2023 Season in Review: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
CREW CHIEF: Mike Kelley
TEAM: JTG Daugherty Racing
POINTS: 16th in Cup Series
WINS: One (Daytona 500)
LAPS LED: 39
TOP 5s: Two
TOP 10s: Nine
STARTS FROM POLE: None
WHAT WENT RIGHT: For the first time since the 2017 season, Stenhouse celebrated in Victory Lane. He won the season-opening Daytona 500, the biggest race in NASCAR. This was Stenhouse's third career win and his first crown jewel.
Stenhouse competed in the playoffs for the second time in his Cup career and matched his career-best mark of nine top-10 finishes. He posted the second-best average finish of his career (17.8).
WHAT WENT WRONG: Qualifying was a point of concern for the No. 47 team. Stenhouse's average starting position this season was 21.8, the third-worst mark of his full-time career. He started 20th or worse in 23 of the 36 races.
Stenhouse was one of two playoff drivers that did not win a stage during the 2023 season. This gave him no point cushion entering the Round of 16.
Stenhouse scored one stage point during the first three races of the playoffs. His finishes in these races were 16th, 23rd and 10th. Stenhouse was eliminated from playoff contention after the night race at Bristol.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024: Stenhouse returns to JTG Daugherty Racing after signing a multi-year contract extension in 2022. He will continue to be a factor during drafting races at Daytona, Talladega and Atlanta. His production at road courses, short tracks and intermediate tracks will partially depend on whether the team can improve its performance in qualifying.
