Closing in on the half-way point of the 2023 Cup Series season, it is easy to see how the season has already been one of the most dramatic and intense in recent memory. Driver suspensions, continued NextGen/driver health issues, and increased aggressiveness have been just some of the highlights. The current playoff system and stage racing may also be to blame for a lot of this.
Most assumed that when this season rolled around, it would look much like 2022. Granted, there were many lessons learned over the off-season, but there is still much work left to be done.
Accidents:
Recent wrecks have a few cars demolished more so than they should have been. A Prime example being the right side almost torn off Kyle Larson’s #5 Chevrolet at Talladega after contact with Ryan Preece. This has been both preceded by and followed by many other incidents this season, with drivers being able to walk away fortunately.
Not so lucky however, is current rookie contender Noah Gragson. Gragson and his #42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet took an unusually hard hit during the race at Gateway last weekend. The wreck (which occurred with about 44 laps to go), left Gragson having to at least miss the Cup Series event this weekend in Sonoma with concussion-like symptoms. This proves the NextGen car is not quite where it should be yet. Gragson’s possible concussion has been the only one this season thus far however.
Chase Elliott’s and Alex Bowman’s absences in numerous events this season were due to outside interests and other forms of racing.
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Aggression: A talking point this season also has been overly-aggressive driving. The accidents referred to above have been results (direct or indirect) of a driver making a split second or wrong decision. These decisions are likely because stage racing has caused any given race to essentially be split up into three or four sprint races, where points are at a premium. Ross Chastain, Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Bubba Wallace, and many others have been under a microscope this season due to increased aggression in their driving.
The most recent incident that led to Chase Elliott’s Gateway suspension, is proof that everyone may need to take a step back and consider their driving styles. Elliott threw a right-hook hit to the rear of Denny Hamlin’s Toyota, causing Hamlin’s #11 car to careen into the wall on the front straightaway nose first.
This has long been considered a frowned upon tactic, that should never be done due to the severity. Not only did this take both Elliott and Hamlin out of the event, but when you consider the still glaring safety issues with the NextGen car….there are many possibilities as to how the crash could have effected both drivers health. This incident earned the popular Elliott a one-race suspension for the event at Gateway.
- Pit Road Aggression
- This aggression has even begun to trickle down into the pits, where positions can be won or lost in a split second. There have been several instances in the last few weeks where equipment violations, contact on pit road, and even pit crew member injuries have started to become a problem. A fine example is the crew member for Erik Jones’ #43 Legacy Motor Club team, who had to be taken to a local hospital last weekend in Gateway after a pit stop went wrong.
courtesy of fanbuzz.com
- This aggression has even begun to trickle down into the pits, where positions can be won or lost in a split second. There have been several instances in the last few weeks where equipment violations, contact on pit road, and even pit crew member injuries have started to become a problem. A fine example is the crew member for Erik Jones’ #43 Legacy Motor Club team, who had to be taken to a local hospital last weekend in Gateway after a pit stop went wrong.
Equipment violations, drivers blocking other drivers stops, and speeding on pit road have also all created a suddenly dangerous environment on pit road in recent weeks. When close calls and team member injuries start becoming a part of the weekend….something needs to be done.
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Stage Racing: As mentioned previously, this season has seen increased aggression and harder racing than many can remember from past seasons. Stage racing in 2023 has evolved into more of a “races within a race” pattern, with every point counting. With each stage realistically a sprint race three or four times over, driver’s have been left with no choice, but to gain that one more spot by any means necessary.
While this kind of racing is certainly entertaining for the fans, it has ultimately caused many more cautions, red flags, and overtime finishes due to incidents. Many of these incidents in previous years have been avoidable, but the durability of the NextGen car’s body in regards to contact has changed things. With passing more complicated in the new car, contact has become standard again. The difference is, the famously loose setup of the car has already turned minor incidents into multi-car wrecks this season.
The upcoming event in Sonoma this Sunday will be interesting to watch. There will be no official stage cautions being counted, just points. With a return to the old-school running the distance kind of race, it now puts emphasis back on strategy rather than just beating everyone else by any means.
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A Unique Positive:
The multitude of drivers having to miss races for one reason or another has shown a bit of light on some up and coming drivers. Drivers that come to mind include Josh Berry (subbing for Hendrick Motorsports), Carson Hocevar (subbing for Corey LaJoie and Spire), and possibly Grant Enfinger this weekend in Sonoma (Enfinger is subbing for Noah Gragson).
Berry has definitely fulfilled his “super sub” obligations in 2023, having run 8 races for Hendrick Motorsports’ #9 and #48 teams. These races have included Top 10 finishes at Phoenix and Dover, as well as a second place finish at Richmond in Hendrick’s #9 Chevrolet. Hocevar also had a Top 20 run going in his solo start, before brake issues sidelined the #7 Spire Motorsports team at Gateway.
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All in all, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season has been one for the record books. With the season just approaching half-way in the next month or so, who knows what will happen by season’s end. Driver suspensions, absences from weekends due to injury, and overall drama have already written quite a story for upcoming seasons.
NASCAR, please consider everything that has gone wrong this season before one of your superstar drivers may have to hang up their helmet for good, and not by choice. The phrase “try it first” should not apply to this season.
