DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Hailie Deegan continues to inch toward her superspeedway debut in the ARCA Menards Series, but she’s kept her aspirations mostly in check. But even a measured, moderate approach has its limits.
“If you’re any type of driver, you want to win — end of story,” Deegan said just before opening practice for Saturday’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway. “That’s my goal. That’s everyone else’s goal, but I think we have to have realistic expectations, kind of see where we balance out in practice before we get ahead of ourselves, see where our single-run speed is, where we run in the draft.”
Deegan’s No. 4 DGR-Crosley Ford wound up on top of the speed chart in first practice for Saturday’s Lucas Oil 200 Driven by General Tire (4:30 p.m. ET, FS1), the first race of her rookie ARCA Menards Series campaign. While mentioning a potential win in one breath, the 18-year-old driver also expressed her hopes for a clean race and steering clear of the chaos that often follows the series on its biggest tracks.
While she still has to wait out the outcome of Saturday afternoon qualifying (12:30 p.m. ET), her No. 4 Ford already has proven credentials. Todd Gilliland drove the same DGR-Crosley chassis — skinned last year as a Toyota — to second place in the Daytona event last season and a victory at sister track Talladega Superspeedway in 2019.
Besides the change in manufacturers, the car has a different look from the moment it was unveiled at the Ford Performance Center to signal her jump to the Dearborn automaker. An aggressive set of teeth around the grille were borrowed — with sponsor Monster Energy’s sign-off — from the rally car graphics formerly used by her father, X Games standout Brian Deegan.
“I was like, we need to spice this up a little bit,” she said, “and plus my spotter couldn’t tell which car was mine.”
Deegan’s competition come Saturday should be stout, including teammates Tanner Gray and Thad Moffitt in two more Fords from veteran David Gilliland’s organization.
Deegan is actually one of three women scheduled to start Saturday’s 200-miler. Dominique Van Wieringen, who topped preseason testing last month, will pilot the Rette Jones Racing No. 30 Ford; Natalie Decker, the ARCA Daytona pole winner in 2018, is set to drive Ken Schrader’s No. 52 Ford.
Michael Self, last year’s ARCA Menards Series runner-up, will vie for his second Daytona victory in the last three years in a return to Venturini Motorsports. He’ll team with Drew Dollar and Ryan Repko, two drivers with four ARCA starts between them.
Riley Herbst — like Deegan, a former NASCAR Next class member — will bring a Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 Toyota to the fray. He’s finished 10th in the ARCA opener the last two seasons.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2020) – NASCAR® and Penn Interactive, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming, Inc. (PENN: NASDAQ) (“Penn National” or the “Company”), announced today a new multi-year partnership that will make Penn National an authorized gaming operator of NASCAR in the United States. The partnership is Penn National’s first with a professional sports league and will center around a brand new, free-to-play, mobile game named NASCAR Finish Line, which offers users the chance to win a $50,000 jackpot every race.
In addition, NASCAR and Penn National have extended their long-standing race title sponsorship for the “Hollywood Casino 400” at Kansas Speedway through 2026, deepening the connection between the two entertainment companies. The partnership furthers Hollywood Casino’s position as the Official Casino Partner of Kansas Speedway and the race title sponsor of the NASCAR Cup SeriesTM race that is scheduled for October 18, 2020.
“We’re thrilled to have Penn National on board as our first authorized gaming operator to strengthen our effort to increase fan engagement with a platform perfect for in-play experience,” said Craig Neeb, Executive Vice President, Innovation, NASCAR. “Coupled with our landmark deal with Genius Sports in 2019, this partnership also positions NASCAR to take advantage of the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across the country.”
“We are very excited to enter this long-term, strategic partnership with NASCAR,” said Jennifer Weissman, Chief Marketing Officer for Penn National. “We look forward to the opportunity to provide NASCAR fans multiple outlets for their fandom, including online on a new free-to-play mobile game and at our destination casinos and sportsbooks.”
The free-to-play NASCAR Finish Line mobile game is available ahead of the DAYTONA 500 across iOS and Android phones and tablets and can be downloaded on the App Store and Google Play store. Players can win the $50,000 jackpot by accurately predicting the race winner and the highest finishers across six different groupings of six drivers.
