NASCAR Driver’s 2023 New Year’s Resolutions

Photo Credit to Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR

What Are NASCAR Cup Series Driver’s New Year’s Resolutions?

With a new year comes new goals for every driver in the NASCAR Cup Series. A new season offers limitless opportunities for growth and on-track success. Since 2022 is now fully in the rearview mirror, what are Cup driver’s aspirations for the fast-approaching season? Here’s a list of New Year’s Resolutions for every full-time driver in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series. The Busch Light Clash will be here soon, as we are not far away from racecars returning to the track.

Ross Chastain

The ‘Melon Man’ for Trackhouse Racing should aim for fewer on-track rivalries and controversy. While Chastain had a great 2022 season making his first Championship 4, he didn’t make many friends along the way. Should Chastain’s speed in the No. 1 return for 2023, he will be favored for many wins and another deep Playoff run. However, the 1 needs to be in fewer driver’s crosshairs to avoid being targeted by competition.

Austin Cindric

Despite a great rookie season highlighted by a Daytona 500 triumph, Austin Cindric has room for more growth. Daytona was the 2’s only win from 2022, so Cindric should hunt for more consistent speed. Road courses especially should be Cindric’s time to shine in his second season, with a prolific road racing background.

Austin Dillon

Entering his 10th season of NASCAR Cup competition, Austin Dillon is at a unique place in his career. Even with a win and Playoff berth in four of the last six years, consistent front-running status still separates him from true title contention. Gaining Kyle Busch as a teammate should elevate all of RCR, especially the 3 team. Assistance from Rowdy in becoming a more regular sight up front should top Dillon’s 2023 resolutions list.

Kevin Harvick

Even with two clutch wins in August to make the Playoffs, Kevin Harvick’s 2022 was marred by bad luck. The 4’s Round of 16 saw an exhaust fire retirement at Darlington and getting taken out in an early Kansas crash. Better overall luck will hopefully come the 4’s way in 2023, with improvements coming to the Next Gen car.

Kyle Larson

Few expected Kyle Larson to back up his unbelievable 10-win 2021 effort in 2022. Three wins and a seventh-place championship finish were the 5’s final results from this year. Round of 12 elimination from Larson came as a product of an unforced error at the Roval. Larson characterized his title defense season as full of mistakes, so he must avoid self-inflicted penalties in the new year. While 10 wins is a very lofty goal, Homestead being in the Round of 8 means the Championship 4 is very much attainable for Larson.

Brad Keselowski

In his maiden year as co-owner of RFK Racing, Brad Keselowski saw few early-season highlights. Instead, the 6’s year was largely defined by tech inspection failures and costly penalties. Back in March, Keselowski’s team was handed out a mammoth 100-point L2 penalty for modifying Next Gen parts. This came after an overturned wheel penalty at Daytona, putting the 6 in must-win territory for a majority of the regular season.

Keselowski only recorded a top-five at Homestead in October, initially backing that up with another strong run the next week at Martinsville. However, that Martinsville run was overturned for a disqualification. If Keselowski wants to return in 2023 as a race winner, he needs legal cars to perform at his peak.

Corey Lajoie

2022 for the flagship driver at Spire Motorsports was made in both trips to Atlanta. In March, Corey Lajoie earned his first career top-five finish, after a topsy-turvy race that saw the 7 backwards through the grass at one point. In July’s return to the mile-and-a-half, Lajoie was leading late and made a potentially race-winning move on the last lap. A block from Chase Elliott though sent Lajoie into the outside wall. Across six drafting races at Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta, Lajoie aims for another chance at a victory.

Kyle Busch

2023 may be the biggest question mark of a year yet in Kyle Busch’s NASCAR career. After a 15-year duration at Joe Gibbs Racing, the Las Vegas native moves to the No. 8 at Richard Childress Racing. This team is capable of multiple wins, as Tyler Reddick took them to three victories in 2022. After just four wins over the last three seasons, Busch aspires for a multi-win season with RCR. While a championship is a high bar for this team in their first run together, both pieces of this combination are proven prolific winners.

Chase Elliott

Regardless of not winning the 2022 championship, Chase Elliott was the driver of the year. A series-leading five wins and average finish of 12.5 showed just how strong the 9 was week in and week out. When the Playoffs began though, Elliott was hardly anywhere to be found, with only three top-10s in the final 10 weeks. Thanks to the regular season title, the wealth of bonus points allowed him to largely cruise into a third-straight Championship 4. Better postseason consistency however will deliver the Hendrick 9 team another shot at a championship.   

Aric Almirola

A year and a half ago Aric Almirola stunned the NASCAR world, with a New Hampshire win seemingly coming from nowhere. Career win number three for Almirola came amidst one of his worst seasons ever, locking him into the Playoffs. After failing to make the 2022 Playoffs in what was supposed to be his final year, Almirola hopes for another miracle win. Signed back on with Stewart-Haas Racing for the immediate future, the 10 will try to bring home a lot of bacon in 2023.

Denny Hamlin

2022 saw Denny Hamlin put together one of the most consistent Playoff runs in NASCAR history. Through the opening eight races, the 11 was second twice and only outside of the top-10 at the Roval. The Martinsville elimination race also saw Hamlin sweep both Stages, leading over 200 laps. This seemingly easy march to another Championship 4 appearance would only be derailed on the last lap, as Hamlin was on the losing end of Ross Chastain’s hail melon move. While Chastain gained five points, Hamlin ended the race just four points shy of making the title finale. A 2023 New Year’s Resolution for Denny Hamlin will be to repeat this amazing Playoff consistency, and be rewarded with another shot at the elusive Cup Series title.

Ryan Blaney

Now a veteran driver at Team Penske, Ryan Blaney had one of his best seasons yet, in spite of no wins. While Blaney was painfully close to multiple victories across the 2022 campaign, the 12 failed to ever close one out. Blaney also played second fiddle to both of his teammates. The 12 pushed Austin Cindric to the Daytona 500 win, and closely following Joey Logano to his championship. A shedding of this apparent wingman status is what Blaney should strive for in 2023, as the 12 was on the doorstep of the championship finale without any wins. Should Blaney return to his winning ways of 2021, he could bring Roger Penske a second-straight NASCAR title.

Chase Briscoe

In his sophomore season, Chase Briscoe had a few highlights but also some lowlights. Taking his first career win at Phoenix in March, Briscoe turned in an underdog Playoff run that was within five laps of a Championship 4 berth. Despite these high points, Briscoe’s 2022 is also remembered for making dive bomb moves at Bristol Dirt and Charlotte that took Tyler Reddick and Kyle Larson out of contention. If Briscoe can have just a bit more control in similar winning chances for 2023, he could be facing multiple trips to victory lane.

AJ Allmendinger

Known as a road course ace, AJ Allmendinger enters a career renaissance in 2023. Now full-time in the No. 16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, the open wheel standout hopes to add more NASCAR trophies to his case. Allmendinger has been a threat on Cup road courses for years, but has only won two of them. In his prior Cup career, AJ lacked consistent speed on road courses, or would take himself out with overaggressive moves. Should the 16 be a competent car in any of the five regular season road races, including Chicago, then AJ could win his way into his second Cup Series Playoff field.

Chris Buescher

RFK Racing left many stunned at the Bristol Night Race, with both of their drivers leading a combined 278 laps and Chris Buescher winning. Taking home the Bristol sword marked Buescher’s second career win, his first since the fog-shortened 2016 Pocono race. That night at Thunder Valley, one of the longest losing droughts in NASCAR history came to an end, a whopping 222 starts for Buescher. While highly unlikely to replicate that streak, a similar one wouldn’t see the 17 find victory lane again until 2028. Another checkered flag before then, possibly in 2023, certainly tops the Texas native’s list of New Year’s Resolutions.

Martin Truex Jr.

Nothing ever appeared to go in Martin Truex Jr’s favor in 2022, as the past champion saw his first winless year since 2014. Thanks to so many different winners, Truex was left out of the 2022 Playoffs by just three points. Better overall luck is what the 19 team and MTJ yearn for in 2023, as Truex did see many wins fall out of his hands. Should Truex win again, he would make a return to the Playoffs that have seen him make multiple deep runs at a championship.

Christopher Bell

In only his third Cup season, Christopher Bell put many on notice to a potential superstar driver in the making. After a horrid start to the season where the 20 was 30th in points, Bell won his way into the Playoffs at New Hampshire in July. Once the postseason began, Bell came to life by being one of the most consistent drivers out there. However, circumstances put the Oklahoma driver in must-win scenarios to move onward, which he did twice. Clutch moments at the Roval and Martinsville led Bell to the Championship 4, where a poor day ended with him third in points.

Bell’s unlikely 2022 efforts are some of the most clutch in NASCAR Playoffs history. However, the 20 cannot rely on always coming out on top in do-or-die moments. More overall regular season points would not have seen Bell seeded so low to begin each Playoff round, giving him more of a fighting chance to control his fate. The 20 in 2023 needs to be more consistent across the first 26 races, instead of just depending on one breakthrough win.

Harrison Burton

After a rookie season that saw him earn two top-10s and finish 27th in points, Harrison Burton is ready for year two. The top goal for the Wood Brothers Racing driver should be to avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. At just 22 years old, Burton does have plenty of time to continue adapting to the Cup Series, the Next Gen car and the great depth of competition. The second-generation Virginian is one of a handful of drivers looking for their first career win in 2023.

Joey Logano

On paper one would be very hard-pressed to complain about Joey Logano in 2022. The 22 reigned supreme in ’22, taking Logano’s second Cup Series title at Phoenix Raceway, thanks to a four-win campaign. Much like his 2018 triumph, Logano earned minimal regular season victories, then came in clutch by winning the first Round of 8 race. This allowed the Penske group ample time to perfect their Phoenix car, making the 22 an unbeatable rocket ship that day.

For 2023, the 22’s mission is simply to repeat their 2022 accomplishments. Should Logano win that pivotal Round of 8 opener again, another Phoenix domination could come at the hands of the Penske 22 crew.

Bubba Wallace

2022 was Bubba Wallace’s best NASCAR Cup Series season yet. Far overshadowing a win and 10 top-10s though were bad headlines Wallace thrust himself into. Wallace was incredibly vocal about his pit crew’s obvious blunders throughout the summer, eventually triggering a necessary change. In addition, his late season is remembered by intentionally wrecking Kyle Larson and the subsequent suspension.

Now with a far more competent pit crew and a driver who can win, the 23 is trending upwards for 2023. If Wallace can simply avoid unnecessarily negative attention and a self-inflicted spotlight, then his on-track results may speak for themselves. Even with two career wins, Wallace still pursues his first Playoff berth.

William Byron

2022 was a best season yet for William Byron as well. A first multi-win season for driver 24, Byron took two of the year’s opening eight races. Those do mark his most recent victories though, as the 24 was close to nonexistent for the balance of the regular season. However, Byron did seemingly flip a performance switch in vintage Jimmie Johnson fashion once the Playoffs began. The 24 took six top-10s in the final 10 races, ending a career-best sixth in points. Byron’s title fight only ended due to lackluster results in the Round of 8. With more points from season-long consistency, the 24 can take the next step forward into true title contention.

Justin Haley

Much like his teammate AJ Allmendinger, Justin Haley has proven himself capable of punching above his weight class on superspeedways and road courses. Before the rain struck in the August Daytona race, the 31 was at the head of the pack mixing it up against the best. Haley’s 2023 resolutions list should be topped by having another Grade A chance on one of racing’s biggest stages.

Michael McDowell

Aside from 2021’s Daytona 500 triumph, 2022 was Michael McDowell’s best year yet in NASCAR. 12 top-10s nearly doubled McDowell’s total, as an average finish of 16.7 was a high-water mark. The man in charge of calling the 34 team’s shots, Blake Harris, does however move onward to Hendrick Motorsports. With Travis Peterson now as crew chief, Front Row Motorsports hopes to keep their 2022 magic alive and well in the new year.

Todd Gilliland

The third and final 2022 rookie, Todd Gilliland in 2023 should simply aim for more laps up front. The No. 38 Ford did have a few bright spots last year, especially the Indianapolis Road Course and Talladega in October. In order to take the next step forward in driver evolution and maturity, Gilliland needs to become a more present threat in the top 20. Also with a new crew chief, expect big things from the 38 in 2023.

