2023 NASCAR Mid-Season Report

 2023 NASCAR Mid-Season Report

By Brian H Cotnoir

With the 2023 NASCAR Season a little more than half-way through, there is so much to talk about during NASCAR History 75th season.   We've seen some surprising winners, some career comebacks, and a return to Victory Lane for some drivers.

CUP SERIES

Biggest Surprise

I know a lot of people are assuming I'm going to name Shane Van Gisbergen's debut win at the Chicago Street Course as the biggest surprise of the season, but I actually think so far the biggest surprise is Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s win at the Daytona 500.   All three of Stenhouse's Cup Series win have come at Superspeedway races, but it was most surprising is how little of a factor Stenhouse has still played in the season.  Other than the win at Daytona Stenhouse's only other Top 5 this season was a fourth place at the Bristol Dirt Race.  Stenhouse is still presently locked into the playoffs, but I don't expect him to make it out of the Round of 16 this season


Biggest Comeback

Last year, I dubbed Martin Truex Jr. the Biggest Disappointment of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, and I had good reason to:  the 2017 Cup Series champion failed to win a race last year, and missed the playoffs.   This season, he' starting to look like the old Martin Truex Jr.   He scored a win at his home track, Dover International, and is currently 2nd in the drivers' standings.   Here's hoping that Truex can keep up the good work this season and carry that success into the playoffs in a few weeks.


Biggest Disappointment

Chase Briscoe.   Man, what has happened to him this season.   He had a string of three straight Top 5 finishes this season, but other than that's he's struggled to finish in the Top 20.   Chase Elliott has missed seven races this season due to injury and suspension and he's ranked 23rd in the drivers' standings.   Briscoe is presently 31st int he drivers standings.  His only shot at making the playoffs this year is to score a win (but even that may not be enough to get him to the playoffs.


Xfinity Series

Biggest Surprise

Aric Almirola helped take RSS Racing to Victory Lane at Sonoma Raceway this year.  The team has been competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series full-time since 2014, predominantly with Rod Sieg's son's Ryan, Shane, and Kyle Sieg racing for the team.   The teams previous best finish in the Xfinity Series was a pair of runner-up finishes by Ryan Sieg.    Almirola in a one-race deal with the team took them to Victory Lane at Sonoma, it is a shame though that Sieg's first win as an owner didn't come with one of his sons driving for the team.


Biggest Comeback

Cole Custer lost his Cup Series ride to Ryan Preece this season and returned to the Xfinity Series (where he had finished runner-up in the drivers championship in 2018 and 2019) for Stewart-Haas Racing.   So far Custer has scored two wins--both on road courses--at Portland International Raceway and the rain shorted Chicago Street Course race.   Hopefully is the career rejuvenation that Custer needs to return to the Cup Series, and maybe he'll finally capture that Xfinity Title this season.


Biggest Disappointment

Ryan Sieg is definitely having a terrible season.  Last year, he finished 11th in the final drivers standings and this year he presently sits in the 18th position in the drivers' standings.   He's only scored two Top 10 finishes this year (with a best finish of 7th at Richmond this season).   So far he has an average finish of 20.6 season.   I think the only shot he has to make the playoffs this year is to score his first win in the Xfinity Series.

TRUCK SERIES

Biggest Suprise

Corey Heim is presently the points leader for the NASCAR Truck Series.  He departed Kyle Busch Motorsports this season after he signed with Richard Childress Racing and switched his team to Chevy to continue with the Tricon Motorsports team.   He has picked up two victories this season (matching his total from last season).  He had to miss the race at Gateway due to illness but has been so consistent this season he still is leading the championship.   We'll see if Heim will play a factor in this years Truck Series Championship.

Biggest Comeback

Carson Hocevar has scored not one, but two wins this season!   Last year, he finished runner-up three times and was consistently competing for wins, but was never able to be the first to the checkered flag.  Now that he has finally won a couple of races for Niece Motorsports, we'll see if he can continue to be successful in the Truck Series this season come the playoffs.


Biggest Disappointment

Hailie Deegan moved to the powerhouse ThorSport Racing for the 2023 season.  ThorSport has won four Truck Series titles in the past ten years so it appeared to be a good move for Deegan.  Unfortunately, Deegan hasn't found much success at her new team.  Deegan has struggled to break the Top 20 this season, and her best finish this season so far is a 6th place at Texas Motor Speedway.


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