“I’m excited that we have extended our title race sponsorship agreement with Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway and as a company, that we are expanding our relationship with Penn National,” said Kansas Speedway President Patrick Warren. “Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway has been able to entertain thousands of their customers, not only from the Kansas City area, but also from around the country during the ‘Hollywood Casino 400’ the last several years. I look forward to continuing to help them entertain and reward their patrons for the next few years.”
Penn National is the nation’s largest regional gaming operator with 41 facilities in 19 states, including the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway that overlooks Turn 2 of the Speedway, which opened in 2012. The partnership with NASCAR reflects the Company’s strategy to continue evolving its business, with a focus on becoming a best-in-class omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming and sports betting entertainment. As part of that strategy, Penn National recently announced an exclusive gaming partnership with Barstool Sports to utilize its brand for all of the Company’s online and retail sports betting and iCasino products, subject to the closing of the transaction, which is expected to occur within the First Quarter.
As an authorized gaming operator of NASCAR, Penn National will take an active role in promoting NASCAR across its properties and on its soon-to-launch sports betting app. Genius Sports, NASCAR’s exclusive provider of NASCAR data to licensed sportsbooks, rolled out several new in-race bet types in 2019 and is set to expand upon that with an additional eight in time for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Last year, NASCAR announced a series of partnerships to prepare the industry and its fans for the rapidly growing sports betting landscape in the U.S., including an integrity deal with Sportradar, an exclusive data distribution deal with Genius Sports, and content deals with Action Network and VSiN. Additionally, the sanctioning body granted all teams and tracks the ability to sell marketing sponsorships to sports betting companies and licensed sportsbooks.
Editor’s note: Today’s Joe Gibbs Racing preview concludes 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.
JOE GIBBS RACING
Manufacturer: Toyota Engine: Toyota Racing Development Drivers: Denny Hamlin (No. 11), Kyle Busch (No. 18), Martin Truex Jr. (No. 19), Erik Jones (No. 20) Crew chiefs: Chris Gabehart (No. 11), Adam Stevens (No. 18), James Small (No. 19), Chris Gayle (No. 20)
What’s new: The lone major change for the organization is a switch at crew chief for the No. 19 team, with James Small moving from lead engineer to replace the departed Cole Pearn. The other primary driver-crew chief pairings stay intact in an effort to keep the winning combinations rolling. JGR’s affiliation with Leavine Family Racing’s No. 95 team continues, but the organization has promised a stronger technical alliance that coincides with the call-up of Christopher Bell to the big leagues for his rookie season.
Team strength: Short track, intermediate, superspeedway or road course, JGR won on all of them last season to corral 19 of the 36 points-paying victories — a single-season record. If there is a weak link (and it’s a minor one), it’s a slight lag in qualifying performance that had Joe Gibbs Racing chasing Team Penske, Hendrick Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing in poles and starting position average.
