NASCAR announces partnership with RealResponse

Posted on December 15, 2022December 15, 2022 by Press Release

Daytona Beach, FL and Charlotte, NC (December 15, 2022) – NASCAR and RealResponse, the award-winning reporting platform for athletic teams and organizations, today announced a partnership that provides NASCAR and national series industry members with a safe and anonymous tool to secure feedback, report concerns and seek assistance from professionals in countless areas of expertise.

RealResponse is the industry leader in providing a platform for safe and secure feedback, monitoring and anonymous reporting. The partnership will provide any NASCAR national series team member with the ability to confidentially reach out to express concerns or report issues via a customized communication tool. NASCAR personnel receive the encrypted and anonymous messages directly and designate a subject matter expert to respond immediately to the concern.

Concerns can range from competition-based items such as gambling or integrity, safety and security, abuse or harassment, or for seeking mental health support. The identity of the industry member reaching out is protected through the RealResponse reporting program, ensuring anonymity.

“NASCAR wanted to be proactive in providing a tool for industry members such as drivers, crew and other team personnel to safely reach out for help,” said Meghan Miley, Managing Director of Racing Operations for NASCAR. “In partnering with RealResponse, we now have a confidential method for reporting. We don’t have a limit to the types of reports industry members can submit, and we can ensure their privacy as they reach out for anonymous support at any time.”

RealResponse was launched in 2016 by former NCAA Division I student-athlete David Chadwick, who saw a need for athletes to have a safe and confidential way to bring feedback to their athletic administration. Today, numerous sport governing bodies, organizations and teams such MLB, the NFLPA and NFL teams, USA Swimming and other Olympic organizations, the National Women’s Soccer League, and a multitude of colleges and universities work with RealResponse to provide the same service.

“We are honored to engage in this historic partnership with NASCAR,” said David Chadwick, Founder and CEO of RealResponse. “NASCAR executives recognize the responsibility to make the sport of racing safer, more inclusive and more valuable in the eyes every stakeholder involved in the sport. Their embrace of RealResponse sends a clear message that the health and safety of its community members away from the track is as important as safety of drivers on race day.”

The program was introduced to the NASCAR national series teams in October.

Posted on December 15, 2022February 12, 2023 by Chala Jones

Editor’s note: This continues the series of season reviews for select 2022 NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

See more: Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe

Driver: Austin Cindric
Car: No. 2 Team Penske Ford Mustang
Crew chief: Jeremy Bullins
Final 2022 ranking: 12^thKey stats: 1 win, 5 top fives, 9 top 10s, 1 pole, 86 laps led

How 2022 ended: Cindric made the playoffs as a rookie and managed to advance to the second round before being eliminated after a disappointing 21^st-place finish in the Round of 12 finale on the Charlotte Roval. He struggled to three finishes of 20^th or worse between races 32 and 35 before finishing the season with an 11th-place finish in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Best race: Without question, his win in the season-opening Daytona 500. He led three different times late in the race before passing Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and holding on for the final eight laps for a total of 21 laps led en route to earning his first career Cup victory.

Other season highlights: Cindric, son of Team Penske president Tim Cindric, finished a close second in the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard and was third four races later in the regular-season finale at Daytona. … In a sense, Cindric owes Brad Keselowski a debt of gratitude. Suppose Keselowski had not left after the 2021 season to become a part-owner and driver for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. In that case, Cindric was potentially looking at another season in the Xfinity Series. But when Keselowski left, rather than bring in an experienced veteran for one or maybe two seasons before Cindric would have been judged as ready, Team Penske gave the young kid a break, and he delivered right from the start, winning the season-opening Daytona 500, finishing 12th in the season standings and earning NASCAR Cup Rookie of the Year honors.

Stat to know: Cindric had strong showings in most of his road course starts, finishing eighth at COTA, fifth at Sonoma, seventh at Road America, second at the Indianapolis Grand Prix, 13^th at Watkins Glen and his only disappointing showing, 21^st, on the Charlotte Roval.

Quotable: “I’ll always be a Daytona 500 winner. Whatever happens from here on out, it’s an outstanding achievement. To win this race in the No. 2 car … there’s people who still work at Team Penske that started the NASCAR program in the Rusty Wallace days. To be able to deliver to guys like that, Roger (Penske) and the whole race team, it’s pretty gratifying. It’s been pretty incredible. It’s a dream come true in a lot of ways.” – Cindric on winning the Daytona 500.

