NASCAR 12 months In evaluation: correct 23 studies of 2023

The NASCAR season ended greater than a month in the past, and news continues to return for what 2024 has in save.

but before searching ahead, here's a look again on the appropriate 23 stories of the 2023 season. I based this on normal pastime and the chatter these hobbies/storylines generated. I swear no egg nog become consumed whereas making this list, even if some might believe so counting on where issues are ranked.

23. Ben Rhodes Wins 2d Truck Title

It wasn't a truck series championship race for the ages because it become stuffed with controversial retaliation and a number of wrecks near the end. as the grime settled, ThorSport Racing's Ben Rhodes received his 2d truck title in the ultimate three years. Rhodes will return to protect his title in 2024.

22. Cole Custer Wins Xfinity Title

After struggling for three seasons in Cup, Cole Custer found himself back within the Xfinity collection for a full season at Stewart-Haas Racing. every little thing definitely failed to go as deliberate because the group wasn't as quick as hoped for lots of the season, however they brought the speed when it mattered, and Custer captured the title. Custer will return to take care of his title in 2024.

Full highlights from the Xfinity series Championship at Phoenix Raceway

21. See You In Iowa 

Iowa Speedway was introduced to the 2024 agenda, the first time the NASCAR Cup collection will discuss with the seven-eighths mile oval. The song will exchange California Speedway, which is being shut down while NASCAR continues to devise for a reconfigured facility from a 2-mile oval to a short track. In one other time table trade, NASCAR will run the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval as an alternative of the street course subsequent year.

20. Are You able For inexperienced persons?

Three drivers signed contracts for their first full season in Cup. Josh Berry will exchange Kevin Harvick at Stewart-Haas Racing, Carson Hocevar will change Ty Dillon at Spire Motorsports and Zane Smith will race a third Cup automobile for Spire whereas on loan from Trackhouse Racing. There can be one "return to Cup" with John Hunter Nemechek, who spent the last three years essentially operating in trucks and Xfinity, changing Noah Gragson at Legacy.

19. Alex Bowman Injured

Bowman changed into having a pretty good season until he broke his lower back in a sprint-vehicle accident in April. He overlooked three features races and the all-celebrity race but was on no account definitely the equal after that. missing the races coupled with a 60-factor penalty early within the season became too much for him to conquer to make the playoffs.

19. Two F1 Champs Race

Jenson Button, the 2009 method 1 champion, drove in three races for Rick Ware Racing through a partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing. within the race at COTA, he become joined with the aid of Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 champion, giving the race two former F1 champions as Raikkonen drove a 3rd Trackhouse motor vehicle. brought in there became IMSA sports-vehicle ace Jordan Taylor, who was racing for the injured Chase Elliott.

18. Bell Surges For JGR

Christopher Bell changed into the handiest JGR driver to make the Championship 4, the place a brake rotor failure ended his championship hopes early at Phoenix. He won two races all the way through the season and continued to display promise of being the lengthy-time period way forward for the organization.

Christopher Bell on his 2023 season and making a second consecutive Champ 4 appearance

17. 23XI Racing correct-10s

in only its third yr, 23XI Racing put both of its drivers within the precise 10 in features as Tyler Reddick gained two races and finished sixth within the standings; Bubba Wallace went winless and comprehensive tenth. 4 companies had two drivers in the proper 10 in facets: Hendrick, Joe Gibbs Racing, RFK Racing and 23XI. group Penske and Trackhouse each had one.

16. RFK Racing Emergence

RFK being on that record of two drivers to make the top 10 in aspects may had been even an even bigger shock than 23XI because the organization made an argument because the most useful common Ford corporation all over the summer time. Chris Buescher received 3 times and accomplished seventh within the standings and Brad Keselowski become winless and finished eighth. The truth they both made the playoffs after being shut out a 12 months earlier become somewhat spectacular. Buescher had gained two races in the first 278 races of his career. within the ultimate 15 races of 2023, he gained three.

15. Kyle Busch: New crew, Revived career

Kyle Busch had won just 3 times in the previous two years at Joe Gibbs Racing. So the truth he gained in his 2d race while at Richard Childress Racing — it turned into the final race at the 2-mile California Speedway (NASCAR hopes to reconfigure it) — and won a complete of three for the season showed it become a good looking first rate circulate.

final race at Fontana | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

14. Martin Truex Jr. A yes For 2024

Truex did not make a call unless early August, but he decided that he would race at least another yr at Joe Gibbs Racing. After missing the playoffs in 2022, he gained 3 times and captured the general-season title in 2023. The playoffs left a good deal to be favored. even if 2024 is his ultimate season continues to be to be decided ... and sure now not determined except, once again, the summer time.

13. Ross Chastain first rate And bad

Chastain has been a polarizing driver for his aggressiveness and arguably lack of consciousness of when is the appropriate time to reveal that aggressiveness. It drew the ire of different drivers, together with a fight with Noah Gragson. After a couple of wrecks with Kyle Larson, Chastain received harsh words from not just Larson's crew proprietor Rick Hendrick, but his own boss as neatly. Justin Marks knew that a driver can't throw away opportunities in speedy cars as a result of they won't at all times be speedy. That proved authentic as Trackhouse perceived to have a lull all over the summer season before surging late, including Chastain's victory within the season finale at Phoenix.

Are the Ross Chastain antics growing older? | quickly options with Bob Pockrass

12. Daytona 500

The Daytona 500 kicked off the season with a field few could have expected. Jimmie Johnson made his return to NASCAR Cup sequence racing after spending two years in IndyCar. Travis Pastrana made a bucket listing start in the iconic race. And in the end, it become a driver who earned the largest win in his profession and the largest victory ever for his single-car group as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gained simply the 2nd race in JTG Daugherty Racing heritage.

