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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 23: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Alex Bowman, poses for a photo at Charlotte Convention Center on January 23, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 23: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver, Alex Bowman, poses for a photo at Charlotte Convention Center on January 23, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

Alex Bowman

What’s new: Returning to the Cup Series for the first time in three years, driving a pretty famous car …

Discussions about NASCAR’s Next Big Thing don’t always include Bowman’s name, but maybe they should. At just 24 years old, he’s certainly part of the current youth movement, and sliding behind the steering wheel of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s old 88 Chevy means he’ll have as many eyes on him as any of his contemporaries.

While some were surprised Hendrick Motorsports didn’t opt for a more well-known driver to follow Junior, Bowman has done good things in this car before, including a string of three top-10 finished in eight starts toward the end of the 2016 season. The unusual thing is the path he’s taken to get back to the Cup Series, as he spent all of 2017 driving simulators for Hendrick — with a quick cameo in the XFINITY Series to grab a win for Ganassi.

If Bowman performs well, he could very well put the debate about racing simulators as valuable tools to bed for good.

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