Looking ahead: Cindric admitted at the end of the 2022 season that he made several mistakes but was prepared to fix those shortcomings in 2023. If he doesn’t fall victim to NASCAR’s fabled “sophomore jinx,” Cindric could potentially win 3-4 races in 2023, make the playoffs and potentially make it to the Round of 8, if not the Championship 4.

Posted on December 15, 2022January 11, 2023 by Chala Jones

Front Row Motorsports announced Thursday that Michael McDowell and Todd Gilliland will return to the organization’s driver roster in the NASCAR Cup Series next season.

The 2023 campaign will mark McDowell’s sixth season with Front Row’s No. 34 Ford team. Gilliland will return for year two as driver of the No. 38 Mustang.

The Bob Jenkins-owned organization also rounded out its crew chief lineup Thursday, tapping Ryan Bergenty to the No. 38 team’s post. Bergenty, 39, joined FRM as the No. 34 team’s car chief in 2021. He also served in that role in previous stints at Chip Ganassi Racing and Furniture Row Racing. The Connecticut native previously served as a mechanic and crew chief for Modified teams, but next year will mark his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief.

Travis Peterson was announced as the No. 34 crew chief on Nov. 23, replacing the departing Blake Harris. The team also announced last month that Seth Barbour had been named Front Row’s technical director.

McDowell, 37, is fresh from a banner season where he set career bests in top-10 finishes (12), laps led (67) and average finish (16.7). His final ranking in the Cup Series points was 23rd, hampered by a 100-point penalty for a midseason technical infraction.

McDowell made the postseason field in 2021, clinching a berth by scoring his first Cup Series victory in the Daytona 500.

“I’ve been really fortunate to find a home at Front Row Motorsports and to race for Bob Jenkins,” McDowell said in a team release. “We’ve accomplished so much together, and I feel strongly that we’re just going to continue to improve. We have work ahead of us, but Travis and this team are more than capable of having another great season. I’m grateful for all the partners who support this team and we’re going to fight hard to get back into the playoffs in 2023.”

Gilliland returns after a rookie campaign where he netted his first top-five finish (fourth at Indianapolis). The 22-year-old driver ended the year 28th in the Cup Series standings, but added a victory in a one-off start on the Knoxville (Iowa) Speedway dirt for his father’s Truck Series operation, David Gilliland Racing.

“Todd showed us growth in his rookie campaign,” said Jerry Freeze, Front Row’s general manager. “The addition of Ryan as the crew chief, and the promotion of Seth, we believe we’re making changes to give Todd what he needs to improve.”

The organization had previously announced that Zane Smith would return to defend his championship next year in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Smith, 23, is also set to make Cup Series starts on a limited schedule in 2023. Smith made his Cup Series debut last season, placing 17th as a fill-in for RFK Racing’s No. 17 team at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

Posted on December 14, 2022December 14, 2022 by Staff Report

23XI Racing announced Wednesday that Columbia Sportswear will expand its sponsorship presence starting next season, returning with a multiyear extension to back Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 Toyota team.

RELATED: 2023 Cup Series schedule

Columbia has been a primary partner on 23XI’s entries for three races in each of the last two seasons. The organization indicated that the Portland, Ore., sportswear brand would increase that figure an unspecified amount going forward with the No. 23 team.

“Working with Columbia has been a fantastic match as they share a lot of the same values that I have and that the team supports,” Wallace said in a team release. “It’s also been a fun relationship that’s allowed me to spend more time exploring the outdoors and following my passions. I’m honored to have them continue this journey with me and 23XI and look forward to more exciting things to come in 2023.”

Columbia first partnered with Wallace in August 2020, signing the driver as a brand ambassador as he closed out his final season with car owner Richard Petty. The company was a primary sponsor on the Petty No. 43 in three races – twice with Wallace in 2020 and once with Erik Jones the following year.

Wallace signed a multiyear contract extension with 23XI Racing in August. He drove to the second Cup Series victory of his career a month later at Kansas Speedway and ended the season a career-best 19th in the final standings.

Wallace’s best finish with Columbia as a primary sponsor was a runner-up result in the 2021 season finale at Daytona.

