In 2022, Kaulig Racing saw a bit of turnover in their Xfinity Series lineup. Justin Haley graduated to the Cup Series, Jeb Burton departed for Our Motorsports, and the reigning champion joined the team. While Daniel Hemric and Landon Cassill failed to win a race, AJ Allmendinger won the regular season championship (along with 5 races). At season’s end, Cassill and Hemric looked to be returning along with Chandler Smith replacing Allmendinger. Outside the one transition, the year to year consistency for the 10 and 11 was a welcome site. Unfortunately, plans changed and the team experienced some sill season terbulance. In this Season in Review for Kaulig Xfinity, the tumultuous 2023 year will be evaluated and graded.
Open Car – #10/#11
2023 Stat Line: 33 Starts – 3 Wins, 7 Top-5s, 20 Top-10s, 3 Poles, Avg Fin 13.1
Drivers: AJ Allmendinger (5 Starts), Kyle Busch (4 Starts), Ross Chastain (1 Start), Austin Dillon (2 Starts), Justin Haley (5 Starts), Derek Kraus (8 Starts), Kyle Larson (1 Start), Justin Marks (1 Start), Layne Riggs (3 Starts), Daniel Suarez (1 Start), & Jordan Taylor (2 Starts)
Crew Chiefs: Alex Yontz (#10 car/25 races) & Jason Trinchere (#11 car/8 races)
#10 Owner Points Ranking: 7; #11 Owner Points Ranking: 15
Notable Results: 3 wins in total between two drivers (AJ Allmendinger & Kyle Larson)
During their press conference to announce AJ Allmendinger and Chandler Smith’s 2023 plans, Kaulig Racing confirmed that Landon Cassill would be returning to the 10 car. At the time, Daniel Hemric was the questionable one to return. While Cassill’s 2022 did not set the world on fire, he did well enough to deserve another year with Kaulig Racing. However, things went sour after Cassill’s primary sponsor Voyager filed for bankruptcy. Without the necessary funding, Cassill was removed from the 10 car. Instead of a fulltime driver, the car would turn into Kaulig’s open car.
Parade of Drivers
For 25 races, the 10 car was the open car. That changed shortly before the playoffs, as the #10 car was locked into the owners’ playoffs while the 11 would not be. Daniel Hemric shifted from the 11 to the 10 for the playoff run.
In total, 11 different drivers piloted Kaulig’s open car (whether the 10 or 11). There was great variety in who got behind the wheel of the open car. There were some heavy hitters, such as Kyle Busch, AJ Allmendinger, and Kyle Larson. Other Cup Series drivers included Austin Dillon, Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez, and Justin Haley. Kaulig also put youth in the car, allowing Derek Kraus and Layne Riggs to start a combined 11 races. Jordan Taylor stepped in for a couple of races. Perhaps the most interesting (and then disappointing) driver for the open car was Justin Marks at Chicago.
2023 Grade: A-
Kaulig’s open car ranked tied for fourth for most Top-10s on the season. Their 3 wins ties the car with JGR’s 19 for the most for an open car. However, Kaulig’s open car saw more consistency between all drivers when compared to the 19. Only two drivers failed to gain a Top-10 during their time in the car. While the hope would be to see this car racing in the Top-5 more often, consistent Top-10s is nothing to complain about. Clearly, the team made chicken soup out of the poor situation that cropped up before the season kicked off.
2024 Outlook
Stability will return to this Kaulig team in 2024, as Shane van Gisbergen has been tabbed to pilot the now 97 car. On loan from Trackhouse, Gisbergen will run his first fulltime NASCAR effort under the Kaulig umbrella. Surely, Trackhouse will be very hands on with this endeavor. Obviously, Kaulig and Trackhouse have maintained a working relationship since Chastain, Suarez, and Marks made starts for the 10 car last season.
Shane van Gisbergen is the ultimate wild card for next season. Many expect the New Zealander to handle the road courses as well as he did in the Cup Series. Although the Xfinity Series cars seem to be a different animal compared to the NextGen, the transition should not be too drastic. However, all eyes will be on Gisbergen on the ovals. He did respectfully in his lone oval start at IRP in the Truck Series last season. However, questions remain. How will Gisbergen fare on the superspeedways? Can he be a championship contender immediately? These will be the questions on the minds of fans throughout the Xfinity Series season.
