#SrigleyStats Countdown to Daytona: 23 Days!
Friday, January 26th, 2024 -- 23 Days Until Daytona!
23 DAYS UNTIL DAYTONA!
Let’s look back at the history of the #23 in NASCAR’s National Series.
FIRST USAGE:
NCS: 1949-04 — Langhorne — Irwin Blatt
NXS: 1982-03 — Bristol — Larry Utsman
NCTS: 1995-01 — Phoenix — TJ Clark
BEST FINISH:
NCS: 4 NASCAR Cup Series Victories (Most: Frank Mundy, 2)
NXS: 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series Victories (Most: Chad Little, 6)
NCTS: 20 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victories (Most: Johnny Benson, 14)
BEST START:
NCS: 9 NASCAR Cup Series Poles (Most: Frank Mundy, 4)
NXS: 4 NASCAR Xfinity Series Poles (Most: Chad Little, 2)
NCTS: 15 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Poles (Most: Johnny Benson, 6)
IS THE NUMBER ACTIVE?
Yes. In 2023, the #23 was utilized on a part-time basis in both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. However, despite being used in recent seasons, the number wasn’t utilized in the NASCAR Xfinity Series last year.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, the #23 is being used by one of the most widely-recognized organizations at this time, 23XI Racing, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan. The number has housed Bubba Wallace since the team was formed in 2021.
Throughout his three-season tenure driving for the organization, Wallace managed to collect a pair of victories — although only a single win while piloting the #23 at NASCAR’s top level at Talladega Superspeedway in 2021.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Anthony Alfredo was the last driver to utilize the #23, doing so during his first tenure with Our Motorsports in 2022, for what was at the time a three-car organization.
The Ridgefield, Connecticut-native scored a season-high finish of fifth place at Auto Club Speedway, after performing a masterful strategy call in the closing stages of the event.
While Alfredo will be returning to Our Motorsports in 2024, the number will remain in retirement for the time being, as the multi-year Xfinity Series veteran pilots the #5 Chevrolet Camaro.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Grant Enfinger utilized the #23 this past season for the now-defunct GMS Racing, bringing Champion Power Equipment on board for the second season of a two-year deal.
Enfinger advanced to the ‘Championship 4’ at Phoenix in November and nearly had the title locked up before Corey Heim and Carson Hocevar got into a late-race scuffle just before the end of the event.
In 2024, there are no drivers or teams that are scheduled to use the #23 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, at this time.
WHO HAS MOST FREQUENTLY USED THE #23?
NASCAR Cup Series: Jimmy Spencer — 157 Starts
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Robert Richardson, Jr. — 102 Starts
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Johnny Benson — 113 Starts
MISCELLANEOUS STATS ABOUT THE #23 IN NASCAR
Chad Little and Scott Wimmer are tied for the highest number of top-10s while using the #23 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at 37 — but, Little has nine fewer starts than Wimmer.
Scoring 10 top-10 results in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, Bubba Wallace became the third driver to earn double-digit top-10s in a season while driving the #23, joining Frank Mundy and Doug Yates.
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Chevrolet leads the series in the usage of the #23, but with the recent onset of 23XI Racing, Toyota has used the #23 the most in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Phil Bonifield piloted the #23 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on 49 different occasions throughout his career, but only finished a single race while using the truck number.
In some way, shape, or form, GMS Racing has utilized the #23 in each of NASCAR’s top-three series — when BK Racing was shutting down, Spencer Gallagher piloted a GMS-esque entry at Watkins Glen.
Spencer Gallagher has piloted the #23 in each of NASCAR’s National Series, but only managed to score a victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway.