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2020 season preview: Front Row Motorsports

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Editor's note: Today's Front Row Motorsports preview continues NASCAR.com's countdown of team previews for the NASCAR Cup Series season, ranked in order of best finish in last year's owner standings. MORE: Changes to know for the 2020 season FRONT ROW MOTORSPORTS Manufacturer: Ford Engine: Roush Yates Drivers: Michael McDowell, John Hunter Nemechek Crew chiefs: Drew Blickensderfer (McDowell), Seth Barbour (Nemechek) What’s new: Nemechek will make his full-time Cup Series debut at the Daytona 500 in February, driving the No. 38 Ford Mustang. The organization is pivoting back to a two-car effort in 2020. Team strength: Fielding just two full-time cars in the Cup Series – minus one from the past two seasons – Front Row will be able to shift more focus and assets toward veteran McDowell and young Nemechek. The strategic combination of experience and youthful energy should provide a refreshing team outlook and new excitement for 2020. The Action Network Best Bet: McDowell is always a driver I target at superspeedways. He had two top-five finishes last season – the Daytona 500 at Daytona and the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega – so I’m looking to take him in top-10 finish prop bets whenever the Cup Series visits those racetracks. – PJ Walsh Racing Insights Number to Know: Six. Six of the organization’s eight top-five finishes have come at superspeedways, including a pair in 2019. – Racing Insights MICHAEL MCDOWELL: No. 34 Ford 2019 Stats: Two top fives, 10 top 20s, 18 laps led; 24.2 average finish 2020 Championship Odds: 5,000-1 Fantasy Live picks: Daytona, Watkins Glen, Charlotte Roval Outlook: McDowell may be a consistent threat to win at superspeedways after posting the highest finish of his career at Talladega and the second-highest at Daytona in 2019. He's also a sneaky driver at road courses. Three of his four top 10 starting positions came in the second half of last year, so look for him to bring more consistent qualifying speed throughout the 2020 season. JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK: No. 38 Ford 2019 Stats (Xfinity/Cup): Six top fives, 19 top 10s and a 12.5 average finish in 33 NXS starts/23.7 average finish in three NCS starts 2020 Championship Odds: 5,000-1 Fantasy Live picks: Talladega, Daytona, Michigan Outlook: Alongside a star-studded rookie class, Nemechek aims to be right in the mix for Sunoco Rookie of the Year this season. The 22-year-old got his feet wet filling in for Matt Tifft at the close of the 2019 season and now takes over the seat that David Ragan occupied for the past three seasons.
NASCAR.com 2020 team previews schedule Jan. 20: Teams outside the top 30 Jan. 21: Go Fas Racing Jan. 22: Front Row Motorsports Jan. 23: Richard Petty Motorsports Jan. 24: Germain Racing Jan. 27: Leavine Family Racing Jan. 28: Richard Childress Racing Jan. 29: JTG Daugherty Racing Jan. 30: Wood Brothers Racing Jan. 31: Roush Fenway Racing Feb. 3: Hendrick Motorsports Feb. 4: Chip Ganassi Racing Feb. 5: Team Penske Feb. 6: Stewart-Haas Racing Feb. 7: Joe Gibbs Racing