The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season continues to bring about new rules, changes to the season schedule, and some new curiosities. 

One of the biggest surprises was the pit road rule change. One less crew member is allowed to work on the car during pit stops, slowing them down. This gives teams the opportunity to explore how they want to use their men to have the fastest possible pit stop. The Chevrolet cars are at a slight disadvantage, as the new Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is being used instead of the Chevrolet SS.

This year, the thirty-six race schedule continues to shift race order.  The race at Chicagoland Speedway will be the seventeenth race of the season. The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis will be the final race of the regular season, and the second Richmond race will be moved to the second race of the ten race playoff. Instead of having two races in New Hampshire, there will be a second race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (the first race of the playoff).

However, the greatest changes come with the rosters of drivers. Older generations continue to fade away as young lads try to become legends. Erik Jones is in his second season, but left Furniture Row Racing in the off-season to take retired Matt Kenseth’s seat in the #20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing. Third generation racer Ryan Blaney left the historic Wood Brothers team to join Team Penske and make it a three-car team; Paul Menard left Richard Childress Racing to take his place. As for Hendrick Motorsports, Kasey Kahne left to replace Michael McDowell in the #95, and his replacement, rookie William Byron, drives the #24 since Chase Elliott switched the number nine that his father Bill Elliott made famous years ago. Two of NASCAR’s most historic drivers are now retired: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., son of seven time champion Dale Earnhardt, and Danica Patrick, NASCAR’s most successful female driver. Dale is being replaced by Alex Bowman in the #88 for Hendrick Motorsports. Danica, who ran her final race in the 2018 Daytona 500, is having her #10 car for Stewart-Haas Racing driven by Aric Almirola. Almirola, who drove the #43 for NASCAR King Richard Petty, is being replaced by rookie Darrell “Bubba” Wallace, Jr.  

This is going to be one exciting season! Get ready to race!

~Connor Zody