2020 NASCAR Cup Series Preview

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season will see a handful of changes, most notably, no title sponsor for the series, as NASCAR moves to a new sponsorship model.

Money and sponsors aside, the 2020 season sees changes to the cars and to the calendar. A lower downforce package will be introduced for the short track races and the road courses after less than stellar races on those disciplines in 2019.

Atlanta moves to March, Homestead moves to March, Martinsville will have a night race in May, Pocono will host a doubleheader at the end of June, the Brickyard 400 has moved to Independence Day weekend, there will be two off weeks in August to accommodate the Olympics coverage on NBC, Dover has moved to August and the regular season finale has moved to Daytona the last weekend in August.

Darlington will lead off the playoffs and a first round that includes Richmond and Bristol. The second round will be Las Vegas, Talladega and the Charlotte roval. The semifinal round will be Kansas, Texas and Martinsville. Phoenix will be the season finale.

There have also been changes in many seats on the grid. This preview will look at each driver entered ahead of the Daytona 500, the playoff hopes for each driver and where each driver is most likely to win a race.

Chartered Teams
Quin Houff - #00 Jacob Construction Chevrolet
Team: StarCom Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 33rd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Ever since Justin Haley backed into a victory in the July Daytona race the door is always open for someone the likes of Quin Houff of stealing a victory and if all he needs to do is be in the top 30 than it could happen. It likely will not happen but it could.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Daytona or Talladega with an assist from Mother Nature.

Kurt Busch - #1 Monster Energy/GEARWRENCH Chevrolet
Team: Chip Ganassi Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 13th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Busch should make it but it is the same problem we have seen from him the last few years, good but not great results. He can win a race, pick up some top five finishes and get into the top 16 but it is then a matter of advancing to the round of 12, eight and four. Twelve is possible, eight is tough, four is a stretch.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: All five of Busch's top five finishes in 2019 came on ovals 1.5 miles or larger. He had only four top ten finishes on ovals one-mile or smaller. Five of his last seven victories have come in either June, July or August. Perhaps his best shot at victory is Chicagoland, Kentucky or Michigan.

Brad Keselowski - #2 Discount Tire/AutoTrader/Money Lion/Miller Lite Ford
Team: Team Penske
2019 Championship Finish: 8th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 3rd (2014)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Keselowski is going to make it but he and Team Penske are entering 2020 off a disappointing end to 2019. The team won five of the first 15 races and then won one of the final 21 races. Keselowski had one top five finish in the final seven races and was eliminated at Kansas in the round of 12. He can get one victory but he will need to do a better job of stringing together top five finishes. If he cannot, it will be another round of eight elimination or worse.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Atlanta, Kansas, Martinsville or Talladega. Outside of Martinsville, Keselowksi has not won at a track one-mile or smaller since the September Richmond race in 2014.

Austin Dillon - #3 DOW/Bass Pro Shops/Symbicort Chevrolet
Team: Richard Childress Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 21st
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2018)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Unlikely. Dillon was 21st in the championship last year, had zero top five finishes, six top ten finishes and averaged a finish of 19.5 You just need one victory and he did win the Daytona 500 two years ago so anything is possible but if he stumbles over another victory the long-term prospect points to a round of 16 exit.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Daytona or Talladega.

Kevin Harvick - #4 Busch/Jimmy Johns/Mobil 1 Ford
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 3rd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2007)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Harvick has made the final four in five out of the six years of this format. He is going to win multiple races, he is going to advance multiple rounds and with his consistency, how could you rule him out of making the final four again? Now that Phoenix is the finale a lot of people will pencil him down for the championship should be make it that far. Even if the finale was not at Phoenix Harvick would be one of the championship contenders.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Harvick can win anywhere but let's propose somewhere different. Harvick has not won at Richmond since 2013 but he has eight top five finishes at the track since 2014.

