[h=2]CRANDALL: As others pass 40...... NASCAR's changing of the guard[/h] Kelly Crandall / Images by LAT

A metamorphosis is underway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
For the past five years, the roster has largely remained the same with most of the sport's turnover coming in the early 2000s. But the pace is about to pick up, and new blood is ready to be infused into the series.


It started when Jeff Gordon announced he would retire in 2015 after 23 years at the premier level. Tony Stewart followed his lead this past season. Both are sure to be first-ballot Hall of Famers with seven championships between them and over 100 career wins. Not to mention their countless contributions to the sport outside of the car.


With Gordon and Stewart gone it naturally begs the question: Who's next? There's also the follow-up question – where do we find drivers to replace them?
First, accept that the Cup Series is going to look radically different over the next five years. Greg Biffle appears to be the next driver looking for work away from racing, having yet to announce whether he'll compete this season.
Retirement for the two-time NASCAR champion (one in each the Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series) was bound to happen sooner rather than later, with Biffle admitting in January 2016 during the annual NASCAR media tour he thinks about it every day. Finding a competitive car will not be an easy task if Biffle is looking for another year on the circuit. At 47 years old, Biffle had been the oldest active driver.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return to his car this year, but for how much longer? Earnhardt turned 42 last October. Matt Kenseth is 44 and Kevin Harvick is 41, as is seven-time series champion Jimmie Johnson. In November, Johnson told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that he has about "three to five years" left before he retires.
Wouldn't it be something to see Johnson win his eighth championship in the next two years and retire on the stage at Homestead? It wouldn't be surprising.
Nor would it be a shock to see at least one driver each season continue to call it quits. Jamie McMurray entered the 40 club last year, and Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer are approaching that milestone.
Determining when seats are going to open up isn't easy, but looking at who could fill them is.
A frequent discussion in NASCAR is breaking down where the next batch of superstars is going to come from. Most look at the diversity programs the sport has as well as NASCAR Home Tracks, where young talent is developed at the regional level.
Better advice: Look at the roster for this year's Xfinity Series.
In addition to drivers like defending champion Daniel Suarez, Brennan Poole and Darrell Wallace Jr. still trying to prove their worth, there is a deep lineup of newcomers ready for the season to start.
Cole Custer will be full time for Stewart-Haas Racing. Daniel Hemric has a ride with Richard Childress Racing. Spencer Gallagher graduates into the series from trucks as does Tyler Reddick, who will have a limited schedule with Chip Ganassi Racing. Joe Gibbs Racing is also continuing its driver development with Matt Tifft.
JR Motorsports has each of its cars filled. Elliott Sadler and Justin Allgaier are back for their second year with the team, while Michael Annett rejoins the series. After lighting the Camping World Truck Series on fire with seven wins in his rookie year, William Byron joins the organization as he takes the next step in his career.
All of the above are proven talents, and they enter a series with plenty of other drivers of the same caliber. It's about getting the opportunity to show it. The good news is that with NASCAR limiting the amount of races Cup drivers (with more than five years of full-time experience) can compete in, that chance is now and the timing couldn't be better.
Get a good look. Like it or not, change has come and will continue to shake up the Cup Series. Drivers who were thought to be invincible, the ones who have been a staple of the series, are soon going to be gone.