Everybody knows that when it comes to learning the alphabet, C is for Cookie! But now that the 2023 racing season is over, NASCAR.com has created an A,B, C’s of the sport for their own romp through the alphabet.
A is for (Aric) Almirola who has announced…again…that he is leaving Stewart-Haas Racing; but is he done with racing? No one knows for sure. Almirola drove the number 10 car for SHR.
While there are numerous candidates for B, the choice is Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing’s Chris Buescher who won three races during the season and worked his way into the playoffs through the round of eight in a breakout year for the Prosper, Texas native.
On “Sesame Street” C is for Cookie, but on the race track C is for Creed, as in Sheldon Creed who was very open about his discontentment and the split from his team owner Richard Childress Racing.
D is for Drone – the aerial marker that hovered in the air to signal to the drivers the location of the “choose cone” at the Dirt Race on Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR has announced that the dirt race is not returning next year and that particular drone will not be needed; but the drones that carry the cameras for some interesting and awesome on track shots will be around for some time to come.
E is not for Earnhardt but for Elliott as in Chase Elliott who just earned his sixth Most Popular Player Award despite not having a stellar season after not winning any races and missing seven races.
F is for Fontana – the racetrack that was. A two mile oval in southern California, the track is being reconfigured to become a short track. NASCAR did not run any races on the track during the 2023 season.
G is for Gisbergen – Shane van Gisbergen – who travelled from Down Under to take NASCAR by strom when he won the inaugural street race at Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend. The New Zealand born driver is a three time Supercars Champion in Australia and will be joining NACAR for the 2024 season.
H is not for (Kevin) Harvick who retired at the end of the season; but for Hamlin – Denny Hamlin – the co-owner of 23XI Racing, aggressive driver, podcaster, and good at ruffling many feathers. Once again he made it into the playoffs but has failed to bring home the championship trophy once again.
I is for “I’m on Fire” – a phrase uttered by a number of drivers this past season including Brad Keselowski who instead of stopping his car during a red flag condition at Daytona, chose to drive in circles to put the fire out. Unfortunately it was a fire he couldn’t put out that took Dale Earnhardt out of a race during one of his two appearances in the 2023 season.
J is for Jordan – Michael Jordan – the co-owner of 23XI Racing. In just its third year, 23XI saw both of his drivers make it to the playoffs. Jordan could frequently be seen at races during the past season…both in person and on one of his cars.
K is for Kevin – as in Kevin Harvick – who has chosen to hang up the helmet and fire suit and pick up the microphone as he joins FOX Sports in the booth next season. After taking over the driving duties at Richard Childress Racing in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr; Harvick went on to drive for 22 years, earning 60 wins in the Cup Series.
L is for LaJoie; Corey LaJoie did not have a DNF – Did Not Finish – the entire 2023 season. He became just the 15th driver in the 75 year history of NASCAR to achieve such a feat.
M is for Mayer. After a lackluster start to the season for JR Motorsports, Sam Mayer had a breakout season that brought him four wins and a trip to the playoffs, making it all the way to the final four.
N is for North Wilkesboro. Thanks to the efforts of people like Dale Earnhardt Jr, the refurbished short track made a return to NASCAR after a 27 year absence to be the site of the 2023 All Star Race.
O is for October. Like Reggie Jackson, Christopher Bell is Mr. October. Bell has won three of the four October races for the past two years to help secure a spot in the playoffs.
P is for Perfect…better known as Ryan Preece. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver did not miss a single day of work during the 2023 season.
Q is for Quit. What Josh Williams did after NASCAR officials told him to part the car…and he did at the start/finish line. Involved in a wreck, Williams’ crew used a good deal of “200 mile an hour tape” to repair the car but it did not stick and kept coming off the car leaving debris on the track. In lieu of multiple caution flags for debris on the track, NASCAR chose to “park” Williams. His actions cost him a week of suspension.
R is for Ryan as in Ryan Blaney who finally earned his first Cup Series championship.
S is for Stone Cold – not Austin but Custer. After a very hot race, winner Cole Custer poured cans of cold beverage over his head.
T is for Truex; as in Martin Truex Jr who won the regular season championship for 2023. The following month, he lost his long time partner – Sherry Pollex – to cancer.
U is for Underwater! Before NASCAR could run its inaugural race on the streets of Chicago, they had to wait out a rainstorm that could rival Hurricane Katrina. Once the air titans found the streets, the crews mounted wet weather tires, and the drivers took to the course.
V is for Very Big Hats. Upon winning a race, William Byron would trade his helmet in for a very big hat as a part of the celebration.
W is for Wasted. After one particular race win, Craftsman Truck Series driver Ben Rhodes attended the mandatory press conference in a condition that would get him arrested if he were behind the wheel. After winning the 2023 Truck Series championship, his celebration was sure to have been epic.
X is for X-Wing Fighter as in the “Star Wars” themed paint scheme on Bubba Wallace’s number 23 car at Phoenix.
Y is for Your Favorite Driver. After his win at Bristol Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin proclaimed before a booing crowd, “I just beat your favourite drive…all of them!”
Z is for Zane. The 2022 Truck Series champion is moving up to the Cup Series for 2024 to drive Spire Motorsports as a part of a deal with Trackhouse Racing.