2023 Rookie Mid Season Check-In (Xfinity Series)

Now that all three of NASCAR’s top series are reaching the half-way point of their respective seasons, how are the Rookie of the Year Contender’s doing? This article is the next in a three-part series taking a look at each rookie class by series.

2023 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES ROOKIE CONTENDERS:

Chandler Smith

Sammy Smith

Parker Retzlaff

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Chandler Smith (#16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet)

Mid-Season Grade: B

When Chandler Smith announced he was moving to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2023, many did not know what to expect. Smith spent the beginning of his NASCAR career driving Toyotas in both the Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series in 2022. However, with the move of his Truck Series team Kyle Busch Motorsports to Chevrolet, Smith would have to find a new home. That home arrived in the form of Kaulig Racing and their #16 Chevrolet.

Smith started off his rookie season with a bang in Daytona, qualifying 8th and coming home 12th. This was followed by a pole run in Vegas, and Top 5 finishes in 3 of the first four races. Smith quickly proved he was the right choice as successor to Kaulig’s flagship team, scoring his first career win in Richmond. Performance has not dipped much as the season continued on, having finished no worse than 28th in Atlanta thus far.

This impressive performance suddenly had Smith labeled as not only a shoe-in for Rookie of the year honors, but as a solid possibility for a spot in the Round of 4 season conclusion in Phoenix.

Chandler Smith also made his Cup Series debut with Kaulig Racing this season. While Smith did miss the Daytona 500, he made his second attempt at Richmond and came home 17th. 

Outlook:

Chandler Smith has certainly been a surprise this season, having adapted well to a vastly different series, team, and manufacturer. While Smith has indeed had some rookie moments this season, he has far exceeded expectations. Now considered a threat on a weekly basis, it is important to remember that Smith in indeed a rookie. While a championship seems unlikely (considering the competition), look for Smith and his Kaulig #16 team to be a factor through the rest of the season.

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Sammy Smith (#18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

Mid-Season Grade: B-

At the young age of 19 Sammy Smith (no relation to above), moved to full-time Xfinity Series competition in 2023. Having spent the last few seasons splitting time between ARCA Menards Series and the Xfinity Series, Smith was seen as the hot shot rookie coming into this season. Smith has performed in his #18 JGR Toyota, even collecting his first series win in Phoenix.

With that win however, has come a somewhat inconsistent season. While Smith does have an average finish of 14th with (9) Top 10 finishes, he has also recorded DNF’s at Talladega and Nashville due to crashes. Smith also has had a decent amount of encounters with the competition this season, which has caused him to develop somewhat of a reputation for being unnecessarily aggressive.

*Sammy Smith also made his Craftsman Truck Series debut at Daytona this year, driving TRICON Garage’s #1 Toyota, finishing 14th after starting 20th.

Outlook:

While his best years in NASCAR are still coming, Sammy Smith has made somewhat of an impact already as the Xfinity Series reaches it’s halfway point. The rollercoaster results this season (some due to on track altercations) will need to improve if Smith wants to reach the elite level of competition. The rookie has proven he is fast however, and should be considered a threat to stay in the Top 10 in points this season. If Smith does improve quickly, he could be a threat in the future.

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PARKER RETZLAFF (#31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet)

Mid-Season Grade: C+

Perhaps the biggest question mark regarding rookies this season is Parker Retzlaff. Retzlaff comes to the Xfinity Series in 2023 from the ARCA Menards East and West Series, as well as having some limited Xfinity Series starts last year. Retzlaff quickly gained a reputation in 2022 as someone who could pull the most of out of his equipment. 

Retzlaff’s 2022 starts with RSS Racing no doubt caught the eye of owner Jordan Anderson, whose family owned team was expanding to two cars in 2023. Teamed with journeyman driver Jeb Burton, Retzlaff was given the team’s main #31 Chevrolet. Having joined the veteran team of the operation, Retzlaff has shown speed in quite a few races this season. These results have included Top 10’s in Daytona and Talladega, as well as several other Top 15 runs. These results have yielded Retzlaff an average finish of 19.2 with (3) DNF’s.

Outlook:

Having already showcased his talent in 9 races for RSS Racing in 2022, this season looks to be a career year. With Jordan Anderson Racing being one of the smaller Xfinity Series teams, Retzlaff has picked up where he left off , showing a steady improvement. While a win or Top 10 points finish may be a year or so off, Retzlaff has proven himself to be a solid Top 20 driver….this alone is quite an accomplishment for a rookie.