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Wisconsin drivers racing in NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series in 2023

Dave Kallmann, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·3 min read
Josh Bilicki, who came out of road racing, has the Road America Xfinity Series race on his schedule for 2023.
Josh Bilicki, who came out of road racing, has the Road America Xfinity Series race on his schedule for 2023.

A look at the drivers from Wisconsin who have announced plans or are working on deals for the NASCAR season. The regular season for all three national divisions opens this weekend with the Craftsman Truck Series on Friday night, the Xfinity Series on Saturday and the Cup Series Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Josh Bilicki

Age: 27

Hometown: Richfield

With just one full-time season in any series in the past seven years, Bilicki has made 176 starts across the three national series with a top finish of 10th in Cup and ninth in Xfinity, both at Daytona.

Cup Series: About 15 races, Live Fast Motorsports No. 78 Chevrolet

Xfinity Series: About 10 races including Road America, DGM Racing No. 91 Chevrolet

Craftsman Truck Series: Limited schedule including Milwaukee Mile, team(s) to be announced

Josh Bilicki has about 15 Cup Series races on a schedule that includes started Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series as well.
Josh Bilicki has about 15 Cup Series races on a schedule that includes started Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series as well.

Kallmann:Here are some great options for Wisconsin auto racing fans making plans for 2023

More:Key dates Wisconsin racing fans should know for 2023

Natalie Decker

Age: 25

Hometown: Eagle River

Racing limited schedules since 2019 totaling 40 races across Xfinity and trucks, she has a career-high finish of fifth in trucks at Daytona in 2020. Decker competed in three Xfinity events last season.

Xfinity Series: limited schedule TBD, Emerling-Gase Motorsports

Derek Kraus

Age: 21

Hometown: Stratford

After three full-time seasons in trucks, the 2019 NASCAR K&N West champion is looking to piece together a schedule. He had four top-five finishes, but three of them were in his 2020 rookie season.

Craftsman Truck Series: at least Daytona, Young’s Motorsports No. 20 Chevrolet, more to be determined

Ty Majeski

Age: 28

Hometown: Seymour

After taking a job as an engineer with ThorSport hoping for the opportunity to drive, Majeski finally got his first full-time season in NASCAR and came away with two victories and raced for the truck championship in the season finale before finishing fourth.

Craftsman Truck Series: full time, ThorSport Racing No. 98 Ford

Sam Mayer will be starting his second full season with JR Motorsports.
Sam Mayer will be starting his second full season with JR Motorsports.

Sam Mayer

Age: 19

Hometown: Franklin

After starting midway through 2021 due to age restrictions, Mayer finished among the top five in 11 races last year, one-third of the season, and finished seventh in the standings.

Xfinity Series: full time, JR Motorsports No. 1 Chevrolet

Parker Retzlaff made nine Xfinity Series starts with one top-10 finish last season and is set for the full season this year.
Parker Retzlaff made nine Xfinity Series starts with one top-10 finish last season and is set for the full season this year.

Parker Retzlaff

Age: 19

Hometown: Rhinelander

Largely an unknown, Retzlaff busted out last year when he qualifed sixth for his Xfinity debut and finished 12th or better in three of his nine races while driving for mid-pack teams.

Xfinity Series: full time, No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet

Johnny Sauter

Age: 44

Hometown: DeForest

The 2018 truck champion has raced in NASCAR since 2001 but resigned himself last year to not having a regular ride with a competitive team. He has 24 truck victories, but none since 2019, and won three Xfinity races in the early 2000s.

Craftsman Truck Series: Daytona, G2G Racing No. 47 Toyota; more possible

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin drivers racing in NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, truck series in 2023