Posted on December 14, 2022December 20, 2022 by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: This continues the series of season reviews for select 2022 NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

See more: Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick, Tyler Reddick, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe

Driver: Kyle Busch
Car: No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry TRD
Crew chief: Ben Beshore
Final 2022 ranking: 13th
Key stats: 1 win, 8 top fives, 17 top 10s, 627 laps led

How 2022 ended: Kyle Busch’s season may be best remembered for its off-track twists and uncertainty, which ultimately found resolution with a change in teams — from Joe Gibbs Racing to Richard Childress Racing — heading into 2023. As for the on-track portion of Rowdy’s final JGR campaign, a surprising last-lap victory in Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt-track race sealed his berth among the 16 postseason-eligible drivers. Busch’s appearance in the playoff field, however, was short-lived. Engine failure while leading ended his day at Darlington Raceway, a spin at Kansas Speedway added to his deficit and another expired engine in his return to Bristol Motor Speedway added up to a rocky three-race stretch and an early Round of 16 exit. As for the end of his long tenure with Coach Joe Gibbs’ No. 18 team, Busch bid an emotional farewell after a seventh-place result in the Phoenix finale.

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Logan Riely | Getty Images

Best race: In terms of result, the automatic answer is the race that Kyle Busch won last season. Busch threaded his No. 18 Toyota past a final-lap collision between front-runners Chase Briscoe and Tyler Reddick to snag the checkered flag on Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt. He led only the final circuit that April night, achieving a milestone with career win No. 60. In terms of best race without the winning result, Busch had several strong all-around performances that went awry by the end. None were more devastating than the Cup Series Playoffs opener at Darlington, where Busch led a race-best 155 laps before his engine gave up just 23 laps from the finish.

MORE: Busch cashes in on Bristol’s dirt

Other season highlights: Amid some of the struggles, the No. 18 team flashed moments of resilience in the 2022 campaign. The year’s first top-five finish was emblematic of that spirit as Busch drove a reserve car — hastily prepared after a crash in practice — from last on the starting grid to a fourth-place result at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. As personal highlights go, the Busch family welcomed its second child to the world on May 10, announcing the birth of Lennix Key Busch.

Stat to know: Busch’s eight top-five finishes in 2022 marked the lowest total of any season since joining the Cup Series full-time 18 years ago. Attribute a share of that low-water mark to his seven DNFs — his highest total in that category since his rookie year in 2005 (eight).

Quotable: “It’s obviously been a challenging … not just this year but the last little while, and so it’s kind of maybe a blessing in disguise, honestly, where it might just be a time for a fresh start, time for something new and something different. So I’m kind of looking at it as the Tom Brady-Peyton Manning aspect where they left great teams, great organizations where they won championships, and they went on and were able to win championships somewhere else. So I’d like to think that I still have that opportunity to be able to do that with RCR.”

Looking ahead: A monumental change is in progress this offseason for Busch, who breaks with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota for a future with Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet starting in 2023. The move will take some major getting used to, not the least of which is a shift in car number from the No. 18 he’s driven for the last 15 years to the No. 8. Busch indicated during Champion’s Week in Nashville that he’s already getting comfortable in his new surroundings, and RCR teammate Austin Dillon said that Busch’s work ethic and enthusiasm have already made an impression: “He is already wearing everybody out about, ‘hey, we’ve got to be ready to go.’ ” How that translates to on-track performance in year two of the Next Gen car is still an unknown, but Busch and Childress are already firming up a new foundation.

Posted on December 13, 2022December 14, 2022 by Adam Fenwick

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Work is well underway at North Wilkesboro Speedway as the historic facility undergoes a major face-lift in advance of the 2023 running of the NASCAR All-Star Race on May 21.

While many improvements are being made to the existing infrastructure, track officials say they are doing everything they can to maintain the historic look and feel that makes the .625-mile facility unique.

“We want to maintain the patina,” said Steve Swift, Speedway Motorsports senior vice president of operations and development. “The facility will look like it did, as close as possible to when it was running back in the ’90s and the ’80s.”

That includes maintaining the historic murals and classic graphics that greet race fans when they enter North Wilkesboro Speedway. Those displays will be preserved, as will many of the other historic signs around the facility.

NASCAR last visited North Wilkesboro Speedway on Sept. 29, 1996, when Jeff Gordon triumphed in the 93rd NASCAR Cup Series race at the facility.

Work is well underway at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to repair and replace old suites and buildings in advance of the 2023 NASCAR All-Star Race. (Adam Fenwick | NASCAR)

In the time since that event, many of the structures at North Wilkesboro Speedway fell into disrepair. Track officials have worked with contractors to make sure any structures that need to be repaired or replaced retain a similar look and feel to what was there before the current construction project.

“We want to maintain these old signs and this old look,” Swift said. “When we get back here for the All-Star (Race), even the new construction and fixing all the stuff that is rotted, we’re trying to go back to what was historical and what was here.”