Ryan Newman - #6 Wyndham Rewards/Oscar Mayer/Castrol/Koch Industries Ford
Team: Roush-Fenway Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 15th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2008)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Newman made it last year without being that spectacular. Can he make it just by being mildly more consistent than the rest of the field a second year in a row? That is a difficult ask. There are going to be drivers making strides forward and if Newman cannot pick up his game it is hard to see him in the top 16 again.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Four of Newman's last nine top five finishes have come at Daytona and Talladega.

Tyler Reddick - #8 Caterpillar/Avalan Chevrolet
Team: Richard Childress Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Rookie (Ineligible/2018 and 2019 NASCAR Grand National Series champion)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 27th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Last year, the Childress cars were 21st and 25th in the championship. Reddick replaces Daniel Hemric and I think this car will finish higher up the championship order but can Reddick take it from 25th into the top 16? That is asking a lot in year one but I think he could be the top RCR driver in the championship and get into the top 20.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: In the second division, Reddick had a good record on 1.5-mile ovals with five of his nine victories coming at 1.5-mile ovals.

Chase Elliott - #9 NAPA Auto Parts/Mountain Dew/Kelley Blue Book/Hooters/UniFirst Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 10th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 14th (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Elliott is there but still so far from glory. Last year, we saw Elliott's ability to pull out a few victories and have strong races, see Kansas where he stuck into the semifinal round. However, when the car was off it was off and he cannot afford that in Chevrolet's first year with the remodeled Camaro bodywork. Consider this: Elliott had one more top five finish and two fewer top ten finishes than Erik Jones in 2019. Now Jones is coming off a victory in the Clash but think about how those two drivers have been perceived for the last four or five months. A lot of people expect more out of Elliott than Jones.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: The kitsch thing to say would be a road course because of his victories at Watkins Glen and the Charlotte roval. It feels like Elliott is knocking on the door for a short track victory.

Aric Almirola - #10 Smithfield/Mobil 1 Ford
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 14th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 4th (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Almirola is a good driver with a team capable of giving him equipment to get him into the playoffs. That is about it. Almirola had six top ten finishes in the first seven races of 2019 and then six top ten finishes in the final 29 races. Maybe he is the surprise driver in the round of eight but most likely he is out in the round of 16 or round of 12 but after looking at his 2019 results, he could be the one driver people are most surprised does not make the playoffs.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Four of his last nine top five finishes have come at Talladega. Nine of his 18 top five finishes have come at tracks one-mile or smaller. So Talladega, Phoenix or Richmond.

Denny Hamlin - #11 FedEx Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 4th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2016, 2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Hamlin saved his career last year but in an emotional season that saw him win the Daytona 500, won at Phoenix to keep his championship hopes alive but at Homestead he ran out of steam in the finale. Hamlin needs to balance his emotions and have more balanced results in the season. After last year it seems certain he will be back in the playoffs and probably make the round of eight again but climbing that mountain to get to the round of four will be tricky.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Hamlin won at Daytona, Texas, Pocono, Bristol, Kansas and Phoenix last year. That is a pretty diverse group of tracks. He is due for a victory in Virginia and knowing how NASCAR works he will win the night race at Martinsville in May.

Ryan Blaney - #12 Advance Auto Parts/BodyArmour/Menards/Peak/DEX Imaging Ford
Team: Team Penske
2019 Championship Finish: 7th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 2nd (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Blaney should get back there because Team Penske's equipment is good enough to get there but he is clearly third of three cars at the team and he really has not made any ground in becoming one of the top two in the team. That is concerning. He edged out Keselowski in the championship last year and made the round of eight when Keselowski was bounced in the round of 12 but with all the re-sets after drivers are eliminated it really doesn't mean that much. All three drivers underperformed last year but the one thing Keselowski and Joey Logano both have that Blaney doesn't is a championship. Penske will hang on to champions. He does not hang on to championship-less drivers for long.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: A short track. Blaney did really well at Martinsville and Bristol last year.

Tyler Dillon - #13 GEICO Chevrolet
Team: Germain Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 24th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 6th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Dillon was 24th in the championship in 2019 with his only top ten finishes being sixth at Daytona, fourth at Daytona and tenth at Talladega. He had only five other finishes in the top fifteen all season. How do you think his prospects are?
Most Likely Place for a Victory: It was kind of spelled out above: Daytona or Talladega.

