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John Hunter Nemechek capped off his 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series with a career-best finish in the standings. Although he fell short of the title in the season finale, his performance throughout the season was championship-worthy.
Nemechek was named the Driver of the Year for the Xfinity Series following a breakout season with seven wins. Ahead of the NASCAR Awards ceremony in Nashville, the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver won the honor of the best driver in the second tier series for putting together a stellar campaign.
Following a setback 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.
Nemechek had been a title favorite for much of the regular season as his #20 Toyota Supra was competitive at every track. He took his first win of the season in Fontana, before collecting the checkered flag at Martinsville, Atlanta, New Hampshire, Michigan and Kansas.
He took his first playoff victory at Texas Motor Speedway and eventually made his way into the championship four. However, he fell one lap short of his maiden Xfinity title after a last-lap tire issue relegated him to a 28th-place finish.
Nemechek finished his season with seven wins, 17 top-fives, 24 top-10s and led over a thousand laps. He finished a career-best fourth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series standings.
John Hunter Nemechek proud of his 2023 Xfinity campaign
The #20 Joe Gibbs Racing driver had the pace to deliver the championship in the season finale. A last-lap tire issue threw a spanner in the works of John Hunter Nemechek and his team who had put together a remarkable season.
The 26-year-old was proud of the effort and the results the #20 team achieved throughout the season.
“Man, I hate it for our guys. Our (car) was really, really fast. Just sucks to end our season this way, but overall, a really successful season for this No. 20 team and Joe Gibbs Racing. I was proud to be behind the wheel of this car all year,” Nemechek told motorsport.com.
“Seven wins is a lot to be proud of. One race doesn’t define us as a group. If you win, you come out as the champion. That’s what we told ourselves all week and it almost happened," he added.
John Hunter Nemechek has plenty to look forward to in 2024, as he joins Jimmie Johnson's Legacy Motor Club Cup Series team as the driver of the #42 Toyota.