Perhaps the most significant change made thus far to North Wilkesboro Speedway has taken place in the infield, which has been completely dug up and will be repaved in advance of race week next May.

As part of that process, a major infield drainage issue that existed long before the track closed in 1996 has also been addressed and has now been repaired.

“We’ve addressed a lot of the drainage issues,” Swift said. “We would get rain, and if there was a big storm, the pipe that led out of Turn 2 was the only place the water could get out. We’d have a lake in the infield and on the racing surface. We could have raced boats, but not cars. Those pieces had to be fixed.”

The process to repair and replace the retaining walls has also begun, with new concrete walls already poured into some areas of the track in preparation for the installation of SAFER barriers that are expected to be delivered in late January. New catch fencing will also be installed.

The pit stalls on pit road have been dug up and will be replaced with new, wider concrete pit stalls. North Wilkesboro Speedway previously had 43 pit stalls and will instead have 40 pit stalls once construction is complete.

The installation of a new MUSCO Lighting system, which will allow the NASCAR Cup Series to race at night at the historic track for the first time in history, is also in the planning stages.

“We’re putting in a new MUSCO system,” Swift said. “Those are on order. The foundations will go in in January, and shortly after that, there will be new LED MUSCOs. They’ll be able to turn on, turn off, dance the lights, spotlights, some cool features that will be really new to NASCAR.”

Construction crews work in the infield at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, on December 13, 2022. (Adam Fenwick | NASCAR)

Swift said the track still plans to use the hydraulic lift to transport the winning race car into Victory Lane on top of the infield media center. There are also plans in place to refurbish the scoring pylon in the infield so that it’s operational in time for race week in May.

One of the most unique parts of the North Wilkesboro Speedway revitalization project will take place in Turns 3 and 4. Track officials plan to bring back the manually updated billboard that once stood outside the track and to use it when NASCAR returns to the facility.

“We came upon some old pictures that had the old scoreboard that had five positions and the laps,” Swift said. “Marcus (Smith) came across those pictures and was adamant that that goes back in place.

“We will have a physical person up there putting laps and the top-five positions up there every 10 laps on that board.”

A little more than five months remain before the NASCAR Cup Series returns to North Wilkesboro Speedway, but Swift is confident all the required work will be completed well in advance of the event.

“A lot of planning went into place in a short time frame,” Swift said. “[We] got a lot of people into place and a lot of those parts and pieces into place to make this all happen.”

Posted on December 13, 2022December 13, 2022 by Staff Report

The countdown is on — 200 days from now, NASCAR’s best will be winding around the “Windy City” in the Chicago Street Race, the first-ever street contest in NASCAR Cup Series history.

The unprecedented 12-turn, 2.2-mile street race will take the Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series past and through many of Chicago’s most renowned downtown landmarks during Fourth of July Weekend, July 1-2, 2023.

BUY TICKETS: Chicago Street Race Weekend tickets on sale now | NASCAR’s Chicago connections

“Chicago is one of the most iconic cities in the world, and the first-ever NASCAR Cup Series street race in the heart of downtown will be one of the can’t-miss sporting events in 2023,” said Chicago Street Race President Julie Giese in a November NASCAR release. “The best part is we will have options available for everyone ranging from all-inclusive packages with driver meet-and-greets to a free experience in Butler Field. We truly want anyone interested in experiencing a one-of-a-kind sports and entertainment festival to join us in Chicago over the Fourth of July weekend.”

Fans can follow @NASCARChicago on Twitter and Facebook and download the NASCAR Tracks App for the latest real-time updates on all aspects of the event.

MORE: History of unique Cup tracks | Scenes from race announcement

Posted on December 13, 2022December 20, 2022 by Cameron Richardson

Editor’s note: This continues the series of season reviews for select 2022 NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

See more: Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe

Driver: Tyler Reddick
Car: No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Crew chief: Randall Burnett
Final 2022 ranking: 14th
Key stats: 3 wins, 10 top fives, 15 top 10s, 3 poles, 503 laps led

How 2022 ended: Reddick had one of the more promising prospectives entering the 2022 Cup postseason, but his playoff run was cut short in the Round of 16 after wrecking out at Kansas and falling numerous laps down in the elimination race at Bristol. The brief playoff tenure defined Reddick’s season in general that saw him run at the front of the pack. However, a handful of results went the wrong way, most notably in the second race of the year, where the No. 8 led a race-high 90 laps at Auto Club Speedway but suffered a flat tire with just under 50 to go that parachuted Reddick to a 24th-place run. Reddick collected his third victory during the Round of 12 to cap off a three-win season.

