NASCAR: Driver lineup changes from 2022 to 2023
By Asher Fair
Several teams have made changes to their driver lineups for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Let’s have a look at what changes have been made.
The start of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season is right around the corner, and several drivers are no longer with the same organizations they were with last year.
Even some that remain with the same teams are set to have different roles throughout the upcoming season.
There are still 36 chartered entries, though there are set to be 34 full-time drivers this year as opposed to 32.
All 32 entries that had full-time drivers last year are set to have full-time drivers again in 2023, and two that were driven by multiple drivers are instead set to be driven by full-time drivers.
Two other chartered entries are set to be driven by multiple drivers throughout the 36-race campaign, just like they were last year.
In total, there are nine full-time Cup Series drivers in different situations and/or with different teams for the 2023 season.
Let’s have a look at each of these nine NASCAR drivers, in alphabetical order.
NOTE: (R) means rookie.
A.J. Allmendinger
- 2022: No. 16 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing (part-time), plus Xfinity Series (Kaulig Racing)
- 2023: No. 16 Chevrolet, Kaulig Racing (full-time)
Kurt Busch
- 2022: No. 45 Toyota, 23XI Racing
- 2023: Retired (possible part-time entry)
Kyle Busch
- 2022: No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing
- 2023: No. 8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
Cole Custer
- 2022: No. 41 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
- 2023: Xfinity Series (Stewart-Haas Racing)
Ty Dillon
- 2022: No. 42 Chevrolet, Petty GMS Motorsports
- 2023: No. 77 Chevrolet, Spire Motorsports
Ty Gibbs (R)
- 2022: Xfinity Series (Joe Gibbs Racing)
- 2023: No. 54 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing (renumbered from No. 18)
Noah Gragson (R)
- 2022: Xfinity Series (JR Motorsports)
- 2023: No. 42 Chevrolet, Legacy Motor Club (renamed from Petty GMS Motorsports)
Ryan Preece
- 2022: Stewart-Haas Racing reserve driver
- 2023: No. 41 Ford, Stewart-Haas Racing
Tyler Reddick
- 2022: No. 8 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing
- 2023: No. 45 Toyota, 23XI Racing
The 65th annual Daytona 500, which is set to be broadcast live on Fox, is scheduled to get the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season underway at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET. The Busch Light Clash preseason exhibition race is set to be broadcast live on Fox from Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 5.