By Christian Koelle, Staff Writer
Justin Carroll and Justin Carroll Racing will return in 2023 as they look to make their NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut. Carroll exclusively confirmed his 2023 NASCAR plans with Kickin’ the Tires.
Carroll attempted a total of five NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races in 2022. With the extremely competitive NCTS field, Carroll found himself on the outside looking in in all five of those attempts. Without a doubt, those five DNQs had zero indication of just how hard the organization had worked last season. Calling last season a “learning curve” Carroll enters 2023 with a plan to show what the organization can do.
“I am looking forward to this season,” Carroll told Kickin’ the Tires. “Most importantly, we are looking forward to showing what we are capable of as a team with last season being a major learning curve. But this team right here never gave up on me and I never gave up on them so we are surely looking forward to showcasing what we are capable of and hopefully we can have a very solid season.”
In 2022, Justin Carroll Racing went to Martinsville Speedway, World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, Nashville Superspeedway, Richmond Raceway, and Bristol Motor Speedway to make their first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start. Carroll plans to attempt a few of these tracks for the second time in hopes that it’ll give him a better opportunity to qualify with more of a notebook. Carroll also has plans to run at NASCAR’s return to the famous North Wilkesboro Speedway in May.
“We are planning to attempt the same number of races as we did in 2022 with a majority of the same tracks we attempted last season,” said Carroll. “We are going to take our truck to Martinsville, Nashville, Richmond, and Bristol again with hopes that the bigger notebook will give us a better opportunity to qualify. I also want to be a part of NASCAR’s return to North Wilkesboro so we’ve replaced Gateway with that. I am very optimistic about this season with this schedule as is my team.”
Carroll and his team have been working on improving their equipment, updating, and will enter with more confidence going into the 2023 season.
“This off-season I have been working on myself, as well as working out a lot preparing for 2023,” said Carroll. “I am trying to be as prepared as I can for this season. I definitely will go into each race with more confidence and the fact that I have at least got to practice and attempt to qualify at a few of these tracks that we’re going to is going to be a big help. I know as an organization we have made several updates to our equipment from the chassis to the body. We are also trying to learn as much as we can on the chassis setup for the different tracks as well.”
Despite coming up short of his NASCAR Craftsman Trucks Series debut, Carroll did make one start in the ARCA Menards Series at Bristol in September finishing 26th. Carroll confirmed to Kickin’ the Tires that he’s looking into at least an ARCA Menards Series race as well as an ARCA Menards Series East.
“At this moment, we are looking to do at least Dover Motor Speedway in the ARCA Menards Series East and the combination race at Bristol Motor Speedway with the National ARCA Series,” said Carroll. “This will be my third straight season running at least one race in the ARCA Menards Series and I feel like we are improving. Running the ARCA Menards Series race at Bristol last year helped give us a run for their money at Bristol in the Truck and I feel like doing that again this year will benefit us more.”
Looking past this article, Carroll is taking his plans year by year but has a goal for 2023.
“My goals for this season are to qualify for each NCTS race we attempt,” said Carroll. “I feel like if we can qualify, we’ll prove that we can compete. I want to learn as much as I can and show what I am capable of and get people talking. As for right now, there aren’t any plans past the Truck Series for the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Right now we want to get in the Truck races and learn as much as we can, continue to grow, and then maybe we can get to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in the future.”