3 NASCAR Cup Series drivers who need to step it up in 2018

Trevor Bayne, driver of the #6 AdvoCare Ford, leads Cody Ware, driver of the #23 RaceTrac Convenience Stores Chevrolet, and Kyle Busch, driver of the #54 Monster Energy Toyota, during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Virginia529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway on September 5, 2014 in Richmond, Virginia. /

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LAS VEGAS, NV – JANUARY 31: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford attends the media availability during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series testing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 31, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for NASCAR) /

Kurt Busch

If you win the Greatest American Race, you have to figure your job is secure for at least one more season. You’d figure wrong, though, in Busch’s case.

Yes, he’s back with Stewart-Haas Racing and Monster Energy rallied to sponsor his No. 41 Ford again. But he’s essentially been given a vote of no confidence by SHR with most of his crew from last year going to work on Aric Almirola’s No. 10 and receiving the personnel who used to handle Danica Patrick’s car in return.

This feels like a “show me” season for Busch, because as great as that Daytona 500 victory was, it wasn’t followed by any more wins. SHR already has a veteran contender in Kevin Harvick, a driver who could be right in his prime years in Clint Bowyer and newcomer Almirola. What it doesn’t have is a young driver to groom and attract more sponsors.

Next: Might Jimmie Johnson consider retirement after the 2018 season?

At least it doesn’t at the Cup Series level. Cole Custer is looming in the XFINITY Series, and the 41 sure feels like the spot he’d be most likely to land if he gets called up in 2019. It’s not entirely clear what Busch would have to do to guarantee his team wants him back, but you can bet this much: it’s probably going to take a Daytona 500 repeat and more wins on top of that.

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