NASCAR: One more full-time Cup Series driver for 2023?

There are 33 drivers set to compete full-time throughout the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season, but could a 34th be confirmed in the near future?

The start of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is less than a month away, and the driver lineup for the 36-race campaign is nearly set.

Just three of the 36 chartered entries still have openings throughout the season, and the 33 that don’t are all set to be driven by full-time drivers. Those 33 drivers are set to represent 14 of the sport’s 16 full-time teams.

The two teams with openings are Live Fast Motorsports, which field the No. 78 Chevrolet, and Rick Ware Racing, which field the No. 15 Ford and the No. 51 Ford.

The No. 78 Chevrolet is set to be driven by multiple drivers, just as it was in 2021 and 2022 when it was the No. 78 Ford. Team co-owner B.J. McLeod was the primary driver, driving it in all oval races except for the dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

As for Rick Ware Racing, it is highly unlikely that they will run two full-time drivers, even considering the fact that they have a new technical alliance with RFK Racing.

However, Cody Ware could very well return for a second full season behind the wheel of the No. 51 Ford. The son of team owner Rick Ware is set to drive the car in the season-opening Daytona 500. Will he become the series’ 34th full-time driver for 2023?

Such an announcement would mean that just two chartered entries would be shared by multiple drivers throughout the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Those entries would be the aforementioned No. 78 Chevrolet and No. 15 Ford.

There were just 32 full-time drivers last year. In addition to these two entries, the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet and the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet were both driven by multiple drivers.

Kaulig Racing named A.J. Allmendinger the full-time driver of the No. 16 Chevrolet for 2023, while Spire Motorsports named Ty Dillon the full-time driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is scheduled to get underway with the 65th annual Daytona 500, which is set to be broadcast live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 19.