All the Changes Coming to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023

We’re already a month into 2023. Just less than 3 weeks from the Daytona 500. Like with life, a new year brings new changes. NASCAR is no different. Drivers with new teams, new sponsors, new crew chiefs, and even new owners joining the sport. So today, we’re going to look at all the changes coming to the teams in the Cup Series. We’ll go in order of the 2022 Cup Series owners standings, from last to first. We’ll begin with the unchartered teams.

We have 3 cars that have zero points from last season that will at least attempt the Daytona 500.

13 Kaulig Racing - This is a new third car from this team. Chandler Smith will attempt 4 races plus the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro in this car with Quick Tie Products as the primary sponsor.

67 23XI Racing - Travis Pastrana will attempt the Daytona 500 in this car. If Kurt Busch attempts his bucket list races it’ll most likely be in this car as well.

84 Legacy Motor Club - 7 times Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson is coming back to NASCAR. He’s going to run a limited schedule in a new car for the team formerly known as Petty GMS Racing. He’s a part owner in the team as well, which runs the 42 and 43 cars on a full time basis. Championship winning crew chief Todd Gordon comes out of retirement as well to call the shots from the pit box.

Now teams from last season in reverse point order.

91 Trackhouse Racing - Owner Justin Marks started this team as PROJECT91. Its goal is to bring international racing superstars to NASCAR. No drivers have been announced yet, but they are planning to run 6-8 races throughout the season, with Darian Grubb expected to return as the crew chief.

26 Team Hezeburg - This car ran a few of the road courses last season with Daniil Kyvat. Nothing has been announced concerning this team, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them on track at least once this season.

66 MBM Motorsports - Carl Long’s team ran at COTA with Boris Said driving after failing to make the Daytona 500 with Timmy Hill. Hill will most likely return for another go at making The Great American Race.

55 MBM Motorsports - This team’s 2nd car also failed to make the season opener last year, but did run the spring Talladega race with J. J. Yeley driving. There’s a chance the team will bring 2 cars again, but not likely.

33 Richard Childress Racing - This was a one off race with Austin Hill at Michigan. I don’t think we’ll see this car this season unless a sponsor comes along to support RCR’s Xfinity Series driver Sheldon Creed for a race or two.

44 NY Racing Team - This team ran races with Greg Biffle including the Daytona 500. There hasn’t been any signs of life from NY Racing since the spring Talladega race, but they always find a way to get back on track somehow.

27 Team Hezeberg - This team’s primary car ran 6 races last season, including the 500 with Jacques Villeneuve. Loris Hezemans drove the others, all on road courses. He’s expected to return in those races again this year.

50 TMT Racing - Kaz Grala was the primary driver for this part time team, with Connor Daly driving it at the Charlotte Roval. The team is expected to return in some form, but nothing official has been released as of February 1.

62 Beard Motorsports - Austin Hill signs to drive 6 races for the team. They’ll attempt the superspeedway races at Daytona and Talladega, as well as Michigan in August and the Charlotte Roval during the playoffs.

Now to the 36 chartered teams

78 Live Fast Motorsports - The team has switched to Chevrolet from Ford. PB’laster will return as a sponsor, expanding to cover 9 races. They also announced that Josh Bilicki will run a partial schedule for the team, bringing Zeigler Auto Group with him and David Ingram was named as the team’s crew chief. 

51 Rick Ware Racing - Cody Ware returns to drive the full season, with Jerry Kelley joining as the crew chief. The team did form a technical alliance with RFK Racing over the offseason.

15 Rick Ware Racing - Riley Herbst has been announced as the driver for the Daytona 500 with SunnyD as the sponsor. J. J. Yeley is going to race in The Clash, and most likely compete as the primary driver for the season.

77 Spire Motorsports - Ty Dillon has signed to race the entire season in this car. Ferris Mowers also joins as a sponsor for multiple races.

7 Spire Motorsports - Corey LaJoie returns to this car and adds sponsor CELSIUS and Jessie Rees Foundation.

42 Legacy Motor Club - Noah Gragson will race for Rookie Of The Year honors, bringing his Xfinity Series crew chief Luke Lambert with him. Also, Sunseeker Resorts has agreed to sponsor multiple races.

38 Front Row Motorsports - Ryan Bergenty takes over as crew chief for Todd Gilliland, who will have Quincy Compressors and gener8tor Skills Accelerator as new sponsors this season.

21 Wood Brothers Racing - NASCAR’s oldest team has no changes heading into the 2023 season.

47 JTG Daugherty Racing - Kimberly-Clark (Kleenex, Cottonelle, Viva Paper Towels, Scott brand, etc…) has increased its support of the team who added Mike Kelley as the crew chief.

41 Stewart-Haas Racing - Ryan Preece takes over this ride, with Chad Johnston as crew chief and United Rentals joins as a sponsor.

16 Kaulig Racing - A. J. Allmendinger will run all 36 races for the team after partial schedules the last couple of seasons. Nutrien Ag Solutions will sponsor the car in select races.

6 RFK Racing - Esperion Therapeutics and Elk Grove Manufacturing And Technology Expo have been added as sponsors.

23 23XI Racing - Columbia has extended and expanded their sponsorship of the team.

34 Front Row Motorsports - Travis Peterson is signed to crew chief this car with Quincy Compressor joint to sponsor 1 race.

31 Kaulig Racing - Cirkul has signed to sponsor the car for the Daytona 500.

17 RFK Racing - Esperion Therapeutics and Pala Casino have been announced as new sponsors for this season.

10 Stewart-Haas Racing - Aric Almirola has postponed his previously announced retirement to race this car for 2 more seasons.

43 Legacy Motor Club - Allegiant has been signed as a sponsor this season.

19 Joe Gibbs Racing - No real changes announced for this season.

12 Team Penske - Another team with no announced changes.

4 Stewart-Haas Racing - Kevin Harvick has announced that 2023 will be his final year as a full time NASCAR driver. SunnyD will sponsor this car for 2 races in his last year in the series.

48 Hendrick Motorsports - Blake Harris takes over as crew chief after Greg Ives stepped away after last season.

8 Richard Childress Racing - The biggest change of the off-season, Kyle Busch joins RCR. Netspend joins all the returning sponsors on this car.

54 Joe Gibbs Racing - With Kyle Busch and M&M’s leaving JGR signed Ty Gibbs to drive and Monster Energy as a sponsor. They also changed the car number from 18 to 54.

2 Team Penske - Penske hasn’t really announced much as far as changes for his NASCAR teams.

3 Richard Childress Racing - Keith Rodden will be the crew chief this year, taking over for Justin Alexander.

45 23XI Racing - Kurt Busch announced his retirement from full time racing after being sidelined for the last 16 races of the season, but will remain an active member of the team. Tyler Reddick will take over this car with most of the sponsors returning as well.

99 Trackhouse Racing - After this team’s breakout year in 2022, there’s no changes coming for Daniel Suarez in 2023.

14 Stewart-Haas Racing - Chase Briscoe signed a multi year contract extension after a successful rookie season which included a win at Phoenix early in the year.

9 Hendrick Motorsports - Chase Elliott and NAPA Auto Parts are signed to long term deals, so no changes are expected anytime soon.

24 Hendrick Motorsports - William Byron signed a multi year deal last season which runs through 2025. Valvoline and Liberty University are signed to sponsor through 2026.

11 Joe Gibbs Racing - Denny Hamlin and FedEx signed a “renewal” that covers multiple seasons. Chris Gabehart also returns as crew chief.

20 Joe Gibbs Racing - The Championship 4 contending team returns with the same personnel, but adds Interstate Batteries as a 5 race sponsor.

5 Hendrick Motorsports - With Kyle Larson’s 2nd consecutive Championship 4 appearance with this team, he and Valvoline have signed contract extensions through at least 2026.

1 Trackhouse Racing - Ross Chastain made it to his first Championship 4 appearance after his now infamous move at Martinsville. After such a successful season, the team has decided to keep everything intact and try for another deep playoff run.

22 Team Penske - Joey Logano and Pennzoil had both signed long term contracts before winning the championship last season.

After a short and news-filled “silly season”, NASCAR gets back on track to begin their 75th anniversary season in just 2 short weeks. I for one am excited to hear those 4 famous words again.

“Drivers start your engines!”