#SrigleyStats Countdown to Daytona: 29 Days!
Saturday, January 20th, 2024 -- 29 Days Until Daytona!
29 DAYS UNTIL DAYTONA!
Let’s look back at the history of the #29 in NASCAR’s National Series.
FIRST USAGE:
NCS: 1949-01 — Charlotte — Clarence Benton
NXS: 1982-01 — Daytona — Joe Thurman
NCTS: 1995-01 — Phoenix — Bob Keselowski
BEST FINISH:
NCS: 40 NASCAR Cup Series Victories (Most: Kevin Harvick, 23)
NXS: 19 NASCAR Xfinity Series Victories (Most: Jeff Burton, 6)
NCTS: 13 NASCAR Truck Series Victories (Most: Ryan Blaney and Terry Cook, 4)
BEST START:
NCS: 25 NASCAR Cup Series Poles (Most: Dick Hutcherson, 18)
NXS: 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series Poles (Most: Elliott Sadler, 4)
NCTS: 17 NASCAR Truck Series Poles (Most: Ryan Blaney and Terry Cook, 5)
IS THE NUMBER ACTIVE?
The #29 was only used on a part-time basis in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2023, with the entry debuting mid-season and showing up sporadically. However, in 2024, the number will return to full-time competition.
While the #29 didn’t make any appearances in points-paying NASCAR Cup Series events this past season, it did make one special appearance in the NASCAR All-Star Race with Kevin Harvick driving.
However, when it comes to points-paying events, RAB Racing was the last organization to attempt using the number at NASCAR’s top level, attempting eight races and failing to qualify every single time.
During the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series campaign, the #29 made its first on-track appearance in quite some time, with RSS Racing fielding the Ford Mustang, a fourth entry for the team, in seven events.
This past season, Kyle Sieg had the best result for the #29 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, finishing 12th-place at Texas Motor Speedway — marking the best finish for the number since Jeff Burton in 2009.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the #29 had a storybook ending, with Chase Briscoe dominating the 2017 season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, scoring his first career victory in the final race for Brad Keselowski Racing.
The organization had staked its claim on the truck number for several years, since the entry first debuted in the 2014 Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway with Mikey Kile finishing 12th.
WHO HAS MOST FREQUENTLY USED THE #29?
NASCAR Cup Series: Kevin Harvick — 466 Starts
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Jeff Burton — 56 Starts
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Bob Keselowski — 85 Starts
MISCELLANEOUS STATS ABOUT THE #29 IN NASCAR
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, the #29 hasn’t appeared against since winning the 2017 Ford EcoBoost 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway — which also served as the final race for Brad Keselowski Racing.
The #29 is one of the few numbers that debuted in the inaugural events for each of NASCAR’s top-three series — competing with Clarence Benton (NCS), Joe Thurman (NXS), and Bob Keselowski (NCTS).
Throughout 406 starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, only 23 different drivers have competed in the #29, with the Keselowski family having a monopoly on notable names — with father Bob, and sons Brad and Brian each running the number.
Of the drivers that competed for Brad Keselowski Racing, primarily in the #29, eight of them are current competitors in NASCAR’s National Series — Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Parker Kligerman, Chase Briscoe, Tyler Reddick, Austin Cindric, Grant Enfinger, and Joey Logano.
Amassing 466 NASCAR Cup Series starts in the #29, Kevin Harvick completed 135,136 laps while using the number, which accounts for 58.13% of his 232,413 laps completed in his now-ended NASCAR Cup Series career.
Much like the Keselowski’s in the NASCAR Truck Series, brothers Elliott Sadler and Hermie Sadler both piloted the #29 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, with Sadler scoring three victories, while Hermie scored a pair of top-fives in 31 starts.