Recapping NASCAR free agency and how Erik Jones, Clint Bowyer, Daniel Suarez, and others will perform with their new teams

When drivers take to Daytona International Speedway later this week in preparation for Saturday night’s exhibition opener, The Clash, and on Sunday for Daytona 500 qualifying (Feb. 26, Fox, 2 p.m. ET) there will be several notable names absent. Tony Stewart is retired from NASCAR and off racing sprint cars, Carl Edwards is also retired and home in Missouri with his family, and veterans Greg Biffle and Casey Mears found themselves without rides for 2017.

To recap which drivers shifted teams since end of last season, why they changed, and how they’ll perform with their new organizations, here’s a complete breakdown.

(Editor’s note: Only drivers who’ve declared they’re running the entire schedule are included.)

Synopsis for the move: After being a single-car team since its inception, Denver-based Furniture Row Racing decided to add a second team and with its strong ties to Toyota, it only made sense to elevate Erik Jones — the manufacturer’s No. 1 prospect — to a full-time Cup ride.

Why this will work: Despite being located well outside of NASCAR’s North Carolina hub, FRR has grown into a consistent, and at times dominant organization. Although there may be some initial growing pains, the addition of a second car shouldn’t be too much of a hindrance. And signing the 20-year-old Jones, considered by many industry insiders a future Cup champion, is a coup and gives FRR another race-winning driver who, if he can smooth out his over-aggressiveness, has a good shot to qualify for the playoffs.

Why this won’t work: There is little downside. Because of its association with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, FRR was well-positioned to expand without disrupting its infrastructure and current run of success that’s seen Martin Truex Jr. advance to the 2015 championship finale and follow with a superb 2016 season.

Grade: A+

Synopsis for the move: When Carl Edwards unexpectedly walked away with a year left on his contract, JGR suddenly had an opening for a team that had nearly won the Cup title. Who better than Daniel Suarez, 25, a JGR Xfinity Series driver coming off a breakthrough championship season, who also shared many of the same sponsors as the man he’s replacing?

Why this will work: He may not possess the same speed as corporate teammate Jones, nor is he as flashy as some other young, up-and-coming drivers, but Suarez’s talent is without question. He’s proven to be quick learner, doesn’t overdrive, and has shown he can maximize his car’s capabilities. With time, the first foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR national touring championship should acclimate himself nicely and demonstrate he’s a worthy successor to Edwards.

Why this won’t work: If Edwards had not retired, he would be entering the season as a championship favorite. Thusly, Suarez has some big shoes to fill and will have pressure to perform from the get go. And as witnessed when J.J. Yeley replaced Bobby Labonte and Joey Logano replaced Tony Stewart, JGR has a spotty record when it pertains to anointing rookies to fill the seats of highly successful veterans.

Grade: A

Synopsis for the move: Sometimes perfect unions are created out of mutual convenience. As is the case with Chris Buescher, whose previous team, Roush Fenway Racing, didn’t have the necessary funding to retain the promising 24-year-old for 2017, and JTG Daugherty Racing, a team with a growing portfolio of sponsors that made expansion to a two-car team a reality. Both sides are saying this is only temporary with Buescher set to go back to Roush next season, though there is a distinct possibility JTG ends up being his permanent home.

Why this will work: Gradually JTG has developed into a solid middle-class outfit, with regular driver A.J. Allmendinger earning the team’s first-ever win and an accompanying playoff berth in 2014. Buescher, entering his second full season, represents a nice fit and his talent is such that a second straight trip to the playoffs is not out of the realm possibility.

Why this won’t work: Consistency hasn’t been a strong suit for JTG and adding a second car could further exasperate the issue. There is also the awkwardness of Buescher being aligned with a Chevrolet team, while still under contract to Ford with the understanding he’ll return next season. How much can JTG commit to a driver who’s not committed to it long term?

Grade: B+

Synopsis for the move: When Tony Stewart announced in the fall of 2015 he would retire from NASCAR competition after the season, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing also revealed Clint Bowyer would take over driving duties and join a team that also employs Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Danica Patrick.

Why this will work: Bowyer’s affability should help ease the transition into an organization filled with mercurial personalities and provide a nice balance. On the track, he’s an eight-time Cup race winner and thrice has finished fifth or better in the standings — including runner-up to champion Brad Keselowski in 2012. At 37, he is in the prime of his career and aligning himself with one of the sport’s elite organizations.

Why this won’t work: It’s been four full seasons and 149 races since Bowyer last reached victory lane. Such futility can be attributed to many factors — most notably the mediocre teams he’s driven for — but it does give pause whether he still has the ability to produce at the level expected. Another challenge is SHR’s switch from Chevrolet to Ford and the likely hiccups that will occur in the initial months. As evident during his 2016 stopgap year with HScott Motorsports, adversity isn’t always something Bowyer has handled well.

Grade: B

Synopsis for the move: Wanting to move his grandson up from Xfinity but without room to expand his own Cup team, Richard Childress brokered a deal with Germain Racing where it jettisoned Mears in favor of Ty Dillon. Part of the package entails Richard Childress Racing supplying Germain with engines and technical data, which essentially turns the single-car team into a de facto fourth RCR entry.

Why this will work: Mears did a nice job helping Germain grow and there were moments when the team appeared ready to take the step until regressing in 2016, so getting a young talent behind the wheel could be the catalyst needed. And Dillon, who has shown flashes, represents an ideal driver to build around going forward, especially if it brings a tighter alliance with RCR.

Why this won’t work: Dillon’s results haven’t yet matched his talent, and a rookie who will likely experience more than his fair share of wrecked equipment may be too much of a burden for a still-modest team to face.

Grade: B-

Synopsis for the move: After years cycling through a rotation of drivers (sometimes as many as eight in a single year), team owner Archie St. Hilaire sought more stability. Enter Matt DiBenedetto, who will be tasked with trying to uplift a team that has struggled with competitiveness and doesn’t have an abundance of resources at its disposal.

Why this will work: Long regarded as a driver whose talent was deserving of a seat with a big team, DiBenedetto is still seeking that chance. But Go Fas does provide the opportunity for the 25-year-old to be the central focus of an entire team, and with his crew chief and spotter also making the move with him from BK Racing, that continuity should help DiBenedetto acclimate himself.

Why this won’t work: DiBenedetto may be talented, but he also crashes far too frequently. He failed to finish seven races in 2016 because of accidents (though not all of his own doing), and a similar attrition rate is something Go Fas simply cannot sustain.

Grade: C

Synopsis for the move: David Ragan returns to Front Row Motorsports after leaving the team in 2015 to pursue opportunities elsewhere, a reunion brought about by Buescher (who had been on loan to FRM from Roush) departing.

Why this will work: The veteran Ragan knows how to maximize the limited resources FRM has at its disposal. He scored the team its first victory in 2013 at Talladega Superspeedway and routinely was competitive in other restrictor-plate races.

Why this won’t work: There are only four plate races on the schedule, and outside of those FRM has often struggled. Lack of substantial funding is also a concern.

Grade: C

Synopsis for the move: An on-and-off Cup operation for several years, TriStar Motorsports is making a go of being a full-time team once again. It has secured a charter, guaranteeing a starting spot in every race, and signed journeyman Cole Whitt.

Why this will work: It’s going to be tough. The best chance for success is Whitt avoids problems on the track, thereby placing TriStar in a position to capitalize were other teams to run afoul of NASCAR’s new rule prohibiting damaged cars from returning to the track.

Why this won’t work: With little funding beyond the Daytona 500, there’s a real possibility Whitt is starting and parking before too long.

Grade: D+