 With several high ranking drivers moving to new rides in 2023, we know not everyone is just going to knock it out of the park in their first season with their new pairings. But I take a look at the performance of the drivers themselves as well as their respective new teams in '22 to come up with these predictions. I guess we will see how I did next November. First we have the biggest free agent in a long... long time, Kyle Busch. Busch made the announcement that he would be moving over to Richard Childress Racing and the #8 Chevrolet after 15 years with TRD and Joe Gibbs Racing. Busch would have his worst season in a very, very long time in 2022 with only a single win that he would not have gotten if it were not for the leaders tangling in the final corner. On the other hand, RCR would have their best season since loosing Kevin Harvick in 2013 with 4 wins and an impressively strong second half of the season for both Reddick and Austin Dillon. If both parties can get their programs together I do expect to see the 8 car and Busch get into the Playoffs and possibly even extend Busch's win record to 19 consecutive seasons with at least a single victory, though I do not see them lighting the world on fire. Speaking of Tyler Reddick, he is moving over to 23XI's #45 Toyota Camry in 2023 to take the place of a retiring Kurt Busch. Reddick off of a 3 win season with the 8 car and RCR and the 45 team off their win at Kansas 1 with the elder Busch brother can make for a very strong pairing. I fully expect to see the 45 back in victory lane before Daytona in August and possibly even multiple times. 23XI has 3 wins in the last 2 seasons with 2 coming in 2022 both at Kansas showing strength with both the 23 & 45 teams. I see a strong chance at Reddick with a second 3x win season in a row next year. Kaulig Racing made the announcement late this season that the winningest road course racer in history, AJ Allmendinger would return to the Cup Series full time in 2023. In the Xfinity Series in '22, AJ only finished outside the Top-10 5x out of 33 races. AJ made 18 Cup Series starts in 2022 being a major threat to win 3 road courses as well as a spectacular race between himself, Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson for the win at Homestead-Miami eventually finishing 3rd. He even strung together 6 top-10 finishes in a row in the second half. AJ showed us all he was ready to return the Cup in the 16 car and I expect this team to build on '22 and not only get into the playoffs, but get a win or two in the process. AJ's former part time Kaulig teammate Noah Gragson comes off a runner up record Xfinity Series Season of 8 wins to his first full time Cup Series season racing for the King at Petty GMS Racing in the famed 42 car along side Erik Jones and team Co-Owner Jimmie Johnson. Noah has a decent number of Cup starts under his belt going into 2023, 18 to be exact. Although he has had a few good runs, he only has a single 5th place finish at Talladega for Beard Motorsports to brag about. Even racing the HMS 48 car he could never string together a solid Top-10. I can see Noah being competitive next season with his aggressive but maturing driving style as this is the same team that got teammate Jones 13 Top-10s and a win this season. I just cannot say that the 42 team will get into the playoffs. Lastly, we have Ty Gibbs. Gibbs is the reigning Xfinity Champion, 11x Xfinity winner as well as having 15 Cup starts to his name. Gibbs will be inheriting the 18 team from Kyle Busch in the Cup Series in 2023 but they have gone through a rebrand as the 54. Ty impressed early on in his fill-in roll at 23XI in the 45 even scoring his first Top-10 at Michigan, but he clearly concentrated on the Xfinity title fight instead. falling off the map after that 10th place finish. But now he can concentrate on the highest series in the sport, with the support of the 2x Cup title winning team and his team owning grandfather. All could be perfect if were not for the loss of Ty's father, Coy Gibbs the night of his championship. We all know loss can be a huge factor in life and concentration. Despite this, I do see the young Gibbs competing hard as ever even knocking on the door or a playoff run. By: Tom Luttermoser Image credit not found
0 Comments
|