This article is part of our NASCAR Draft Kit series.
Before we can fill out our cheat sheets or prepare our draft strategies for the 2021 NASCAR season, there are many changes that we need to take into account to be prepared for any fantasy racing league. Let's take an in-depth look at some of the changes we'll see this season, including some that aren't so apparent when the engines fire up at Daytona in February.
Driver Changes
Thanks to the usual silly season movement and free-agent driver signings, we have several drivers who have moved to new teams in 2021. A handful of teams are shutting down and some are starting new. A few teams have merged or contracted to stay competitive. Also, a handful of driver/team swaps have taken place; among the most notable are the Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman team swaps, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth retirements and the rookie driver promotions.
| Driver | New Team | Old Team |
|---|---|---|
| Kyle Larson | No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports | No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing |
| Corey Lajoie | No. 7 Spire Motorsports | No. 32 Go Fas Racing |
| Chase Briscoe | No. 14 Stewart Haas Racing | No. 98 Xfinity Series |
| Christopher Bell | No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing | No. 95 Leavine Family Racing |
| Bubba Wallace | No. 23 23XI Racing | No. 43 Petty Motorsports |
| Anthony Alfredo? | No. 38 Front Row Motorsports | No. 21 Xfinity Series |
| Ross Chastain | No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing | No. 10 Xfinity Series |
| Erik Jones | No. 43 Petty Motorsports | No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing |
| Alex Bowman | No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports | No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports |
