NASCAR: 5 drivers who could join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023
By Asher Fair
Following three announcements, Joe Gibbs Racing still have to fill their third car for more than two dozen races during the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Joe Gibbs Racing announced their full-time driver lineup for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series season last month, confirming that rookie Sammy Smith and John Hunter Nemechek are set to drive the No. 18 Toyota and No. 20 Toyota, respectively.
Smith and Nemechek both drove the “star car”, which had been the No. 18 Toyota, in select races throughout the 2022 season. Now the “star car” is the No. 19 Toyota, which had been driven full-time by Brandon Jones. The No. 54 Toyota, which had been driven by Ty Gibbs, won’t be used in 2023, hence the return of the No. 20 Toyota.
Ryan Truex is the only driver who has been confirmed as a part-time driver of the No. 19 Toyota. He is set to drive it in six of 33 races in 2023. Who could join the team for the other 27? Here are five possibilities.
Drivers who could join Joe Gibbs Racing: No. 1 – Trevor Bayne
The only driver who drove the “star car” in as many races as Sammy Smith during the 2022 season was Trevor Bayne. In his first season in NASCAR since 2018, Bayne drove the No. 18 Toyota in nine races, and he recorded two of its season-best runner-up finishes, along with an additional third place effort.
While it’s hard to say Bayne truly capitalized on this opportunity since he did not find victory lane, none of the other eight drivers managed to win a race either.
He was arguably the car’s best driver in 2022 and played a key role in its run to the round of 8 in the owner playoffs, securing a total of six top six finishes. And Joe Gibbs Racing took notice, expanding his schedule on multiple occasions.
Many believed that Bayne should be given a full-time opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2023, but with that out of the question, he should definitely be one of the frontrunners to secure another part-time ride.