With the Daytona 500 just a month away, let’s take a look at what changes we will see on the track when the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season starts.
To begin with, I feel I should mention the two most obvious changes that every NASCAR fan is well aware of. These changes involve Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.
For the first time in 22 years it will not be Jeff Gordon’s name on the iconic #24 Chevrolet. Jeff has retired from full-time Sprint Cup action at the end of the 2015 season and will be joining the FOX network as a race announcer this year. Taking over as driver for the #24 Chevy will be Chase Elliot.
Tony Stewart will remain on the track this year as the driver of the #14 Chevrolet. However, we will see non-stop tributes during the 2016 NASCAR season to the three-time Sprint Cup Champion as he announced this will be his final full-time season. You know, like we saw for Jeff all last year.
Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) was forced to end its full-time racing operations following the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. This change will fall more under the “what we won’t see” category … the MWR cars on the track.
With the end of MWR’s full-time racing, Toyota has taken over as the manufacturer for Furniture Row Racing. That means instead of the #78 Chevy we are used to seeing Martin Truex Jr. drive it will be a #78 TOYOTA we see on the track in Sprint Cup action.
Another change that will happen due to the MWR situation is their former driver Clint Bowyer will be seen in the #15 Chevrolet this season. This will be a one-year change as Clint will take over the #14 Chevrolet in 2017 following Tony Stewart’s retirement.
We will see another Earnhardt on the track in the 2016 Sprint Cup season as Dale Jr.‘s nephew Jeffery Earnhardt has been tapped to pilot the #32 Ford this year.
Front Row Motorsports is responsible for two new changes this year as Chris Buesher will be driving the #34 Ford with Landon Cassill in the #38 Ford as his teammate.
Finally, Richard Petty Motorsports has changed the #9 to the #44 Ford and hired Brian Scott to drive it in the Sprint Cup series.
There will be other changes that will not be as easily SEEN on the track including some crew chief changes. You can find out about those here.
I don’t know about you, but I am ready to get the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season under way with the Daytona 500 February 21st!
By: Buck Stevens