The Action Network’s Best Bet: JGR drivers combined for 19 wins last season, including a Daytona 500 victory from Denny Hamlin and the season championship from Kyle Busch. In all honesty, this team is so fast everywhere it’s tough to pinpoint valuable betting opportunities at this point of the offseason, since it’s likely Busch and Martin Truex Jr. will be the favorites, or among them, at most races. With that said, Truex could be a solid fade candidate in Daytona 500 matchups considering his finishes of 35th, 20th, 22nd and 26th at the superspeedways last season. – PJ Walsh
Racing Insights’ Number to Know: 19. Won 19 races in 2019 — the most ever by a team during one season in the modern era (1972-2020). 2019 was the third time in the last five seasons JGR had all four drivers win at least one race. Joe Gibbs Racing did not go more than four races without a win in 2019. JGR won the most races in the 2010s, 99 of 360. Kyle Busch won 40 races in the last decade, the most of all drivers.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
DENNY HAMLIN: No. 11 Toyota
2019 stats: Fourth in final standings; six wins (Daytona-1, Texas-1, Pocono-2, Bristol-2, Kansas-2, Phoenix-2), three poles, 19 top fives, 24 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 8-1 Fantasy Live picks: Richmond, Martinsville, Phoenix, Charlotte, Darlington
Outlook: Denny Hamlin cemented a career year in 2019 with a well-rounded campaign that yielded a half-dozen wins. It’s already a high ceiling for a driver who reached the Championship 4 last season, but the potential to replicate that level of performance is strong, especially as the chemistry builds for year two with Chris Gabehart as the No. 11 crew chief. Gabehart showed in last year’s final he’s not afraid to tape, er … take risks. Swinging for the fences has its rewards.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
KYLE BUSCH: No. 18 Toyota
2019 stats: First in final standings; five wins (Phoenix-1, Auto Club, Bristol-1, Pocono-1, Homestead), one pole, 17 top fives, 27 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 6-1 Fantasy Live picks: Phoenix, Richmond, Martinsville, Auto Club, Kentucky
Outlook: Speaking of high ceilings, there’s nowhere to go but down for the defending Cup Series champ. But with a core that returns unchanged for a fifth consecutive year for Kyle Busch and Adam Stevens, the likelihood of another march through the regular season and playoffs is there. The Cup Series hasn’t had a back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson concluded his run of five straight titles in 2010. Busch might be the most powerful candidate in a decade for a repeat.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
MARTIN TRUEX JR.: No. 19 Toyota
2019 stats: Second in final standings; seven wins (Richmond-1, Dover-1, Charlotte-1, Sonoma, Las Vegas-2, Richmond-2, Martinsville-2), 15 top fives, 24 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 6-1 Fantasy Live picks: Las Vegas, Dover, Charlotte, Sonoma, Watkins Glen
Outlook: Scrutiny will follow the elevation of James Small to crew chief, primarily to see if the No. 19 team skips a beat with the change atop the pit box. A seven-win season that came just one position short of clinching the title trophy is a tough feat to follow; so is 24 wins over the last five years with a driver-crew chief relationship that dripped with chemistry. Martin Truex Jr.’s new era starts with a shining spotlight.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
ERIK JONES: No. 20 Toyota
2019 stats: 16th in final standings; one win (Darlington), 10 top fives, 17 top 10s 2020 championship odds: 20-1 Fantasy Live picks: Pocono, Watkins Glen, Texas, Kentucky, Darlington
Outlook: Erik Jones has one win in each of the last two seasons, and they’ve come at historic tracks — Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway. The challenge for 2020 is finding the week-in, week-out potency his teammates possess, where winning isn’t a once-a-year phenomenon. Jones qualified for the playoffs last season, but a horrendous first round led to an early exit. Stockpiling wins and playoff points would help sustain his postseason cause and his career.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 7, 2020) – NASCAR and K&N Engineering announced a multi-year extension, continuing the company’s designation as the “Official Performance Filter of NASCAR®.” The renewed agreement solidifies K&N Engineering’s activation across the sport while evolving the longstanding partnership.
K&N Engineering’s presence in NASCAR can be traced back to the 1970s when the company began providing filters to NASCAR Cup Series™ teams at California’s old Riverside Speedway. Since then, K&N Engineering has fueled NASCAR’s regional and touring series for more than a decade, previously serving as the entitlement sponsor of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series, now the ARCA Menards Series East and West™.
“Our renewed partnership with K&N Engineering is reflective of long-standing collaboration that has helped grow our regional and touring series,” said Michelle Byron, vice president, partnership marketing, NASCAR. “K&N Engineering remains a trusted product throughout the garage and this partnership will continue to validate K&N Engineering to our brand loyal fanbase.”
The company will maintain its contingency sponsorship and decal program within the NASCAR Cup Series through 2021 and will evolve its support of grassroots racing by becoming an Official Partner as well as a contingency sponsor within the ARCA Menards Series. K&N Engineering will continue to work with NASCAR teams to engineer the best performance filters in the industry. In addition, teams and tracks across the NASCAR Cup Series and ARCA Menards Series will have access to an exclusive industry preferred pricing program.
“K&N and NASCAR share the same core values driven by their combined passion for motorsports,” said JR Badian, CMO, K&N Engineering. “For K&N, we’ve had great success through our partnership with NASCAR, and look forward to continuing the relationship.”
