Getty Josh Bilicki signs autographs for fans at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The No. 78 Chevrolet Camaro will have a new driver during the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Josh Bilicki will make multiple starts for Live Fast Motorsports while joining BJ McLeod on the roster.
Zeigler Auto Group announced the news on December 12 with a press release. The company confirmed that it will return to sponsor Bilicki during the 2023 season while also announcing his move to Live Fast Motorsports. The No. 78 Zeigler Auto Group will make its debut at the Circuit of the Americas.
.@zeigler_auto and I are proud to join @teamlivefast for multiple races throughout the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season! With their recent switch to @TeamChevy and new alliance with @ECRengines, we feel this is a great step forward for everyone involved. (Cont’d below)
Zeigler Auto Group did not detail the number of races that will feature Bilicki in the No. 78. Though there was confirmation that the Wisconsin native will compete in the Chicago Street Race, the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway, and the Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“I am so happy to have the opportunity to join Live Fast Motorsports for the 2023 season and to once again represent the Zeigler Auto Group,” Bilicki said in a press release.
“The Zeigler team has become like family to me and I have driven for BJ McLeod in the past in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, so this felt like a very natural fit for all parties. I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity and can’t wait to get to work.”
Bilicki Made Numerous Cup Series Starts in 2022
GettyJosh Bilicki prepares for a race at Daytona International Speedway.
The partial schedule with Live Fast Motorsports provides Bilicki with more opportunities to compete at the top level of NASCAR. He also remains with Team Chevy while moving his way toward 100 Cup Series starts.
Bilicki spent the 2022 season competing across the national series. His schedule included seven Xfinity Series starts, one Truck Series start, and 16 Cup Series starts.
All of Bilicki’s starts at the top level were with Spire Motorsports. He took over the No. 77 Chevrolet while its former driver Justin Haley took on a full schedule with Kaulig Racing. Zeigler Auto Group served as one of his primary partners for 13 of these races.
Bilicki’s schedule featured a ninth-place finish in a Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet (Xfinity Series) and a 16th-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Cup Series). Now he will aim to add more solid performances while joining a new team.
This Move Follows a Major Change for Live Fast Motorsports
GettyJosh Bilicki practices at Circuit of the Americas.
The 2023 Cup Series season will feature some significant changes for Live Fast Motorsports. The team will have a new driver in Bilicki, who will join BJ McLeod in the lineup. The team will also debut a new badge during the Busch Light Clash at the LA Memorial Coliseum before taking on the full, 36-race schedule.
Live Fast Motorsports announced on December 1 that it would make the switch to Team Chevy for the 2023 Cup Series season after multiple years at Ford Performance. Live Fast Motorsports will also receive engines from ECR while joining a sizable list of teams.
“We’re looking forward to racing for Chevrolet, the winningest manufacturer in NASCAR,” team co-owner Matt Tifft said in the press release. “We’ll also be getting engine support from ECR engines, and we know our program will benefit from their technologies and power under the hood.”