Best race: Road America on July 3. A handful of races could take this spot due to Reddick’s ability to run up front. However, not many could have guessed the third-year driver to develop into a road-course ace in 2022, but that’s exactly what happened. Not only did Reddick lead 16 of 62 laps en route to his first career Cup win, but he also outdueled a known virtuoso on the left and right-hand turns in Chase Elliott.

Other season highlights: Reddick picked up two more wins following his maiden victory at Road America. He outclassed the field on the Indianapolis road course to become the first multi-time winner in a season for Richard Childress Racing since Kevin Harvick in 2013 (four). Reddick would then lead 70 laps en route to a Texas win in the Round of 12 of the Cup Series Playoffs and finish the season as one of just five drivers with three or more wins in 2022.

Stat to know: A -8.1 difference in start-to-finish position. Of full-time Cup drivers this past season, Reddick owned the second-best average start at 9.5. However, his average finish sat at just 17.6, which summed up his roller coaster of a season that ended with three finishes of 23rd or worse and included two back-to-back 35th-place finishes (Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway in Round of 8). Reddick’s playoff elimination was also brought on by finishes of 35th and 25th at Kansas and Bristol, respectively. He started inside the top five 15 times this season and finished outside the top 10 in six of those races.

Quotable: “I’m really excited about next year. It is nice to know, like, hey, this is what the future is going to hold. I’m going to get to go over there earlier than I planned and just start working on those things that myself and a lot of the ownership over there had talked about wanting to do and why we wanted to get together.”

Looking ahead: Three wins would equate to a successful season for any driver, but after an early exit in the postseason, the focus and expectation for Reddick when he shifts over to 23XI Racing will be on advancing through a playoff run and limiting some of the errors that led to his -8.1 difference from average start to average finish. Reddick should be able to find Victory Lane multiple times again in 2023 with a prospective outlook of reaching the Championship 4.

Posted on December 12, 2022 by Press Release

ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Before the calendar turns to 2023, JDV Productions has a few more exciting announcements remaining for fans before the holidays.

Today, JDV officially announced a four-race NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour schedule for the new season, and also announced the renewal of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup in a multi-year agreement with Whelen Engineering.

The 2023 JDV season will begin at Monadnock Speedway with Duel at the Dog weekend from Friday, May 5 through Sunday, May 7. Friday will be an optional practice day for Monadnock house divisions, while the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour will have a one-day show on Saturday, May 6. On Sunday, the NHSTRA Modifieds and additional Monadnock house divisions will headline the action.

Lee USA Speedway will be up next for the second running of the Granite State Derby on Saturday, May 27. The 175-lap main event on Memorial Day weekend moves from Jennerstown Speedway to Lee.

JDV Productions will also bring the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour back to Claremont Motorsports Park on Saturday, July 29. The inaugural Clash at Claremont, which took place on a Friday last season, moves to Saturday with select house divisions from the track set to be involved in the show. The JDV NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour season will conclude right back at Monadnock on Saturday, September 9 with the debut of the Winchester Fair. This event will include a 200-lap NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour race and Monadnock house divisions with a special flavor of Fair events for fans. Full event cards will be released for all four shows in the upcoming weeks.

“We’re excited to branch to four events for the 2023 season with the Whelen Modified Tour after what we feel was one of the best seasons yet for JDV Productions in 2022,” Josh Vanada, owner of JDV Productions, said. “Two events on the high-banks of Monadnock, one with a full weekend of racing and one with the Fair idea behind it will be great for the fans. Both Lee and Claremont produce different types of exciting racing and both put on a great show last year. We believe our schedule is a strong one to showcase the best Modified drivers in the country to dedicated New England race fans.”

Along with the date announcements, JDV also announced the return of the Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup in a multi-year agreement with Whelen Engineering. The Granite State Short Track Cup will continue to be a three-race series, with the champion crowned at Claremont in July, showcasing the top stars of Modified racing both on the Tour and at a local level – as select house Modified drivers at Monadnock, Lee and Claremont will again compete in the races. The Whelen Granite State Short Track Cup paid out over $10,000 in bonus awards from the 2022 season and will again have special awards and a point fund for the top three finishers in the standings. Exact details will be announced at a later date. In 2022, Matt Hirschman won the crown by just a few points.