K&N Engineering became an Official Partner in 2011, one year after it began sponsoring the K&N Pro Series. Since then, the leading filter company has utilized its platform in the sport to drive B2B opportunities and market products to consumers nationwide. In addition, K&N Engineering has helped crown notable champions such as William Byron (2016) and Kyle Larson (2012) during its time as a series entitlement sponsor in grassroots NASCAR.
For over 50 years, K&N Engineering has been an industry leader in automotive filtration and technology – offering products to increase performance, protection and longevity in thousands of vehicle applications for consumers worldwide.
The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season kicks off with the 62nd annual DAYTONA 500 on Sunday, February 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2020) – A stunning car and an innovative fundraising initiative were simultaneously unveiled Thursday by The NASCAR Foundation, in Victory Circle at the ONE DAYTONA lifestyle and entertainment destination across from Daytona International Speedway.
This is no ordinary fundraiser. A 2020 Toyota Camry TRD will be given away with proceeds benefiting The NASCAR Foundation. This “2019 Championship Edition” Camry celebrates the winning manufacturer’s NASCAR Cup Series Title. It is an extended celebration; the giveaway will last until the Coke Zero Sugar 400 race weekend on Aug. 27-29 at Daytona International Speedway.
The giveaway will run on NASCARfoundation.org/CarGiveaway, with a minimum $25 donation to enter. Prior to the Coke Zero Sugar 400 weekend, five finalists will be determined; they will attend the race as the foundation’s guests. The car will be on display throughout DAYTONA Speedweeks at The NASCAR Foundation hauler in front of the speedway, near the Toyota injector.
This is no ordinary Camry, either, evidenced by these features:
301 HP D-4S V-6 Engine
TRD piano-black front splitters, aero side skirts and rear diffuser with red pin striping
19-in. TRD matte-black alloy wheels
TRD cat-back dual exhaust with polished stainless steel tips
TRD track-tuned suspension
Larger 12.9-in. front brakes with red-painted front and rear calipers
TRD piano-black rear spoiler
Sport SofTex®-trimmed seats with red seat belts, red stitching and fabric insert
Red-stitched custom NASCAR headrests
Custom graphics
WeatherTech floor mats with custom logos
The NASCAR Foundation Chairman Mike Helton and NASCAR Vice Chair Lesa France Kennedy assisted with the unveiling of the Toyota Camry today, prior to the NASCAR Hauler Parade at One DAYTONA.
“This fundraising concept was presented to us by foundation board member and area automobile dealer Randy Dye and we immediately knew it was a winner,” said Nichole Krieger, executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “We want as many NASCAR fans as possible to enter and in the process, support our many programs that assist children in need in the Daytona Beach area and nationwide.”
About The NASCAR Foundation
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Inc. (NASCAR) established The NASCAR Foundation in January 2006 to support initiatives that positively affect the lives of children throughout the United States. The 501(c) (3) non-profit entity partners with medical experts and other charitable organizations to fund children’s health care programs. The NASCAR Foundation has cumulatively donated more than $36 million to reach more than 1.4 million children. For more information on The NASCAR Foundation, visit NASCARfoundation.org. Follow The NASCAR Foundation on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/NASCARFoundation or on Twitter at @NASCAR_FDN.
It’s almost that time of year. Football is over and with that ending comes an impending sense of loss for me — not only from the perspective of an NFL fan, but also as a bettor.
While I can certainly get my gambling fix(es) from basketball (uhh), baseball (eww) or hockey (yikes), it’s just not the same as sitting down on a Sunday to sweat a full NFL slate, beer in hand.
But … I am here to tell you that there is another option: NASCAR.
Whether you’re a long-time NASCAR fan, just getting around to checking out the hype or have never watched a second of “cars driving around in circles,” this is the article for you.
Now, I am by no means a NASCAR expert, but I know a couple of people who are. In fact, I am married to one of those people. I grew up in a household that watched NASCAR, but I never fully understood its potential until I met and later married bettor/bad beat whiner, PJ Walsh.