Clint Bowyer - #14 Rush Truck Centers/Peak/Mobil 1 Ford
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 9th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 4th (2009, 2010)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Doesn't it feel like Bowyer is just a good driver? He can make the top 16 but is there any real hope he can go far or even make the final four? Bowyer has 14 full seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has won a race in only six seasons. He has won a race in only one of the last seven seasons. I think he can make the top 16 but if Bowyer is flirting with the bubble and not making it that would not surprise me.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: You know what is crazy? Bowyer has only one victory at a mile-and-a-half track, the 2012 autumn race at Charlotte. Coincidentally, Bowyer led laps in 12 races last year, five of those were at 1.5-mile ovals. I am not sure Bowyer will win a race this year but what the heck, if does win one it will be at the tracks NASCAR fans hate the most.

Brennan Poole - #15 Spartan Go Chevrolet
Team: Premium Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: Rookie (18th in the NASCAR Truck Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Let's set the odds at 500-1.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Unless NASCAR seriously changes its rules for what is considered an official race Poole wouldn't win a rain-shortened event because Premium Motorsports made it a habit of finishing eight or nine laps down with nothing going wrong for the team in 2019.

Chris Buescher - #17 Fastenal/Fifth Third Bank/SunnyD Ford
Team: Roush-Fenway Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 20th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 5th (2018)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Buescher could be the surprise in the top 16 this year. He was the best of the two JTG Daugherty Racing drivers last year. He was competitive in suboptimal equipment. After seeing what Newman did last year in Roush equipment I think Buescher could match that and maybe he is the one sneaking into the playoff field. That is not a guarantee but Buescher seems to be the one driver moving up with a lot of confidence.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: All four of Buescher's top ten finishes in 2019 came at 1.5-mile ovals.

Kyle Busch - #18 M&Ms/Interstate Batteries Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 1st
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 2nd (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Busch is going to make it but it is just a matter of whether or not he can make it back to the final four. After seeing his championship last year, it feels like Busch is in another mindset and the weight of one championship, the weight of the 200-victory mark, the weight of people questioning his ability is gone. Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch are the only active drivers with multiple championships. Busch sits ninth all-time in Cup victories. He has left his mark as one of the all-time best drivers. I feel like Busch has reached a point of clarity and with that comes freedom to succeed effortlessly.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: With two championships I think it is time to get a Daytona 500 victory. He has won the Southern 500, the Coca-Cola 600 and the Brickyard 400 twice. The only other thing missing a victory at the Charlotte roval but the Charlotte roval has been around for five minutes. Busch knows what he wants.

Martin Truex, Jr. - #19 Bass Pro Shops/Auto Owners Insurance/SiriusXM Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 2nd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 2nd (2016)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Truex will be in there again but the question is whether he can make the final four again. He proved many critics wrong in 2019, making it back to the final four with Gibbs. This year he will have to do it with long-time crew chief Cole Pearn. James Small will take over the main spot on the pit box. He is going to get a few victories but this could be the year where the changes catch up and the season could end in the round of eight.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Like Busch, Harvick and Hamlin, Truex can win anywhere. Yes, he has still not won a restrictor plate race in the Cup Series. It doesn't matter. He could get one.

Erik Jones - #20 DeWalt/Sport Clips/Craftsman/Resers/Stanley Toyota
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 16th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 3rd (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Jones should make it. He made it last year but was only hanging around the top ten and not in the top ten. The season ended on a low note and that is why he was 16th in the final championship standings. I think he could be in the top ten of the championship if results go his way.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Jones was strong on the 1.5-mile ovals last year. Joe Gibbs Racing was very good on the 1.5-mile ovals. One of those could go his way.

Matt DiBenedetto - #21 Menards/Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford
Team: Wood Brothers Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 22nd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 9th (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: DiBenedetto has a shot but a long shot. He had a few close calls to victory last season with Leavine Family Racing. The problem is I am not sure the Wood Brothers is a step up. It feels like a lateral move. Consider that Paul Menard finished ahead of DiBenedetto in the championship last year by 78 points but did it with only four top ten finishes. Consider that since the Wood Brothers returned to full-time competition it has championship finishes of 20th, ninth, 19th and 19th. DiBenedetto could make it but it could be another year of him stuck in the middle.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: A short track. Most likely Bristol.

