Who Is Under the Most Pressure in 2023?

Who is under the most pressure to perform well in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season?

Wyatt Watson: This question is a toss-up between two young drivers from Hendrick Motorsports: Alex Bowman and William Byron. Bowman is coming off one win in 2022, and while he lacked consistency, he did make the Round of 12. If it weren’t for his wreck at Texas Motor Speedway that gave him a concussion, causing him to miss the rest of the season (except Phoenix Raceway) he would have the slight edge.

However, Byron easily takes honors in this competition. Both have been racing for Hendrick for six seasons. Bowman has grabbed seven wins to Byron’s four. Bowman and Byron both have made a Round of 8, but Bowman’s path was much less controversial.

Byron’s performance in the playoffs was unsatisfactory for a Hendrick driver. He managed a best finish of third in the Bristol Motor Speedway night race and failed to score another top five the rest of the playoffs. Both struggled down the stretch, but for the younger prospect, Byron needs to show that he is capable of making a Championship 4 run next season.

Zach Gillispie: Ty Gibbs. Yes, he’s in his first full season. Yes, he’s only 20 years. Yes, he’s the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion. And yes, no one’s really talking about him.

Still, think about this. He’s just hopped into the seat that was vacated by the most dominant driver of the last decade. He’s earned a reputation for being a borderline dirty driver that is constantly shrouded in controversy. He’s the owner’s grandson with a silver-spoon reputation. And his limited Cup starts last year were severely underwhelming, especially for a driver who has quickly won — even dominated — in every series he had been a part of up until Cup.

The pundits might give him grace for being a rookie, but the pressure to perform for Gibbs is so much greater than anyone else on the grid.

Amy Henderson: Kyle Busch. While as an individual, he doesn’t really have anything to prove with 60 wins and a pair of titles, his performance has declined notably in the last couple of years. He no longer has the excuse of contract talks. His move to Richard Childress Racing means he’s under the gun not just to win, but to elevate that organization. He’ll need to lead when the going gets tough, something he hasn’t been able to do consistently in the past.

The team did improve over the last couple of years, and a lot of that credit…