NASCAR XFINITY SERIES & NASCAR CRAFTSMAN TRUCK SERIES

Without question, second-generation NASCAR driver John Hunter Nemechek – retired Cup Series wheelman Joe Nemechek’s son – has become quite the journeyman over the last several years.

After two full seasons in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series followed by one part-time and one full-time campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Nemechek made the natural jump to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2020.

But after a mostly disappointing rookie effort in NASCAR’s premier division with Front Row Motorsports, Nemechek returned to trucks and has won a total of seven races over the past two seasons with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

But when KBM announced late last season that it was switching from Toyotas to Chevrolets, Toyota made a push to

OTHER NEW DRIVER/TEAM COMBINATIONS

THE SON OF 2002 DAYTONA 500 WINNER WARD Burton, Jeb Burton is competing for his third team in as many seasons as he assumes the wheel of Jordan Anderson Racing’s new No. 27 Chevrolet. Burton enjoyed a career season at Kaulig Racing in 2021 when he notched Xfinity Series win No. 1 and finished 10th in points, but he didn’t record a single top-10 finish last year at Our Motorsports.

Series

A FOURTH-GENERATION DRIVER WHO’S THE grandson of the late Dale Earnhardt, Jeffrey Earnhardt will run the full Xfinity Series season for Alpha Prime Racing after starting 13 of 33 races last season with various other teams. One of those races – the spring event at Talladega – proved quite memorable as Jeffrey finished a career-best second in a black No. 3 car patterned after the one his grandfather made famous.

keep Nemechek and was ultimately successful in that endeavor when he landed back in the Xfinity Series – this time with Toyota’s flagship operation, Joe Gibbs Racing.

It’s been quite the whirlwind the past few years for Nemechek, but in 2023, he’s bound to have the best equipment in which he’s ever competed. Will strong results and a future move back to the Cup Series – perhaps with JGR – follow? That’ll play out in time, but Nemechek couldn’t be more pumped to be going full-time Xfinity Series racing with JGR, a company he made cameo Xfinity Series starts for in both 2021 and 2022 and even won with at Texas Motor Speedway.

“JGR is a group that I know I can win with after getting that win at Texas in 2021,” Nemechek said. “I’m excited to get to work on the 2023 season.”

FLYING HIGH AFTER AN EXTREMELY successful season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Chandler Smith is moving up to the Xfinity Series to take over the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet that went to Victory Lane 10 times over the past two seasons with A.J. Allmendinger. Smith deserves the promotion, having won five Truck Series races since 2021 and finished third in the 2022 standings with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

KYLE BUSCH MOTORSPORTS HAS A NEW look this season – and not just because the team has switched from Toyota to Chevrolet. Also new is KBM’s driver lineup featuring youngsters Chase Purdy and Jack Wood, who collectively have nary a top-10 finish over their combined 87 starts in NASCAR’s No. 3 division. Obviously, the bar will be much higher for both at KBM – a perennial championship contender.