Jonny K: The General Will Be Promoted...and other 2020 Driver Predictions

The 2019-2020 NASCAR "Silly Season" is in full swing.

It all started early in the summer when David Ragan announced he would be leaving Front Row Motorsports to retire from full-time Cup racing.

A few months later, Leavine Family Racing announced that Matt DiBenedetto would not return to their team to drive the 95 Toyota in 2020. It was harsh news for Matty D, but we all knew the reason he wouldn't return (more on that later).

Just a couple of weeks later the news broke that Paul Menard would be retiring from full-time Cup racing, and that DiBenedetto would pilot the iconic 21 Ford next season. It all worked out for our boy Guido.

A couple of weeks ago an announcement was made that Richard Childress Racing would release Daniel Hemric from his contract after only one season driving the 8 car in the Cup series. Though it has yet to be announced, most believe that Tyler Reddick will move to the series and occupy that seat (that's why I didn't include that move in my predictions).

Just a few days ago we got the news that Christopher Bell would move up to the Cup Series to take over the 95 ride for LFR. Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota will increase their technical alliance with LFR and promise they will give Bell all of the necessary resources to win at the Cup level with the team.

Yesterday, news broke that Chris Buescher would be leaving JTG Daugherty Racing to re-join Roush Fenway Racing to drive their 17 car, leaving Ricky Stenhouse Jr. without a ride. The specifics were not announced but it is believed that Buescher is still under contract with RFR and they picked up the option to bring him back to the team that he won ARCA and Xfinity championships for in 2012 and 2015 respectively.

So...that leads to my predictions for 2020.

I'll begin with the vacant 37 car at JTGDR. Co-owner Brad Daugherty said on Sirius XM radio that the team is looking for a veteran, experienced driver to fill the seat given that their other driver, Ryan Preece is young and still learning. They want someone Preece can lean on, and who can improve the team overall, as Buescher appeared to be doing. Stenhouse is the only veteran Cup Series driver currently available, but I have another guy in mind.

Clint Bowyer. Bowyer's contract at Stewart-Haas Racing is up at the end of the 2019 season. Though they are negotiating and Boywer says he expects to return. But, what if he doesn't? What if Smoke and Gene Haas want to clear the way for a certain up-and-coming talent (we'll get there, don't worry)? Bowyer could slot right into the 37 car with sponsorship already in place from Kroger and its partners. He provides the veteran presence that could elevate that 37 team. Maybe not to a winning level, but to at least a consistent top-15 level.

That move let's the dominoes fall to open up the 14 ride. Enter The General. Cole Custer finally gets his much-deserved promotion to the Cup series. Arguably he would be filling the second-best ride in the camp behind only Kevin Harvick. SHR would have a balance of experience and young talent, and could be back to their dominating ways of 2018. This move would complete the trifecta to bring the Xfinity Series "Big 3" to the Cup Series (with that unannounced, but very much expected Tyler Reddick promotion).

Speaking of Reddick's promotion, that leaves Daniel Hemric without a ride for 2020. Hemric did OK in his rookie Cup season, but did not perform well enough (none of RCR did, but someone had to get the axe, and it wasn't going to be Grandpa's boy). Hemric never proved himself a winner in the Xfinity Series. Yes, in 2018 he advanced to the Championship 4, but he never won a race. He has 66 Xfinity starts with zero wins. Bell's and Reddick's promotions leave open spots at the 20 and 2 Xfinity teams. These are perfect opportunities for Hemric to go "back down" and prove himself. I think the bridge may be burned with RCR, so I'm going to say Hemric signs with JGR to pilot the 20 machine.

That just leaves Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse has dirt racing roots, and is damn good at it. However, I don't think he wants that to be his full-time job. There are no top-tier rides open, but I see Ricky staying in the Ford camp and signing with Front Row to drive the 38 car. He wouldn't be competitive weekly (hell, he's not now), but he would still be competitive at his best tracks: Daytona, Talladega, and even Bristol. FRM has been strong at all three places, and even won at Talladega with Ragan. Stenhouse could sign a one-year deal as a stepping-stone, or see how much the new Gen 7 car impacts the smaller teams in 2021, and possibly stay with FRM.

These are my best guesses, but I'm likely dead wrong on all of them. But that wouldn't be anything new for my readers. (Thanks, mom!)