Daniel Hemric – #11/#10
2023 Stat Line: 33 Starts – 6 Top-5s, 18 Top-10s, 57 Laps Led, Avg Fin 13.5
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere (25 races) & Alex Yontz (8 races)
Driver Points Ranking: 8
Notable Results: 3 second place finishes; Advanced to the Round of 8
Daniel Hemric’s 2022 was a stepdown from his championship winning season the year prior. Not only did Hemric fail to advance to the Championship Four, the Kaulig driver failed to advance out of the first round. Every statistical category for Hemric took a hit from 2021 to 2022. With his return to Kaulig for the 2023, the expectation (or hope) was that Hemric would break out and win a few races. Kaulig’s Xfinity Series operation is top tier, which made Hemric’s lackluster 2022 so disappointing.
Although Hemric did improve in 2023, it was still a far cry from where he should be in this equipment. It was another winless season, demonstrating further that 2021 was a fluke. While Hemric’s Top-5s-and-10s increased, the former champion led less laps and again struggled to be a contender. The only places where Hemric felt like a winning threat was at Atlanta and Bristol. Justin Haley’s questionable drafting strategy in the summer saw a winnable race slip through Hemric’s hands. Meanwhile, Hemric’s season-best performance at Bristol saw him lose the lead late. Hemric managed to advance to the Round of 8, but his momentum stalled out there.
2023 Grade: D+
Will Daniel Hemric go down in Xfinity Series history as the biggest fluke of a champion? If his time with Kaulig’s Xfinity program is any indication, then yes. Another winless season for Hemric makes it difficult to celebrate much from 2023. Not only was it a winless season, but it was another year of uncompetitive runs. Outside three races, Hemric was never a top driver on any given race weekend. In the equipment he is in, Hemric should be battling for Top-5s and wins consistently. Instead, he is a solid hand that never inspires much confidence.
2024 Outlook
Despite Daniel Hemric’s mediocrity in the Xfinity Series, Kaulig has tabbed him to replace Justin Haley in the Cup Series. Hemric will pilot the 31 car, mostly due to the funding he brings. It feels harsh to be so blasé about Hemric’s second chance in Cup, but his second Xfinity Series run does not indicate any improvement from his 2019 rookie season. Plus, Kaulig’s Cup operation has not progressed the way many hoped that it would. Hemric will likely keep the car in one piece. However, it would be a surprising to see the 31 car run inside the Top-20 most weeks.
As for the 11 team, Josh Williams was picked to replace Hemric for 2024. It was a surprising move, but one that many fans can get behind. This will be Williams’ first opportunity in top equipment. Surely, it will be an opportunity that he will strive not to squander. Williams is known to be a steady hand, especially in the second (or third) tiered equipment he was racing. While expectations should be tapered, it would be great to see Josh Williams put together a solid 2024 season.
Chandler Smith – #16
2023 Stat Line: 33 Starts – 1 Win, 8 Top-5s, 13 Top-10s, 3 Poles, Avg Fin 15.6
Crew Chief: Bruce Schlicker
Driver Points Ranking: 9; Owner Points Ranking: 9
Notable Results: First career win at spring Richmond; Led 118 laps at spring Las Vegas
The big silly season move for Kaulig’s Xfinity Series program was the acquisition of Chandler Smith. Leaving Toyota for Chevy, the Truck Series standout was an exciting replacement for AJ Allmendinger. When the move was announced, it was easy to envision Smith racing for Kaulig in the Cup Series fulltime. Kaulig also seemed heavily invested in Smith, as they dusted off the 13 Cup car for Smith to run at a handful of tracks.
Other than failing to qualify for the Daytona 500, Chandler Smith’s 2023 started off with tremendous momentum. In the first 4 races, Smith already gathered 3 Top-5s. His Las Vegas run turned heads, as he led the most laps after starting on the pole. Although he lost the lead in the final laps, it was an impressive run from the rookie. Shortly after, Smith picked up his first Xfinity win at Richmond. Through the first 8 races, Smith was averaging a Top-10 finish and looked prime to compete for a championship.
