The 2023 NASCAR season is about to be underway as the green flag for the Daytona 500 is in four days. Meanwhile, over 150 fans of NASCAR responded to a survey on social media that asked for their predictions for the upcoming season.
Let’s dive into what the NASCAR fanbase is predicting for the 2023 campaign.
Biggest surprise of the 2023 NASCAR season
After a season full of unpredictability, the question of who will be the biggest surprise during the 2023 season can go in any direction. However, there appears to be a common denominator at the top.
Noah Gragson, the driver of the No. 42 car for Legacy Motor Club, was the top answer at 12.2% while his teammate Erik Jones was the second-highest answer at 8.5% overall. It seems like people are banking on Legacy Motor Club to have a good year.
As for the third person to round out the question, A.J. Allmendinger came in with 6.7% of the votes after moving to Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series. He was also a popular playoff pick.
Some other highly-voted surprises for the 2023 season include Ryan Preece, Kyle Busch, and Chase Briscoe.
Related: Jimmie Johnson discusses why he chose the No. 84 as his new NASCAR number
Biggest disappointment of the 2023 NASCAR season
On the flip side of surprises, there needs to be someone who holds the unwanted honor of being the biggest disappointment during the 2023 season. Well, this one was pretty convincing.
Ty Gibbs, the driver of the No. 54 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, was the top answer at 13.4% as he makes the jump to the NASCAR Cup Series. Meanwhile, Gibbs’ teammate Martin Truex Jr. was the second-highest at 8.5% overall.
It’s understandable as expectations might be too high for a rookie driver and Truex missed the playoffs last season. As for the third spot, Busch came out as the 7.9% most common answer in his first season with Richard Childress Racing.
Some other highly-voted disappointments for the 2023 season include Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Tyler Reddick.
Related: Trackhouse Racing discusses big rumors of switching from Chevrolet to Toyota
Driver who wins the most NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023
There will be one or multiple drivers who win the most races during the 2023 season. Chase Elliott won the most last season but he is not the highest-predicted driver to accomplish that feat this year.
Kyle Larson, the driver of the No. 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports, was the top answer at 25.6% as he looks to return to his dominant form. Elliott came in as the second-highest answer at 20.7% overall. It is clear that many expect the Hendrick Motorsports duo to have major success.
The third-highest driver might be a surprise as Reddick claimed 9.1% of the vote in his first season for Denny Hamlin and 23XI Racing. Reddick’s ceiling and floor appear to be at the extremes for the fanbase this season.
Some other highly-voted race winners for the 2023 season include Busch, Christopher Bell, and Joey Logano.
Related: NASCAR power rankings during the 2023 season
Championship 4 for the 2023 NASCAR season
The Championship 4 is always a topic of conversation when the NASCAR season is coming soon and this year is no different. In fact, there are many familiar names at the top of the list for the 2023 season.
Larson (59.1%), Elliott (53.0%), Hamlin (40.2%), and Logano (39.6%) are the four highest-predicted drivers to make the Championship 4 during the 2023 season. All of them have won a championship outside of Hamlin.
The fanbase expects the powerful Hendrick Motorsports duo to be as good as ever while Hamlin performs at a high level in his chase for a title. Meanwhile, it’s impossible to forget about Logano who is trying to defend his NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Some other highly voted drivers who appeared in the Championship 4 for the 2023 season include Reddick, Busch, and Ryan Blaney.
Related: NASCAR odds – Betting lines for each race and championship futures
NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2023
The biggest topic during the entire NASCAR season every single year is related to who claims the Cup Series championship. By the looks of it, the fanbase is completely split on who will be holding the trophy this November.
Larson, Elliott, and Larson came in as a three-way tie for the top answer at 14.6% overall. It is a major surprise as many are unsure who will have the best chance to become a champion. Surprisingly, Logano didn’t even crack the top-5 answers.
Drivers such as Blaney, Busch, and Ross Chastain were all above Logano. As for the highest-predicted drivers, all of them will be there at the end when it matters as they represent the best in the sport.
The NASCAR fanbase has officially given out their thoughts for the 2023 season and the only thing to do now is to relax and watch the action unfold.