished 10th.
The team will switch from Toyota engines and chassis to Chevy next season. The new Earnhardt Ganassi engines will allow Allmendinger a better chance to compete in 2014.
A top-20 finish for Allmendinger would be a great accomplishment for the team.
Justin Allgaier, No. 51, Harry Scott Racing
8 of 10
Justin Allgaier will drive the No. 51 car for Harry Scott Racing in 2014. He will bring Brandt over from his Nationwide Series team to be the primary sponsor. The team was lucky to sign Tony Stewart’s former crew chief, Steve Addington, to be the man on the pit box in 2014.
Allgaier will compete for the ROY award in 2014, but the chances of him winning the award are slim. Addington will give the team the help it needs to be competitive, but a top-30 finish in the standings is all that can be expected from Allgaier next year.
Brian Vickers, No. 55, Michael Waltrip Racing
9 of 10
Brian Vickers took over for Mark Martin in the No. 55 car for Michael Waltrip Racing halfway through the 2013 season. He will drive the car full-time in 2014.
Vickers drove the No. 55 car in 14 Sprint Cup races last season. He had an average finish of 17.7 and a victory at Loudon.
If he can stay healthy in 2014, he will be a sleeper pick for the Chase. He has proven to be a competitive driver when given the chance.
Martin Truex Jr., No. 78, Furniture Row Racing
10 of 10
Martin Truex Jr. will replace Kurt Busch in the No. 78 car for Furniture Row Racing in 2014.
Truex’s departure from Michael Waltrip Racing was one of the surprise moves during the Silly Season.
Last season, Busch was able to make the Chase in the No. 78 car. That will not be the case with Truex, however. If he is able to finish in the top 15 next year, he can consider the season a success.
If you want more information about NASCAR’s Silly Season, check out Jayski.com's 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Chart.
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