Anthony Alfredo made his NASCAR national touring series debut in 2019, and he’s now at his fifth team in five seasons across the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck series.
After his 2022 Xfinity team of Our Motorsports retracted from three full-time cars to one full-time car, Alfredo signed with BJ McLeod Motorsports to drive the No. 78 Xfinity car full time for 2023.
New team, no problem, as Alfredo and the team are already on a hot streak. He has scored five top-20 finishes in seven races this season, which is more than the No. 78 car had in the entire 2022 season (four); the only two finishes outside the top 20 so far were due to crashes.
The team has already cleared the bar of last year’s performance, which is something Alfredo alluded to when I spoke with him at Circuit of the Americas in March.
“Well, honestly, it’s gone about as well as it could so far,” Alfredo told Frontstretch. “To take the No. 78 car, which I think was 30-something in the standings last year and run top 20 every week. Daytona, we were 24th, we got turned on the last lap, but we were running third. So yeah, we had a shot to win that one as well as Atlanta, even a lot of great races in between those few.”
The improvement in performance didn’t come over night, and while Alfredo is at a new team, he has retained the majority of the crew members that he had at Our Motorsports last season. Prior experience and chemistry with team members helps prevent a driver from starting over at square one, and Alfredo has praised co-owners Jessica and BJ McLeod for allowing the crew to move with him.
“Just little things, right, we’re just building this program up,” Alfredo said. “You’re asking a lot to come in here and turn it around, but it wouldn’t be possible without Jessica and BJ McLeod themselves for giving not just myself this opportunity, but my crew members and me.
“[The crew] believed in me enough to come with me from Our Motorsports last year, and we have amazing partners who helped us capitalize on the opportunity. And ECR engines, man, that power helps a lot.”
From speaking with Alfredo, it’s clear that familiarity has already paid dividends.
“I think the fact we’re working with the same group is what propelled us to begin with, because we all have great chemistry and communication,” Alfredo said.
“(Crew chief) Pat (Tryson) knows what I like in a racecar and always gives me a fast car with…
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