November 1, 2024

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John Hunter Nemechek Claims NASCAR Xfinity Series Driver of the Year Title

John Hunter Nemechek finished his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series with a remarkable season. Despite falling short of the title in the season finale, his performance throughout the season was championship-worthy. Nemechek won the Driver of the Year for the Xfinity Series following a breakout season with seven wins. Prior to the NASCAR Awards ceremony in Nashville, the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver was honored as the best driver in the second-tier series for putting together a stellar campaign.

After facing setbacks from his Cup Series venture with Front Row Motorsports in 2020, John Hunter Nemechek drove in the Truck Series for two years before joining the Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity program for 2023. Throughout the regular season, Nemechek was a title favorite, taking his first win of the season in Fontana, and securing victories in Martinsville, Atlanta, New Hampshire, Michigan, and Kansas. He then achieved his first playoff victory at Texas Motor Speedway and eventually made his way into the championship four. However, a last-lap tire issue relegated him to a fourth-place finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings, despite finishing the season with seven wins, 17 top-fives, 24 top-10s, and leading over a thousand laps.

The 26-year-old driver expressed pride in the effort and results achieved by his team throughout the season, despite the disappointment of the last-lap tire issue. Looking ahead to 2024, Nemechek will be joining Jimmie Johnson’s Legacy Motor Club Cup Series team as the driver of the #42 Toyota.