Whelen Engineering — a global leader in the emergency warning industry — has been manufacturing in America since 1952, proudly marking its 70th anniversary in 2022. Whelen designs and manufactures reliable and powerful warning lights, white illumination lighting, sirens, controllers, and high-powered warning systems for Automotive, Aviation (Whelen Aerospace Technologies – WAT), and Mass Notification industries worldwide.

Posted on December 12, 2022December 20, 2022 by Pat DeCola

Editor’s note: This continues the series of season reviews for select 2022 NASCAR Cup Series drivers.

See more: Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suárez, Chris Buescher, Chase Briscoe

Driver: Kevin HarvickCar: No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford MustangCrew chief: Rodney ChildersFinal 2022 ranking: 15thKey stats: 2 wins, 9 top fives, 17 top 10s, 119 laps led

How 2022 ended: Harvick was one of four drivers — a group that also included two-time champ Kyle Busch — to be dropped from title contention after the Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway, a race Harvick had won just two years prior. It was a somewhat abrupt end to the 2014 champion’s shot at a second Cup title after coming alive just a few weeks prior with back-to-back wins at Michigan and Richmond as the regular season wound down. Issues at Darlington (exhaust, P33) and Kansas (crash, P36) put him in must-win mode at Bristol, and his 10th-place run was not enough to advance. His best remaining finish after being eliminated came at the Charlotte road course, with a runner-up showing.

Best race: This is a bit of a cop-out, but Harvick’s two wins at Michigan and Richmond in back-to-back weeks — the only driver to do this in 2022 — really feel inextricably connected given the tense build-up to Michigan’s victory and the questions that followed the win in Virginia. Many had written Harvick off as a legit title contender by midseason and rumblings that he might be cooked in general were louder than the No. 4 driver would’ve preferred. After all, the win in the Irish Hills snapped a 65-race winless streak dating back to 2020 and he’d looked way off in 2022 to that point. Neither win was particularly dominant (38/200 laps led at Michigan, 55/400 at Richmond) but many were touting the awakening of a “sleeping giant” at such a time that could disrupt the playoffs majorly. Had it not been for the issues at Darlington and Kansas, it’s fair to wonder just how far a dialed-in No. 4 team would’ve fared the rest of the way had it remained in contention.

kevin harvick celebrates a richmond win — *Getty Images*

Other season highlights: There weren’t a ton of them in relation to how Harvick typically performs (he did win a whopping nine races in 2020, after all), but he did manage to muster seven top-five finishes from the Coca-Cola 600 (third) through the end of the season, in a noticeable uptick from where he and the No. 4 started the year (just two top fives in first 12 races). He nailed down a win and runner-up in the two Richmond races in 2022, as well as running in the top five at some of his other mainstays (Darlington, Sonoma, Loudon and Phoenix).

Stat to know: While Harvick did turn in a pair of victories, it was an overall significantly down year by his standards. Plenty of numbers stand out — a career-worst 119 laps led perhaps chief among them — but Harvick also failed to record an average starting spot in the top 10 for just the second time since 2013. A rough 17.5 average starting position definitely hindered the No. 4 car’s results in 2022, but it’s worth wondering if Childers and Harvick failed to grasp the Next Gen changes out of the gate and were battling against a speed deficit all season. Qualifying improvements will certainly be on their radar for 2023.

Quotable: “I think as you look back at (being one spot below Dale Earnhardt in career wins after Richmond), I don’t think as you start your career, you don’t say, well, I want to — it’s easy to say, I guess, I want to win 70-some races and be close or win 60, and then you start doing this on a week-to-week basis, and I think that’s the hardest thing, especially I see it a lot in today’s world. You come out of the Xfinity Series and you see these guys winning a lot of races and you come — I tell (son) Keelan, you’re a go-kart racer. When you want to go big-boy racing, you go Cup racing.

“It’s just a lot harder because everyone in this garage is just a killer, from the crew chief to the drivers to the guys changing the tires. It’s the best of the best, and it’s not easy to keep your team and everybody within your organization competitive, keep yourself competitive. It’s hard.”

Looking ahead: Any driver who wins two races in a season — let alone in back-to-back weeks — will typically feel pretty good about the next campaign on tap, but there are some legitimate concerns for Harvick and SHR as the longtime pairing has now looked like a shell of its former self the past two seasons with two different car generations. Harvick, however, is one of the all-time greats, and the same can be said about his cerebral crew chief in Childers. An offseason of continued tinkering on Next Gen setups and overall preparation ahead of what might be the Californian’s final season in Cup should have them back in winning contention more consistently in 2023, but it’s far from a guarantee.