So, let’s start at the beginning and consider this a NASCAR Betting 101, if you will. If you’re reading this article, it’s safe to assume that you have or are considering betting on NASCAR in the near future.
And the Daytona 500 — NASCAR’s Super Bowl — is the best place to start.
In its most basic form, NASCAR has a handful of different track types, including superspeedways, intermediates and short tracks. Each category offers a different type of racing, which, in turn, provides additional much-needed information for bettors.
With a total track size of 1 mile or less, short tracks are known for constant bumping and banging, excessive spin-outs and smaller wrecks with lots of cautions. The reason is because the track is so small that all of the cars remain close to each other throughout the race.
If a short track race was a movie, it would be a drama — there is a seemingly endless amount of low-grade action at all times to keep your attention.
Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
On the other end of the spectrum, you have superspeedways, which includes Daytona International Speedway. Daytona checks in at a whopping 2.5 miles in length and is synonymous with explosive, action-filled racing and a scattering of massive wrecks that can take out large portions of the field in an instant.
In order to keep speeds from getting out of control, the race package for Daytona results in “pack racing,” where you find groups of cars drafting together because that is the fastest way around the track.
This is one of the reasons that you get those large wrecks. It takes only one mistake, bobble or equipment failure from a single car to cause a massive wreck because others racing in close proximity have nowhere to go.
In movie terms, the superspeedway is a thriller — you know something is going to happen, but you don’t know when. And boy, when it does, it’s usually big and scary as hell.
With the unpredictability and overall popularity of the Daytona 500, there are plenty of betting options. Below, I have put a list of some of my favorite ways to bet this race:
1. Make a bet on the manufacturer
Do you like Toyota, Ford or Chevrolet? I asked PJ for his thoughts on which manufacturer, if any, has an advantage in the Daytona 500 and this is what he said:
“In recent years, Fords have had an advantage because they have so many good cars in the race and all work together.”
This is my favorite angle. It’s the Daytona 500 and you never know what’s going to happen, so take a wild card and run with it. Wrecky (uhh, I mean Ricky) Stenhouse Jr. is a great example. If you want someone fun to watch who also has the potential to completely and utterly annihilate the field, look no further.
In fact, some books will offer an over/under cautions prop. If you’re rooting for a crazy, unpredictable race, bet the over.
And if you’re still feeling a little like Goldilocks with none of those bets fitting just right, I’ve come up with a fun way to determine your driver to bet and root for in the Daytona 500.
Just answer these four easy questions, then find which driver matches your responses and poof, you have your next sports obsession.
Daytona 500 Driver Betting Quiz
Which source do you prefer when getting your daily news/information?
Wall Street Journal
USA Today
Social Media
TMZ
Barstool Sports
What is your favorite game-day food?
Pizza
Burgers
Hot dogs/sausages
Nachos
Wings
What is your favorite game-day beverage?
Soft drinks (water, soda, etc.)
Hard liquor (neat or on the rocks)
Wine
Beer
Mixed drinks/shots
Which of the following all-time great athlete is your favorite?
Derek Jeter
Peyton Manning
LeBron James
Serena Williams
John Daly
Daytona 500 Betting Quiz Key
*Add up the total points for each of your answers above and match your score to the driver below who best suits your sports-betting personality. Odds via FanDuel.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 6, 2020) – NASCAR announced today several leadership promotions across the breadth of its business. Ben Kennedy has been promoted Vice President, Racing Development; John Martin has been promoted to Vice President, Media and Event Technology; Patrick Rogers has been promoted to Vice President, Marketing Services; and Chris Schwartz has been promoted to Vice President, Media Properties.
Kennedy oversees strategic racing development initiatives for each of NASCAR’s series, including development of future national series’ schedules and international expansion. Having competed in both the NASCAR Gander RV and Outdoors Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, as well as previously serving as General Manager of the Truck Series, Kennedy plays a key role in working with NASCAR senior leadership to develop long term racing development strategies. Kennedy will remain based in Concord and will continue to report into Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer.