Joey Logano - #22 Shell/Pennzoil/AAA Ford
Team: Team Penske
2019 Championship Finish: 5th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2015)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Logano will be there and he will be a round of eight competitor. He does enter 2020 with 21 starts since his most recent victory. In those 21 races, I can only pencil one that probably should have been a victory for Logano and that was Kentucky. He had only four top five finishes in the final 21 races of 2019. Something fell off at Team Penske when summer 2019 hit and the team has to find what it lost quickly in 2019.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Probably Las Vegas or Talladega. Logano is going to win a few races this year. I don't think he is going to be in danger of missing the playoffs for a second time in four years.

William Byron - #24 Axalta/Liberty University/Hertz Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 11th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 21st (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: I think the consensus is Byron will get his first career victory this year. Last year, in his first year with Chad Knaus as crew chief, Byron was built into a playoff driver. The team got points, Byron brought the car home in one piece and he won five pole positions. He only had five top five finishes in 2019 so that is one category he has to greatly improve. Though Byron led in 19 races last year I am not sure there is one Byron should have won. He could win a race but still find himself with a lot of work to do.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Based on Hendrick Motorsports success in 2019, I think Byron could  win a road course race.

Corey LaJoie - #32 Schulter Systems/Keen Parts/Corvetteparts.net/Drydene Performance Products/Pala Casino/RagingBull.com Ford
Team: GoFas Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 29th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 18th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: It is not going to happen and LaJoie has done well in the equipment he has. I don't think he is going to end up at Hendrick Motorsports no matter how many notes he writes.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Sadly, only a plate race.

Michael McDowell - #34 Love's Travel Stops Ford
Team: Front Row Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 27th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 5th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Unless McDowell can find some of the Front Row Motorsports magic at Daytona or Talladega or find some of his road course talent, he is not making it.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Daytona, Talladega, Sonoma or Watkins Glen.

David Ragan - #36 Select Blinds Ford
Team: Rick Ware Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 30th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 5th (2007)
2020 Playoff Prospects: This is a Daytona 500 only entry for Ragan and this Rick Ware Racing car will become the #53 entry after this race.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: It is Daytona or bust for Ragan.

Ryan Preece - #37 Kroger ClickList/Bush's Beans Chevrolet
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 26th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 8th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: I don't think Preece can do it. He was 26th in the championship last year, second of the rookie of the year contenders and the 2019 rookie of the year isn't even full-time in NASCAR's second division this year. Preece had three top ten finishes in 2019. He had only four top fifteen finishes and only 11 top twenty finishes in 2019! With those numbers, it is hard seeing him get five top ten finishes in 2020 let alone one victory.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Preece falls in the Daytona or Talladega camp.

John Hunter Nemechek - #38 Speedy Cash/MDS Trucking/CITGARD/Fire Alarm Services Ford
Team: Front Row Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: Rookie (Ineligible/7th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Not good but after Nemechek was the top Front Row Motorsports finisher in the final three races of 2019 when he substituted for Matt Tifft he has to be feeling good about beating McDowell in the championship and performing better than where FRM is used to finishing.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Plate race or bust.

Cole Custer - #41 Haas Automation Ford
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Rookie (2nd in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Custer is a bubble guy for now. He had a great season in the second division last year but this is a higher level and he will be in the one Stewart-Haas Racing entry that did not make the postseason last year. I think the car is good enough to get there and I think Custer could get it into the top 16. If the season starts well I think Custer could win at a 1.5-mile oval but I can also see growing pains, him being somewhere between 15th and 20th and after Daytona in August ending up on the wrong side of the cut line.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Any 1.5-mile oval and it helps that Stewart-Haas Racing has the cars to get him there.

