#SrigleyStats Countdown to Daytona: 16 Days!
Friday, February 2nd, 2024 -- 16 Days Until Daytona!
16 DAYS UNTIL DAYTONA!
Let’s look back at the history of the #16 in NASCAR’s National Series.
FIRST USAGE:
NCS: 1949-01 — Charlotte — Bill Snowden
NXS: 1982-01 — Daytona — Mark Beard
NCTS: 1995-01 — Phoenix — Ron Hornaday, Jr.
BEST FINISH:
NCS: 34 NASCAR Cup Series Victories (Most: Greg Biffle, 19)
NXS: 22 NASCAR Xfinity Series Victories (Most: AJ Allmendinger, 12)
NCTS: 49 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Victories (Most: Ron Hornaday, 25)
BEST START:
NCS: 30 NASCAR Cup Series Poles (Most: Greg Biffle, 13)
NXS: 23 NASCAR Xfinity Series Poles (Most: AJ Allmendinger, 11)
NCTS: 34 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Poles (Most: Ron Hornaday, Jr., 13
IS THE NUMBER ACTIVE?
Yes. Last season, the #16 was used in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, all on a full-time basis. Two different organizations utilized the number, one of which won using the number in two series.
In the NASCAR Cup Series, Kaulig Racing currently fields the #16 on a full-time basis, which last season was occupied entirely by AJ Allmendinger. The organization has utilized the number since entering NASCAR’s top level in 2020.
For 2024, AJ Allmendinger, Josh Williams, and Shane Van Gisbergen have been announced as the three drivers set to share the #16 ride. Additional drivers and sponsors are likely to be announced at a later date.
Kaulig Racing is also fielding the #16 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, similar to its presence in the NASCAR Cup Series. Last season, Chandler Smith contested his rookie campaign in the entry, winning at Richmond Raceway.
For 2024, AJ Allmendinger will drop back down to the Xfinity Series to pilot what has been the organization’s most successful entry in recent years, after Smith, who had originally signed a multi-year deal, moved on to Joe Gibbs Racing.
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Hattori Racing Enterprises fields the #16 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro on a full-time basis, doing so this past year for Tyler Ankrum. The organization has fielded the entry for several years, hiring drivers like Brett Moffit, Austin Hill, Ryan Truex, and now Ankrum.
As of February 2, though, the organization hasn’t announced any plans - either full-time or part-time - for the #16, and with two weeks until the season-opener at Daytona, it’s hard to say what the fate of this team is.
WHO HAS MOST FREQUENTLY USED THE #16?
NASCAR Cup Series: Greg Biffle — 504 Starts
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Ryan Reed — 171 Starts
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Ron Hornaday, Jr. — 122 Starts
MISCELLANEOUS STATS ABOUT THE #16 IN NASCAR
This season, while driving the #16 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing, Chandler Smith became the first driver born after 01/01/2000 to win events in multiple of NASCAR’s top-three series.
In 77 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts piloting the #16, AJ Allmendinger has recorded an incredible 58 top-10 finishes, which results in a whopping 75-percent top-10 finishing rate.
While piloting the #16, Ron Hornaday, Jr. won the first-ever pole position in what is now known as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series at Phoenix Raceway in 1995.
The #16 is one of the numbers that has been present in the inaugural race for each of NASCAR’s National Series — with Bill Snowden, Mark Beard, and Ron Hornaday, Jr.
The three drivers with the most NASCAR Cup Series starts in the #16 — Greg Biffle, Kevin LePage, and Ted Musgrave — each drove for Roush Fenway Racing and combined for more than half of the number’s starts.
In terms of drivers making more than 10 starts in the #16, AJ Allmendinger clears the remainder of drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series by nearly two positions, with NASCAR Cup champion Matt Kenseth sitting in second.