20 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2020 Manufacturer Games. Last year, “teamwork” at the sport’s two superspeedways – Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway – went to a whole new level and took on a broader definition as drivers aligned with the same manufacturer worked together in the draft just as real teammates – drivers who compete for the same organization – have often done in past years. Instead of Hendrick Motorsports cars drafting mainly with Hendrick Motorsports cars, for example, Chevrolets worked with Chevrolets and Fords worked with Fords regardless of their particular team affiliation. This new strategy caused quite the stir and even garnered some criticism. Manufacturer battles have always been a part of NASCAR, so the alliances formed at the superspeedways in 2019 likely won’t suddenly fall by the wayside when the series returns to Daytona and Talladega.
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The Next Wave of Young Guns. Just when it seemed like the drivers in NASCAR’s top series couldn’t get much younger, think again. Looking past the ultratalented 2020 rookie class for the NASCAR Cup Series, there’s another crop of youngsters already waiting in the wings and looking for their big opportunity to make a splash in NASCAR’s premier series in the years to come. Remember these names: Riley Herbst, Harrison Burton, Christian Eckes, Tyler Ankrum, Todd Gilliland, Austin Hill and Ross Chastain – just to name a few. While most of these drivers are not yet well known to the broader NASCAR world, all of them have displayed enormous potential at NASCAR’s lower levels and look poised to eventually wind up in NASCAR’s premier division in the nottoo-distant future.
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POLE POSITION 2020
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