who drives the monster energy car in nascar
2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
On April 25 , 2017 , Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would retire from full - time racing . On July 20 , 2017 , Alex Bowman was announced as his full - time replacement . On July 11 , 2017 , it was announced that Erik Jones will be replacing Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing . On November 4 , 2017 , Kenseth announced he would be stepping away from full - time racing and will not compete in any 2018 events . On July 26 , 2017 , it was announced that Paul Menard will replace Ryan Blaney in the No. 21 car for Wood Brothers Racing . On August 1 , 2017 , it was announced that Kurt Busch will become a free agent after driving the No. 41 car for Stewart Haas Racing . However , on December 11 , 2017 , it was announced that Busch had re-signed with Stewart - Haas Racing on a 1 - year deal . On August 7 , 2017 , it was announced that Kasey Kahne would be leaving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car at the end of 2017 . On August 8 , 2017 , it was announced that William Byron was named as his full - time replacement in the renumbered No. 24 car and will be running for Rookie of the Year honors . On September 19 , 2017 , it was announced that Kahne would be driving the No. 95 Chevrolet Camaro for Leavine Family Racing , replacing Michael McDowell . On September 12 , 2017 , Danica Patrick announced that she would not be returning to Stewart - Haas Racing in 2018 . Later that day , Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Aric Almirola would not be returning to the No. 43 team in 2018 . On October 25 , 2017 , Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Darrell Wallace Jr. would drive the No. 43 and compete for Rookie of the Year Honors . In 2017 , Wallace Jr. was going to run the full NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing , but the team shut down in June due to a lack of sponsorship . Wallace would also drive the No. 43 in the Cup series , filling in for Almirola when he was injured in a crash at Kansas . Wallace also drove the No. 98 Ford Mustang for Biagi - DenBeste Racing in the Xfinity Series at Chicago , and the No. 99 Chevrolet Silverado for MDM Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Michigan . On September 25 , 2017 , Derrike Cope announced he would leave the No. 55 car of Premium Motorsports to drive the new No. 00 for StarCom Racing . Cope also serves as Team Manager , and the team will run the full schedule after securing a charter and Cope will drive the majority of the schedule . On October 10 , 2017 , Front Row Motorsports announced that Landon Cassill would not return to drive the teams No. 34 entry in 2018 . On December 14 , 2017 , it has been confirmed that Michael McDowell will drive full - time in the No. 34 , and David Ragan is returning to FRM in the No. 38 . On November 8 , 2017 , Stewart - Haas Racing announced that Aric Almirola would take over the No. 10 Ford full - time in 2018 , replacing Danica Patrick . On November 15 , 2017 , it was announced that Danica Patrick would be retiring from auto racing . She plans to race in the 2018 Daytona 500 ( NASCAR ) and the 2018 Indy 500 ( IndyCar ) before retiring . On November 22 , 2017 , it was announced that Ray Black Jr. would compete full - time and challenge for Rookie of the Year with Rick Ware Racing 's No. 51 chartered entry . The No. 51 did not have a charter in 2017 . RWR also announced a part - time No. 52 team with drivers Cody Ware , Kyle Weatherman , B.J. McLeod and John Graham . However in early February it was that Justin Marks would drive the No. 51 in the Daytona 500 , even though Ray Black Jr. was announced as the full - time driver . It is rumored that the deal fell through . On January 30 , 2018 , StarCom Racing signed Jeffrey Earnhardt to drive its chartered No. 00 Chevrolet for the season . Earnhardt replaces Derrike Cope , who will remain as team manager and also will drive a second car for the team later in the year . Earnhardt previously drove for Circle Sport -- The Motorsports Group full - time in 2017 . On February 5 , 2018 , TriStar Motorsports announced that Corey LaJoie would split the chartered No. 72 team with Cole Whitt , with sponsorship from Schluter Systems . LaJoie previously drove for BK Racing 's Nos. 23 and 83 in most of the races in 2017 . On March 20 , 2018 , Richard Childress Racing announced that Daniel Hemric would drive a part time No. 8 car in the Cup Series during the Richmond spring race and the during the playoffs on the new Charlotte `` Roval '' course . Crew
