NASCAR: Top 5 driver changes for the 2023 season
By Asher Fair
Several drivers are with new teams for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Here are the top five driver changes from last year.
NASCAR Cup Series silly season was chaotic in many ways throughout the 2022 campaign, with a number of unexpected moves being announced for 2023 and beyond.
In total, there are 33 entries for which full-time drivers have been confirmed in 2023, and only 26 are set to have the same drivers they had in 2022.
Which driver lineup changes for 2023 are the best? Here are the top five.
Top NASCAR driver moves for 2023: No. 5 – Ty Gibbs
Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Ty Gibbs has replaced Kyle Busch at Joe Gibbs Racing, but behind the wheel of a renumbered No. 54 Toyota as opposed to Busch’s No. 18 Toyota. The No. 18 will not be in the Cup Series for the first time since 1991, which is before Joe Gibbs Racing entered the sport.
There is a ton of hype around Gibbs, given what he accomplished in only a season and a half in the Xfinity Series, including 11 wins in 51 starts and a championship, but there are a few reasons this move isn’t ranked higher.
First of all, the goal was to have Gibbs run two full seasons in the Xfinity Series before a Cup Series promotion to avoid rushing him. Busch’s departure opened the door for an early promotion.
Secondly, yes, Gibbs did get some unexpected Cup Series experience in 2022, filling in for the injured Kurt Busch at the Joe Gibbs Racing-affiliated 23XI Racing for 15 races. However, he only finished in the top 10 once, and that was only a 10th place finish. Is the 20-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native really and truly ready to race full-time on Sundays?