Ryan Preece

In his best Cup Series opportunity yet, Ryan Preece has a lot to live up to. The No. 41 at Stewart-Haas Racing has hardly been relevant since 2020, and now has a new driver. Preece makes this move after spending 2022 as a reserve driver. As a result of not being full-time anywhere, it may take Preece some time to fully get up to speed.

Noah Gragson

Coming into 2023 as a rookie, Noah Gragson has a lot of learning ahead of him. Taking over the Petty-GMS Racing No. 42, the Las Vegas native must learn to drive the entirely-different Next Gen car. The learning curve from Xfinity to Cup has arguably never been steeper. Gragson must also adapt in managing his emotions through the highs and lows of a grueling rookie campaign. The Xfinity standout from 2022 heads into 2023 resolutions aplenty.

Erik Jones

One of 2022’s biggest ‘what if’ scenarios happened at the Playoff-opening Southern 500. Erik Jones picked up the win, stunning many as a non-contender winner. Jones had an optimal chance at being one of the 16 Playoff drivers though, as a Talladega win was within his sight in April. Another regular season winning chance has to be 2023 goal number one for the 43 team.

Tyler Reddick

Through two years of making the Cup Playoffs, Tyler Reddick has seen two Round of 16 exits. Finally with the winning monkey off his back, Reddick is poised for a big season moving to 23XI Racing. However, none of his regular season success will matter without any Round of 16 luck. Should Reddick live up to his hype in the No. 45 and survive past the first Playoff round, then a big season could be ahead for this new Toyota team.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Always a threat on superspeedways, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had a bad trend of wrecking out of drafting races in 2022. Through six superspeedways races, Stenhouse crashed out of five of them and had an engine failure in the other. This was highlighted by his Daytona 500 heartbreak, where he was spun from the top-five within the closing laps. If Stenhouse wants any shot at the 2023 Playoffs, he must find a way to see the finish at superspeedways.

Alex Bowman

The biggest question mark at Hendrick Motorsports for 2023 revolves around Alex Bowman. While he did return from his concussion-plagued absence for the Phoenix finale, his health on a weekly basis is still unknown. On top of that the 48 team has a new crew chief, with Blake Harris replacing Greg Ives. Harris worked magic with Michael McDowell, as Bowman hopes for better luck in 2023.

Cody Ware

2022’s introduction of the Next Gen car had the intention of bringing teams like Rick Ware Racing closer to the front. That was certainly the case with Cody Ware, as his average finish (27.8) improved by four positions from 2021. The 51 also earned its first top-10 at Daytona in August. For 2023, RWR hopes to continue this upward trajectory with driver and team alike. Ware himself will be cheering for lightning (or rain) to strike again, allowing the 51 to great another strong result in an attrition-heavy race.  

Ty Gibbs

The other high profile 2023 Cup rookie, Xfinity champion Ty Gibbs also has a steep challenge ahead. The 20-year-old simply needs to learn the Cup Series at his own pace. While a win is not out of the question for the 54, just running as many laps as possible and being controversy-free should be Gibbs’ 2023 goals. 

Ty Dillon

Moving onto the No. 77 Chevrolet at Spire Motorsports, Ty Dillon aspires to reinvent both himself and this team. Neither have been particularly at the forefront recently, but a new pairing could lead to success. The 77 now belonging to only one driver rather than a revolving door should give more consistency. This team could upset on a superspeedway, as Lajoie and Dillon both have had their moments nearing victory.

Daniel Suarez

After a breakout season that saw his first win and Playoffs end at 10th in points, Daniel Suarez is looking for more in 2023. Late-race luck is an area the Trackhouse 99 was lacking many times, with strong days derailed in the final stage at COTA and the Charlotte Roval. The Roval ended Suarez’s Playoff hopes, as a power steering failure led to him missing the Round of 12 by nine points. Now coming into 2023 as a winner, Suarez hopes to join Chastain as a strong title threat.

As the holidays are now behind us with 2023 officially here, the NASCAR season will soon roar back to life. In just a matter of weeks, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Daytona International Speedway will be buzzing again with the sounds of speed. A new season means plenty of New Year’s Resolutions for every driver and team; it will be interesting to see how this ages and which wishes come true.

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images for NASCAR