“Ben is a true racer at heart and has a tremendous understanding of what contributes to a strong race from a driver and a fan’s perspective,” said O’Donnell. “His love of motorsports and his commitment to delivering great racing for our fans comes through in everything he does. The sport is fortunate to have a rising leader like Ben and I look forward to his future leadership in this important area.”
Martin will oversee all technology related to the fan and industry at-track experience and across NASCAR’s media platforms and products. Martin has previously served in a variety of leadership roles across NASCAR Productions and NASCAR Digital and he was instrumental in the initial roll-out of NASCAR.com. Martin will remain based in Charlotte and will report into Craig Neeb, Executive Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer.
“John brings extensive experience and passion to this position,” said Neeb. “His spirit of innovation, coupled with his success working across the industry and driving collaboration and partnership, makes him an ideal fit to lead this group into the future.”
Rogers will oversee all marketing services across Teams, Drivers and Tracks, serving as the main point of leadership with industry stakeholders in implementing NASCAR’s integrated marketing strategy and maximizing the potential impact of all industry assets. Rogers has led the sanctioning body’s collaborative marketing work with race teams and drivers and will take that work to another level with his new, broader duties. Rogers will remain based in Charlotte and will continue to report into Pete Jung, Senior Vice President, Marketing.
“Patrick has developed strong relationships throughout the garage and has a track record of success in developing marketing opportunities for our drivers, teams and tracks that deliver for our fans,” said Jung. “His leadership in bringing the industry together cannot be overstated and I am excited about the impact he and his team will have as we seek new and innovative ways in bringing our fans closer to our drivers, teams and racetracks.”
In his elevated role, Schwartz will continue to lead MRN and Racing Electronics and work closely with NASCAR’s media functions to integrate that technology across NASCAR media platforms. His focus will be working with NASCAR’s media partners and senior leadership to build upon strategies to distribute live audio content and dynamic in-venue technology to race fans both at-home and at the track. Schwartz will be based in Charlotte and will report into Brian Herbst, Senior Vice President, Media and Productions.
“Chris is a seasoned industry executive that understands the opportunities that exist for our sport and our fans as we develop engaging media platforms and content across our industry,” said Herbst. “He has a proven track record in developing strong, innovative media partnerships with multiple stakeholders that will position our sport well as the media landscape evolves.”
Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart dominated most of the day. From the drop of the green, Earnhardt took off. Benny Parsons foreshadowed the outcome from the NBC television booth saying that teams were “concerned if the No. 8 car gets in front, he’s so fast a lot of cars will not be able to pass him.”
Only one driver was able to lead more laps than Earnhardt Jr. on this day and that was Stewart. Stewart nearly led half of all the laps in that Daytona 500, but Earnhardt Jr. got by him with 20 laps to go and didn’t give the lead back. He would go on to win the 2004 Daytona 500 in just his fifth start, a feat that took his father 20 years to accomplish.
Earnhardt Jr. would finish his career with two Daytona 500 victories, joining 11 other drivers with multiple wins in NASCAR’s biggest event.
Editor’s note: Today’s Stewart-Haas Racing 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.
STEWART-HAAS RACING
Manufacturer: Ford Engine: Roush Yates Engines Drivers: Kevin Harvick (No. 4), Aric Almirola (No. 10), Clint Bowyer (No. 14), Cole Custer (No. 41) Crew chiefs: Rodney Childers (No. 4), Mike Bugarewicz (No. 10), Johnny Klausmeier (No. 14), Mike Shiplett (No. 41)
What’s new: Of course, the biggest move for SHR is the addition of Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Cole Custer, moving up from the NASCAR Xfinity Series into the No. 41 Ford previously driven by Daniel Suarez. But another shakeup included the crew chiefs for Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer. Mike Bugarewicz and Johnny Klausmeier have traded places, as Bugarewicz will now serve as the crew chief for Almirola and the No. 10 team, while Klausmeier moves atop the pit box for Bowyer and the No. 14 squad.
