Who Will Rise Up in 2023 Xfinity Series?

Photo Credit to Johnathan Bachman/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR

With Major Stars Gone, Who Will Make their Name in 2023 Xfinity Series?

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is in a unique place entering 2023. Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, and AJ Allmendinger are all moving up to the Cup Series. These three drivers collectively accounted for 20 of 33 wins in 2022. With this mass exodus of talent, where does that leave Saturday’s roster? Xfinity is where names are made, so who will make a big splash in the new year?

We have seen a relative lack of Xfinity star power coming into a season before. After 2019, the Big 3 of Tyler Reddick, Christopher Bell, and Cole Custer all moved up to Cup together. This came after they all won a total of 21 races that season. In the wake of their absence, 2020 saw Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric pick up a combined 15 wins.

Similar to how 2019’s Big 3 were the top three in the championship, the trio leaving after 2022 were first, second, and fifth in points. They all certainly left their own marks on Xfinity this past year. Allmendinger was the regular season champion and asserted himself as NASCAR’s all-time winningest road course racer. Gragson saw a series-leading eight wins, including four in a row. Lastly with Gibbs, he closed out the season with back-to-back wins, taking the championship.

Without the most successful drivers from 2022, who can become regular Xfinity winners and contenders? Much like with 2020, it’s a preseason mystery who will be up front week in and week out for Xfinity competition.

Not Just Another Year at JRM

Look no further than the other two drivers from the Championship 4: Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry. Each JR Motorsports driver won three races in 2022, and hope for another chance at Phoenix. Alongside Gragson, JRM made up three of the four title finalists in their best season ever.

Having been on the doorstep of the 2022 title, both Allgaier and Berry are favorites to make the Phoenix finale again. Sam Mayer should also take a step forward in his development, since the 1 was close to that elusive first win in 2022. Brandon Jones now in the No. 9 car should be a regular threat for wins as well. This four car team totaled 14 wins in 2022, and are hoping for a similarly-dominant 2023 that ends in a championship.

Kaulig Mounting a Comeback?

The 2022 season was very up and down for Kaulig Racing. While AJ Allmendinger picked up five wins, the rest of the team was not as fast. Their other two cars, Daniel Hemric and Landon Cassill, failed to win, as only the No. 11 car even made the Playoffs. With Allmendinger gone, this team is losing their superstar driver, replacing him with rookie Chandler Smith. In the 16, Smith should be a strong contender out of the gate for his first win. The Georgia native won three races en route to a third-place effort in the 2022 Truck Series. However, a Championship 4 berth again is a tall task for Kaulig. Expect all three of their drivers to be Playoff-caliber, but their ability to be consistent winners is a big question mark.

Where is Childress’ Ceiling?

2022 saw Richard Childress Racing debut two Xfinity rookies from the Truck Series. While Austin Hill won twice, Sheldon Creed failed to find victory lane or make the Playoffs. In year two for both drivers, expect big improvements. Both of Hill’s wins came on superspeedways; the 21 should be a threat at drafting tracks and elsewhere throughout 2023. For Creed, he came to life in his second full-time Truck season, winning five races and the championship. The California native hopes for a similar sophomore year surge in Xfinity, as he did improve towards the end of the season. Creed was within a few corners of winning at Darlington in the fall. Now with a full year of experience under each of their belts, the RCR duo could be serious title threats for 2023.

Just a Few Questions Remain for JGR

The championship-winning team from 2022 will look vastly different in 2023. Both of their full-time drivers, Ty Gibbs and Brandon Jones, have moved onward. As of now, their only confirmed full-time Xfinity entry is young Sammy Smith. Smith gets this promotion after winning the last two ARCA East titles. In nine Xfinity starts this year, Smith had a best result of third at Watkins Glen.

It is believed that John Hunter Nemechek could join JGR as well. While not yet official, JGR Xfinity is a likely landing spot for the second-generation driver. He spent the last two seasons in the Trucks with Kyle Busch Motorsports, winning seven times. This same span saw JHN run part-time in Xfinity with Gibbs, winning at Texas in fall 2021. Nemechek would be a welcome addition to the JGR roster, and a great asset in helping the 18-year-old prodigy mature into an Xfinity racer.

Gibbs still has yet to verify any of their 2023 Xfinity lineup beyond Sammy Smith. A year ago, it was not confirmed that Ty Gibbs would compete full-time until days before the season-opener from Daytona. Please stay tuned for any pending announcements from JGR.

Stewart-Haas Should Come Out Swinging

After Ryan Preece got called off the sidelines to race the No. 41 Cup car, Cole Custer will return to Xfinity. The 10-time series winner will return to the No. 00 Mustang that he took to nine wins in three years. Custer will be teammates with Riley Herbst, who is also back in the No. 98 Ford. Custer’s experience alone should have him as a preseason championship favorite, as he will likely pick up right where he left Xfinity in 2019. That season, Custer tallied seven wins and second in the championship. Herbst should also have a few looks at wins, as 2022 was his best season yet. Both SHR cars should be seen as Playoff threats, as they will each chase multiple wins in 2023.

Underdogs Looking to Upset

A few more drivers and teams from the Xfinity 2023 grid stand out as potential Playoff upsets. Expect big things out of Parker Kligerman for starters, in his return to full-time racing with the Big Machine Racing No. 48 Chevrolet. After spending nearly a decade bouncing around in various part-time opportunities and with NBC Sports, PK hopes to make the most of this career resurgence.

Two more family-owned teams also hope to make the 12-man Playoffs again, including Jeremy Clements in the No. 51. Clements scored his second career win at Daytona in August, making his third postseason appearance. The 51 will try and play upset winner again in 2023.

Ryan Sieg in the No. 39 also made the Playoffs in 2022, as this group eyes a maiden trip to victory lane in 2023. Much like Clements, Sieg finds a way to be in position late on superspeedways. The 39 team should not be overlooked as a possible race winner.

For Gibbs, Gragson, and Allmendinger, their names were all definitely made in the Xfinity Series. The immense success shown by all three of these drivers has been rewarded handsomely, with each getting a full-time Cup Series ride. While that does leave a bit of a talent vacuum in Xfinity, do not think that the second-highest form of stock car racing will be without stars for long. It will be very interesting to see who can pick up the mantle and become the new face of Xfinity in 2023.

Written by Peter Stratta

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