Fansided

What’s new in NASCAR 2018: New drivers, teams, numbers and more

By Nick Tylwalk

LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 31: William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet during testing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 31, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for NASCAR)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JANUARY 31: William Byron, driver of the #24 Liberty University Chevrolet during testing for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on January 31, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/Getty Images for NASCAR) /
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CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 24: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Ryan Blaney, poses for a photo at Charlotte Convention Center on January 24, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 24: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Ryan Blaney, poses for a photo at Charlotte Convention Center on January 24, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Ryan Blaney

What’s new: Switching from Wood Brothers Racing to Team Penske; cut his hair and shaved his mustache.

When he wasn’t adding to his resume as the most fun driver in the Cup Series garage off the track, Blaney was getting the Wood Brothers Ford to Victory Lane at Pocono, something that longtime fans always love to see. For an encore, he gets to fire up the new No. 12 car at Team Penske and see if it will help him challenge for even more wins.

Don’t think that he’ll automatically be low man on the Penske totem pole, either. Consider that Blaney won as many races last season as Joey Logano, and his victory didn’t have people scrambling to look up the meaning of the word “encumbered.” Blaney absolutely has what it takes to rack up multiple wins in 2018 if he and his new team gel quickly.

Even if he doesn’t, he’s a lock to remain engaging, and he’s almost certainly the only Cup Series driver whose hair and facial whiskers are a source of constant social media fascination.

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