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The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season was an eventful ride, with veteran drivers returning to the victory lane and underrated drivers taking center stage throughout the season.
The 2023 season began with an underdog Daytona 500 winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who wrote his name in the history books. Meanwhile, William Byron had a stellar start to his campaign, becoming the early season title favorite.
Old masters Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch returned to the victory lane, with Ryan Blaney ending his winless streak at the Coca-Cola 600. Denny Hamlin controlled the narrative midway through the season, while Michael McDowell and AJ Allmendinger showcased their road course prowess.
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After a roller coaster ride, Blaney capped off the season as the 2023 Cup champion. This past season, 15 drivers reached the victory lane in the Cup series, with four break-out stars proving their mettle in the premier series.
In this piece, let us take a look at four breakout NASCAR drivers who stole the spotlight in 2023.
4 breakout drivers of the 2023 NASCAR season
#4 Bubba Wallace
Despite going winless in 2023, Bubba Wallace had a career-best season finishing 10th in the year-end standings. Not only did Wallace qualify for the playoffs, he managed to advance to the second round.
Wallace showed significant progress last season when compared to his previous campaigns, where he struggled for consistency in the regular season. In 2023, the #23 Toyota driver put together consistent results in the regular season to qualify for the playoffs and also improved his road course results.
#3 Chris Buescher
It was a true breakout season for RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher, who put Prosper, Texas, on the American map with his first victory of the season in Richmond. He backed it up with another win in Michigan, heralding RFK's rise to the top.
Buescher capped off his career-best campaign with his third and final victory at Daytona. Despite faltering in the playoffs, Buescher's stock in the NASCAR driver market has skyrocketed after a breakout season.
#2 William Byron
In a star-studded driver lineup at Hendrick Motorsports, including the likes of Chase Elliott, and Kyle Larson, it was William Byron who had a standout season, topping the list of most victories in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Racking up six victories this year alone, Byron more than doubled his victory tally from the last five years. The #24 Chevy driver had always possessed race-winning speed since his debut but figured out his potential this past season. That being said, There is plenty more to come from the star Hendrick Motorsports driver.
#1 Ryan Blaney
The 2023 Cup Series champion deserves the top spot on the list, as he showcased his true potential in 2023. Ryan Blaney's playoff struggles in the past were well documented as he had been a perennial playoff contender but failed to make it to the championship race.
However, this season Blaney shrugged off his mid-season slump with two victories in the playoffs. He bested the rest of the championship four contenders to claim his maiden NASCAR title.