Kyle Larson - #42 Credit Onc/AdventHealth Chevrolet
Team: Chip Ganassi Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 6th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 7th (2016, 2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Larson should be in and after scoring his best championship finish in 2019 he should be riding a wave of momentum into 2020. Add to that he finally won the Chili Bowl, the biggest race in his world, so everything from here on out should be gravy. Larson can win races but he needs to close some of these suckers out. He got that elusive Cup victory at Dover last year but he needs to put up three or four wins. Larson has everything it takes to be in the final four but he needs to execute.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Darlington. Really Dover and Darlington but Darlington and I guess Homestead. How much of a kick to the crotch would it be if Larson won at Homestead now that it is in March and no longer the season finale? It seems poetically cruel if that would be the case. I think the lower downforce package for short ovals and road courses should benefit Larson.

Bubba Wallace - #43 World Wide Technology/U.S. Air Force/Transportation Impact Chevrolet
Team: Richard Petty Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 28th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 2nd (2018)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Slim. Wallace has one great race a year and we act like it is the start of more to come but it is really the edge of Richard Petty Motorsports' potential.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Somehow he was third at Indianapolis last year so that let that sink in for a moment. If he can finish third there then he could probably back into a victory at five or six tracks. He won't but he could.

Rick Stenhouse, Jr. - #47 Kroger Chevrolet
Team: JTG Daugherty Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 23rd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 7th (2014)
2020 Playoff Prospects: If Stenhouse, Jr. couldn't make it at Roush-Fenway Racing while Newman, scored worst results at Roush than Buescher scored at JTG why should I think Stenhouse could make the playoffs at JTG? The only hope is Stenhouse has a great ability for taking out half the field at Daytona and Talladega and if he does that enough and doesn't get caught in the mess himself he is bound to win again. The good news is he is starting his tenure at JTG on pole position for the Daytona 500. This will likely be his best weekend of the season.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: See above.

Jimmie Johnson - #48 Ally Financial Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 18th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 1st (2006, 2013)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Johnson missed the playoffs last year but it seems like a fluke. All the other Hendrick Motorsports cars made it. Johnson was looking good at Daytona in July and then had a July and August from hell. I am not sure if it was the team taking too many chances and changing crew chiefs midseason was not the right move but Johnson's season wasn't disastrous. He was alive until Indianapolis. I think he can get back there. What he does in the playoffs is another story. This is Johnson's final full Cup season. We have seen fairy tale endings before and we have also seen less than exciting exits of big names. I think Johnson makes the playoffs but he is a round of 12 elimination.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Johnson can win anywhere and since we are approaching three years since his last trip to victory lane I think he would take a win anywhere.

Joey Gase - #51 ASC Agri Supply/Page Construction/EFX Corp. Chevrolet
Team: Rick Ware Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 23rd (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: About as likely as Rick Ware Racing winning the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Hawkseye Downs Raceway... which is not where the Cup Series races.

B.J. McLeod - #52 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Team: Rick Ware Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (20th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 19th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: McLeod is going to be running for the Grand National Series championship.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: It is not going to happen.

Ross Chastain - #77 AdventHealth Chevrolet
Team: Premium Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (2nd in the NASCAR Truck Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 10th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: No chance because Chastain is running for the Grand National Series championship with Kaulig Racing.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: As of now, Chastain's schedule is Daytona and the Coca-Cola 600 in this car, which will be run in partnership with Chip Ganassi Racing. He is more likely to win at Daytona than Charlotte.

Alex Bowman - #88 Chevrolet Accessories/Axalta/Valvoline/Cincinnati, Inc./Llumar Chevrolet
Team: Hendrick Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 12th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 11th (2019)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Bowman made it last year with a victory at Chicagoland but outside of that he had only six other top five finishes in 2019 and only three top five finishes after that victory. Bowman is good but I am not sure he can be great. He can make the playoffs but a round of eight or final four push seems unlikely in 2020. He can win one race a year, perhaps two, but it does not appear he could put together a three, four or five victory seasons, which is almost necessary to win a championship.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: It seems to be a 1.5-mile oval or the Charlotte roval.