On April 25 , 2017 , Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would retire from full - time racing . On July 20 , 2017 , Alex Bowman was announced as his full - time replacement . On July 11 , 2017 , it was announced that Erik Jones will be replacing Matt Kenseth in the No. 20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing . On November 4 , 2017 , Kenseth announced he would be stepping away from full - time racing and will not compete in any 2018 events . On July 26 , 2017 , it was announced that Paul Menard will replace Ryan Blaney in the No. 21 car for Wood Brothers Racing . On August 1 , 2017 , it was announced that Kurt Busch will become a free agent after driving the No. 41 car for Stewart Haas Racing . However , on December 11 , 2017 , it was announced that Busch had re-signed with Stewart - Haas Racing on a 1 - year deal . On August 7 , 2017 , it was announced that Kasey Kahne would be leaving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports car at the end of 2017 . On August 8 , 2017 , it was announced that William Byron was named as his full - time replacement in the renumbered No. 24 car and will be running for Rookie of the Year honors . On September 19 , 2017 , it was announced that Kahne would be driving the No. 95 Chevrolet Camaro for Leavine Family Racing , replacing Michael McDowell . On September 12 , 2017 , Danica Patrick announced that she would not be returning to Stewart - Haas Racing in 2018 . Later that day , Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Aric Almirola would not be returning to the No. 43 team in 2018 . On October 25 , 2017 , Richard Petty Motorsports announced that Darrell Wallace Jr. would drive the No. 43 and compete for Rookie of the Year Honors . In 2017 , Wallace Jr. was going to run the full NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule driving the No. 6 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing , but the team shut down in June due to a lack of sponsorship . Wallace would also drive the No. 43 in the Cup series , filling in for Almirola when he was injured in a crash at Kansas . Wallace also drove the No. 98 Ford Mustang for Biagi - DenBeste Racing in the Xfinity Series at Chicago , and the No. 99 Chevrolet Silverado for MDM Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Michigan . On September 25 , 2017 , Derrike Cope announced he would leave the No. 55 car of Premium Motorsports to drive the new No. 00 for StarCom Racing . Cope also serves as Team Manager , and the team will run the full schedule after securing a charter and Cope will drive the majority of the schedule . On October 10 , 2017 , Front Row Motorsports announced that Landon Cassill would not return to drive the teams No. 34 entry in 2018 . On December 14 , 2017 , it has been confirmed that Michael McDowell will drive full - time in the No. 34 , and David Ragan is returning to FRM in the No. 38 . On November 8 , 2017 , Stewart - Haas Racing announced that Aric Almirola would take over the No. 10 Ford full - time in 2018 , replacing Danica Patrick . On November 15 , 2017 , it was announced that Danica Patrick would be retiring from auto racing . She plans to race in the 2018 Daytona 500 ( NASCAR ) and the 2018 Indy 500 ( IndyCar ) before retiring . On November 22 , 2017 , it was announced that Ray Black Jr. would compete full - time and challenge for Rookie of the Year with Rick Ware Racing 's No. 51 chartered entry . The No. 51 did not have a charter in 2017 . RWR also announced a part - time No. 52 team with drivers Cody Ware , Kyle Weatherman , B.J. McLeod and John Graham . However in early February it was that Justin Marks would drive the No. 51 in the Daytona 500 , even though Ray Black Jr. was announced as the full - time driver . It is rumored that the deal fell through . On January 30 , 2018 , StarCom Racing signed Jeffrey Earnhardt to drive its chartered No. 00 Chevrolet for the season . Earnhardt replaces Derrike Cope , who will remain as team manager and also will drive a second car for the team later in the year . Earnhardt previously drove for Circle Sport -- The Motorsports Group full - time in 2017 . On February 5 , 2018 , TriStar Motorsports announced that Corey LaJoie would split the chartered No. 72 team with Cole Whitt , with sponsorship from Schluter Systems . LaJoie previously drove for BK Racing 's Nos. 23 and 83 in most of the races in 2017 . On March 20 , 2018 , Richard Childress Racing announced that Daniel Hemric would drive a part time No. 8 car in the Cup Series during the Richmond spring race and the during the playoffs on the new Charlotte `` Roval '' course . Crew