The 2023 Daytona 500 | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

11. Hendrick Success And impact

William Byron received an spectacular six instances — probably the most within the collection — and Kyle Larson won 4 instances (plus the all-star race) to provide Hendrick Motorsports a really a success season. each drivers made it to the Championship 4 however neither captured the title. It became that form of roller-coaster 12 months for Hendrick, which also discovered itself mired in the crosshairs of NASCAR inspectors early in the year. on account of one of the vital questions over the Hendrick penalties and decisions by using the appeals panel, NASCAR grew to become extra transparent in showing components and items present in violation of the rules and additionally had its appeals panel issuing a one-sentence or two-sentence commentary on how it got here to its decision.

William Byron on what it means to earn 300th Cup win for Hendrick Motorsports

10. North Wilkesboro Returns

For the primary time on account that 1996, North Wilkesboro turned into on the NASCAR Cup collection time table. It played host to the all-celebrity race, and whereas Larson ran away with the victory, the experience had a fantastic throwback vibe. The historic floor held up for one final weekend — it turned into these days repaved for the return of the all-big name race in 2024.

The return to North Wilkesboro | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

9. tv Deal completed

NASCAR accomplished its subsequent broadcasting deal as it got here to agreements for the 2025-2031 seasons. FOX activities may have the primary 14 Cup routine plus the complete Craftsman Truck sequence; Amazon prime could have Cup pursuits 15-19 on the schedule; TNT may have the Cup pursuits 20-24 on the schedule and NBC activities may have the remaining 14 pursuits. The CW may have the complete Xfinity collection. Now that the broadcasting deal is accomplished, NASCAR should get an extension performed with the groups on the constitution agreements, which expire after the 2024 season.

eight. Ryan Preece Daytona Flip

Preece changed into worried in the most wild accident of the season as he flipped a number of instances, together with multiple rotations within the air devoid of hitting the floor, in Daytona. He become not injured, despite the fact he did have bloodshot eyes for a few weeks. Daytona has paved a part of the grass enviornment the place his vehicle acquired airborne.

Ryan Preece's frightening barrel roll at Daytona | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

7. Kevin Harvick's remaining year

Harvick did not win a race in his last season and acquired knocked out of playoff rivalry within the opening round. but if you asked him if it turned into a a hit final yr, he'd doubtless say it was in the experience that the fans had plenty of opportunity to have fun his 60-win profession. He'll still be coming to the track — he'll be within the FOX activities broadcast sales space as an analyst for Cup telecasts.

Kevin Harvick on his remaining race and the feelings of Phoenix

6. Noah Gragson Saga

Gragson had high hopes for his rookie season, but he struggled on the track along with Legacy Motor membership as an entire over the first half of the season. The frustration boiled over at Kansas when he obtained right into a battle with Ross Chastain. He turned into suspended and released in August after liking a racially insensitive meme. He became reinstated two months later and recently signed with Stewart-Haas Racing. 

Noah Gragson-Ross Chastain combat | Most Memorable Moments of the 2023 NASCAR Season

5. Denny Hamlin The Villain 

Hamlin enjoyed taking part in the role of the heel as he spoke his intellect on his new podcast and embraced the boos at driver introductions — and when he gained races. He proclaimed "I beat your favorite driver" after a win in the Bristol nighttime race.

Denny Hamlin - moves Polarizing Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR season

four. cars Are Safer

whereas a couple of drivers did endure concussion-classification signs — Gragson and Ryan Blaney among them — after accidents, drivers seemed to be absorbing less power in rear impacts, indicating NASCAR's changes to the Cup cars prior to the season helped. NASCAR also made a midseason alternate after a vicious destroy at Talladega the place the entrance of Ryan Preece's car overwhelmed the passenger side of Kyle Larson's automobile to the factor where the front of his vehicle very nearly reached Larson.

3. Penske back-to-again Champs

group Penske gained the Cup title for the 2nd consecutive season as Ryan Blaney used a rally over the closing couple of months to capture his first career Cup title. He accomplished first or second in 4 of the final six races, including wins at Talladega and Martinsville and then a 2d-region conclude at Phoenix to seal the crown.

Ryan Blaney's Cup Championship | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

2. Chase Elliott Woes

Elliott broke his left leg in March and ignored six races early within the season, inserting him in the back of for lots of the yr and sure impacting the number of individuals who watched from domestic with the activity's most familiar driver sidelined. He then changed into suspended for a race at Gateway for turning Hamlin in retaliation at Charlotte. He failed to win a race, so he neglected the playoffs as he couldn't overcome fairly a lot eight races with out facets (he comprehensive thirty fourth at Charlotte). 

Chase Elliott's Suspension | Most memorable moments of 2023 NASCAR season

1. Chicago Streets and SVG

NASCAR took an enormous gamble to stage its first-ever road race because it took over the streets of Chicago. Amid questions from those in the metropolis and local corporations on whether this became the correct region for a NASCAR race, the experience had a lot of buzz — except a historic rainfall sopping wet the vibe for the weekend. NASCAR did get the race in late Sunday afternoon — and it become a great race for a striking enthusiastic, soggy crowd — with an exquisite conclude as New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen gained in his Cup debut. The adventure led to van Gisbergen, a 3-time Australian Supercars champion, signing a take care of Trackhouse Racing ,and he will drive a full Xfinity season in a Kaulig Racing car in 2024.

SVG Wins At Chicago In Cup series Debut | Most Memorable Moments of 2023 NASCAR Season

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX activities. He has spent a long time masking motorsports, including the previous 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, carrying news, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona seaside) news-Journal. observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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