Christopher Bell - #95 Procore/Rheem Toyota
Team: Leavine Family Racing
2019 Championship Finish: N/A (3rd in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Bell enters the Cup Series with a lot of expectations and he is bringing a lot of Joe Gibbs Racing resources to Leavine Family Racing. I think he could steal a victory. Even if he doesn't, I think he could sneak into the top 16. It feels like Bell has been ready for the Cup Series for some time. He didn't get a championship at the second division but neither did Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. All those guys have had pretty good Cup careers.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: I could see Bell winning at Bristol. He could win any of the short track races and Joe Gibbs Racing was very strong at short tracks last year in the Cup Series. I know this isn't a Joe Gibbs Racing entry but in 2020 it will feel like it at some points.

Non-Chartered Teams
Justin Haley - #16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet
Team: Kaulig Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (12th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: This is a Daytona 500-only entry and Haley is running for the championship in the second division.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Look, Haley is the most recent Daytona winner. Did it come because of a fortunate rainstorm? Absolutely, but if it happened once it could happen again. It won't. Haley's qualifying time has locked him into the Daytona 500.

Reed Sorenson - #27 Premium Motorsports Chevrolet
Team: Premium Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: 32nd
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 5th (2008)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Not going to happen.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: Not going to happen. Sorenson could make the Daytona 500 based on his qualifying speed or racing his way in.

Chad Finchum - #49 Garrison Homes Toyota
Team: MBM Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: N/A (26th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: This is not a full-time entry.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: A late model race near you. Finchum has to race his way into the Daytona 500.

J.J. Yeley - #54 Rick Ware Racing Ford
Team: Rick Ware Racing
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (58th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 10th (2013)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Yeley will be one of many drivers to cycle through Rick Ware Racing entries in 2020.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: A dirt race in Arizona. Yeley has to race his way into the Daytona 500.

Brendan Gaughan - #62 Beard Oil/South Point Resort & Casino Chevrolet
Team: Beard Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (Four starts with his best finish being eighth at Talladega)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 11th (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Gaughan will only run four races, the restrictor plate races at Daytona and Talladega.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: I would go with Talladega. It has more one-time winners than any other track. Gaughan locked himself into the Daytona 500 with his qualifying speed.

Timmy Hill - #66 RoofClaim.com/VSI Racing Toyota
Team: MBM Motorsports
2019 Championship Finish: Ineligible (27th in the NASCAR Grand National Series)
Best Daytona 500 Finish: This is his debut.
2020 Playoff Prospects: Slim to none.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: His dreams. Hill could make his Daytona 500 on his qualifying time or racing his way into the race on Thursday.

Daniel Suárez - #96 Coca-Cola/CommScope/Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota
Team: Gaunt Brothers Racing
2019 Championship Finish: 17th
Best Daytona 500 Finish: 29th (2017)
2020 Playoff Prospects: Suárez heads to his third different team in three years and it is the least-funded of the three teams he has ever been to. Gaunt Brothers Racing has never been full-time and while it had some good days with Parker Kligerman it needs the best of Kligerman's results multiplied by nine to have a prayer of making the playoffs. This team isn't guaranteed in for Daytona and Suárez has to race his way in. He cannot fall back on his qualifying time. Missing this race could make this season much longer. I am not sure this team could get the pieces together to even have Suárez in a position to fall backward into a victory.
Most Likely Place for a Victory: It is tough to see him winning anywhere. He just has to hope to be competitive at a handful of places and maybe crack the top 25 in the championship.

Playoff Drivers Predictions
1. Kyle Busch
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Joey Logano
4. Chase Elliott
5. Martin Truex, Jr.
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Kyle Larson
8. Brad Keselowski
9. Erik Jones
10. Ryan Blaney
11. Jimmie Johnson
12. Christopher Bell
13. William Byron
14. Alex Bowman
15. Kurt Busch
16. Clint Bowyer

The Daytona 500 qualifying races will take place on February 13th at 7:00 p.m. ET with the schedule race scheduled to start at 8:45 p.m. ET.

The 62nd Daytona 500 will be at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday February 16th.