After his strong start, Smith regressed back down the pecking order. While Smith collected 4 Top-5s (including his win) in the first 7 races, he only managed to add 4 more throughout the rest of the season. Post Talladega, Smith went through a rough stretch. His average finish ballooned to 18.7 with more finishes outside the Top-20 (5) than inside the Top-10 (4). Smith did course correct during the playoffs, collecting 3 Top-5s in the first 4 races. However, two DNFs in the Round of 8 extinguished his championship hopes.
2023 Grade: B
Similar to numerous other drivers, Chandler Smith’s season was bookended by strong runs. Meanwhile, sandwiched in the middle was a bad stretch of races that drag down his season as a whole. When looking at the first 8 and last 7 races of 2023, Smith’s average finish improves to 11.9. If not for 3 DNFs during that time (only one due to incident), that aveage finish would sit inside at 6.7.
Smith continued to flash the talent that fans saw in the Truck Series. He is an exciting prospect that has the potential to be great at the next level. His road course skills need to improve a bit, as they were a constant sore spot for him in 2023.
Barely missing out on Rookie of the Year must sting as well. Sammy Smith had a better Round of 8, which essentially clinched it.
2024 Outlook
After a year away, Chandler Smith has jumped ship from Kaulig and returned to Toyota with Joe Gibbs Racing. The decline of Kaulig Racing might have been the precedent for the move. While Kaulig’s Xfinity Series program is still top notch, their Cup Series program is lagging behind (especially compared to other new teams). Plus, JGR Cup will likely have an opening for the 19 car in a year or two. Cannot blame a young driver for wanting to fight for a JGR Cup spot over a struggling Kaulig entry.
As for the 16 team, business will improve greatly with the return of AJ Allmendinger to the Xfinity Series. In his two fulltime seasons with the 16, Allmendinger established himself as one of the top drivers in the series. Immediately, the 16 team should be considered a favorite for the championship. Surely, Allmendinger will continue his dominance on the road courses. Plus, his Xfinity oval runs have been impressive. It is championship or bust for this team next year.
Kaulig Racing Grade: B-
Before diving into this review, it felt that Kaulig Racing’s 2023 was a poor one. They lost a fulltime driver right before the season kicked off. Their two fulltime drivers only managed 1 win and neither were a serious championship threat. However, their open car was a consistent Top-10 machine no matter who drove the car. In total, the team picked up 4 wins on the season. While it would be a stretch to say it was a fantastic season, Kaulig Racing did manage to put together a quietly solid 2023. It might have been a bit disappointing, but that is only because expectations are so high for the team.
2024 will be an interesting one for Kaulig Racing. Everyone knows what AJ Allmendinger brings to the table. However, the big question marks of Josh Williams and Shane van Gisbergen might make Kaulig Racing the team to watch in 2024. Allmendinger should battle for the championship, but it will be interesting to see if he will have to battle either of his teammates in that quest.
For other 2023 Season in Review articles, click the link(s) below:
Griffin Fuller
- Cup: Team Penske, Wood Brothers, Stewart-Haas Racing, Trackhouse Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI Racing, RFK Racing, The Money Team/Beard Motorsports
- Xfinity: Stewart-Haas Racing, AM Racing, JR Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing
Robert Cwick – JTG-Daugherty, Live Fast, Front Row (Part 1), Front Row (Part 2), Legacy Motor Club
Daniel Smith (Statistical Breakdown)
- Cup: Team Penske/Wood Brothers, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI & Legacy Motor Club, RFK/Front Row, Trackhouse/RCR, Stewart-Haas Racing, JTG/Rick Ware/Live Fast, Kaulig/Spire, Final Rankings
- Xfinity: Stewart-Haas/AM Racing, JR Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing/Sam Hunt Racing, RCR/Kaulig Racing, Big Machine/Jeremy Clements/BJ McLeod/Our Motorsports, Jordan Anderson/DGM, RSS Racing, JD Motorsports/SS Green Light Racing, Alpha Prime/Emerling-Gase, Final Rankings
- Trucks: Thorsports, GMS Racing, Niece Motorsports, TRICON Garage, McAnally-Hilgemann/Rackley W.A.R, Rev Racing/KBM, Front Row/Hattori/Halmar Friesen/AM Racing/Reaume Brother, CR7/Bret Holmes Racing/Hill Motorsports