Team strength: It’s a special group over at the SHR shop who pride themselves on an old-school, racer’s racer approach. That’s exactly the reason why they’re such a threat for the win each week. But pinpointing a favored style of racing depends on the driver. While a threat for victory each week, Harvick’s forte includes the 1.5-2-mile tracks, plus the 1-milers of Phoenix Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bowyer has shown muscle on the short tracks and 1.5-mile tracks, while Almirola has proven he is very superspeedway savvy — he was less than a half-lap away from winning the 2018 Daytona 500 before fading to the checkered. Time will tell where Custer will have an advantage, but signs point to 1.5-mile tracks looking back on his Xfinity Series days.
The Action Network Best Bet:I like Cole Custer’s long-term outlook in the No. 41, but I’ll be doing everything I can to fade him in Daytona 500 driver matchups. I’m never high on rookies making their first Daytona 500 starts, especially for a driver like Custer who has never run a superspeedway in the NASCAR Cup Series. Add in the fact that Custer had an average finish of 22.8 and just one top-10 finish in nine career NASCAR Xfinity Series superspeedway starts and we have a driver ripe for fading at Daytona. – PJ Walsh
Racing Insights Number to Know: Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers have been together for six seasons and are now the longest current driver-crew chief pairing in the NASCAR Cup Series. Harvick and Childers are one of two championship driver-crew chief pairings that are still together, the other being defending champion Kyle Busch and crew chief Adam Stevens.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Ford
2019 stats: Four wins, 15 top fives, 26 top 10s, 10.0 average finish and 953 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 5-1
Fantasy Live Five: Phoenix, Atlanta, Miami, Texas, Michigan
Outlook: It’s a little far-fetched to say that Harvick had a down year in 2019, but the team had more hiccups than usual. That last statement has a particular focus on the first part of last year, where Harvick failed to reach Victory Lane until the 20th race of the regular season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On the other hand, he still clicked off four wins and made the Championship 4. Harvick was also the best-finishing SHR driver in 22 of the 36 races (including 10 of the season’s final 12 races). If the No. 4 team can get the ball rolling much quicker to start the season, that won’t be a good thing for the rest of the field.
ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Ford
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
2019 stats: Three top fives, 12 top 10s, 15.4 average finish and 180 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 40-1
Fantasy Live Five: Talladega, Phoenix, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Texas
Outlook: Almirola and the No. 10 team started off the 2019 season by clicking off seven top-10 finishes in the first 10 races, but then things unraveled from there, only earning five top 10s the remainder of the season. There were glimmers of hope toward the end though, earning a fourth-place result at Talladega Superspeedway and a second-place behind teammate Harvick at Texas Motor Speedway. New crew chief Mike Bugarewicz will hopefully provide the spark the team needs in 2020, providing a different approach that could launch them into contention for more victories.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 Ford
2019 stats: Seven top fives, 18 top 10s, 15.2 average finish and 138 laps led.
2020 Championship Odds: 40-1
Fantasy Live Five: Sonoma, Richmond, Bristol, Martinsville, Dover
Outlook: It was an up-and-down 2019 season for Bowyer, failing to reach Victory Lane but making the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs on points. The No. 14 team showed strength at 1.5-mile and short tracks throughout the year, but they weren’t quite able to capitalize on speed to be in contention when the checkered flag flew. Bowyer ended the year with back-to-back top-10 finishes at Phoenix Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, which offers hope that the 2020 season could see a difference in results if they can get off to a fast start. Like Almirola, the crew chief change gives Bowyer a chance to work with Johnny Klausmeier with the hopes of offering a shakeup that could work out in the team’s favor.
COLE CUSTER, No. 41 Ford
2019 stats: Seven wins, 17 top fives, 24 top 10s, 9.0 average finish and 922 laps led in the Xfinity Series.
Chris Graythen | Getty Images
2020 Championship Odds: 80-1
Fantasy Live Five: Pocono, Dover, New Hampshire, Las Vegas, Texas
Outlook: It’ll be interesting to see how the Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate starts off his first full-time season in the No. 41 Ford. Custer will have a tough rookie class to battle against with the likes of Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick, all having the talent and potential to earn a victory. The 22-year-old will have a familiar face atop the pit box with Mike Shiplett moving up with him from the Xfinity Series, so there are high hopes that the transition will be more seamless and the team can begin producing results faster than your average rookie driver.
