{"id":1550869,"date":"2023-02-19T18:06:10","date_gmt":"2023-02-19T23:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1550869"},"modified":"2023-06-22T16:02:20","modified_gmt":"2023-06-22T20:02:20","slug":"complete-2023-nascar-cup-series-silly-season-tracker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/complete-2023-nascar-cup-series-silly-season-tracker\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Silly Season Tracker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Early summer is still too early to determine the prospects for any struggling drivers who are in their contract year. However, teams can make jolting decisions well before the Championship 4 in Phoenix, as we witnessed last season when 23XI Racing pulled off a summer stunner by signing Tyler Reddick<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stewart-Haas Racing got the jump on hiring replacement drivers for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series<\/a>, but it's hardly a case of casting aside an underperformer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

June 21, 2023: SHR reveals Kevin Harvick's replacement<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Josh
Josh Berry looks on during practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco Uniforms 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2023. | David Jensen\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stewart-Haas Racing signed Josh Berry, 32, to drive the No. 4 Ford in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series, the team announced at Charlotte Motor Speedway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berry\u2019s first full-time opportunity in the top-tier series comes as the replacement for 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, who is retiring at the end of the season to join the Fox Sports booth. Crew chief Rodney Childers will remain atop the pit box for the No. 4 team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Berry is an accomplished Late Model racer who joined JR Motorsports in 2010. He is in his second full-time Xfinity Series season with JRM but has filled in for Hendrick Motorsports in eight Cup races this season while Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman recovered from injuries. He posted his career-best Cup finish by placing second at Richmond Raceway on April 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 2, 2023: Legacy Motor Club jumping from Chevy to Toyota next season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Jimmie
Jimmie Johnson (above) and Maury Gallagher have announced a fundamental change for their 2024 Cup Series team. | Matthew Pearce\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Legacy Motor Club owners Jimmie Johnson<\/a> and Maury Gallagher revealed the team will leave Chevrolet to compete in Toyotas next season. The decision means Toyota will send eight full-time cars to the starting grid each week, allowing the manufacturer to share more data with its other affiliates, Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota hasn't fielded that many cars since 2011, and it's a significant decision on Johnson's part given that he won all of his record-tying seven championships in Chevys while at Hendrick Motorsports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legacy drivers Erik Jones and Noah Gragson don't have any experience in Next Gen Camrys. However, Gragson made his Craftsman Truck Series and Xfinity Series debuts in Toyotas, while Jones previously competed for Joe Gibbs Racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb. 16, 2023: Ross Chastain signs an extension with Trackhouse Racing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Daniel
Daniel Suarez talks with teammate Ross Chastain during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 on Oct. 29, 2022. at Martinsville Speedway. | Jeff Robinson\/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was July of 2022 when Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing made the stunning announcement the Richard Childress Racing<\/a> driver would leave after the 2023 season. The way the situation eventually played out, Reddick made his switch in time for this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ross Chastain<\/a> announcement during Daytona Speedweeks was the third driver contract extension of the week and fourth in a month, an indication that owners are taking no chance of being blindsided the way Childress was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chastain, 30, a Championship 4 driver in his first full season with Trackhouse Racing, would have been a desirable free agent at the end of the year, but the new agreement keeps him in place through at least 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s taken a lot of years, a lot of hard work and sacrifice, plus a lot of help from a lot of people, but I can safely say I have found a home at Trackhouse Racing,\u201d Chastain said<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What it means: The odds of Chastain leaving were remote, but Trackhouse owner Justin Marks shut down any speculation that Stewart-Haas Racing would make a play to put the driver into Kevin Harvick\u2019s car next season.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feb. 15, 2023: Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez are staying put to kick off Silly Season<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It's officially official. \ud83d\udc9c

Both @Alex_Bowman<\/a> and Ally will be synonymous with @TeamHendrick<\/a> and the No. 48 for years to come. \ud83d\udd8b #Rally48<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/aFTcmF9IBD<\/a><\/p>— Ally Racing (@allyracing) February 15, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>