As the NASCAR playoffs heated up, 23XI Racing found itself in unfamiliar and frustrating territory. Both Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick struggled to find speed and consistency in the Round of 16, with mechanical gremlins, crashes, and handling woes dogging their efforts. Key races saw the duo finishing outside the top 20, leaving the team teetering close to the playoff cutline.

Despite flashes of potential, the results simply didn’t match expectations, casting a shadow over what was supposed to be a strong postseason push. With the Round of 12 commencing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with the Mobil 1 301, one 23XI driver, in particular, was left devastated after an impressive start turned into a disappointing finish.

Tyler Reddick dissects his NHMS weekend

Tyler Reddick started strong at New Hampshire, qualifying impressively in 4th place behind top contenders like Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. With such speed, expectations were high. But as Reddick, given the outcome of the race, admitted, “I didn’t expect that, that’s for sure.” Despite the promising start, he finished 21st. Obviously, a frustrating result for both the driver and the 23XI Racing team.

The reasons behind his disappointing finish? Reddick pointed to key issues. “Between the brake issues we had, and yeah, I mean it just got away quick. Balance went away.” On lap 29, while Reddick was running 7th, he reported that the brake pedal was already getting soft. This issue hampered him for the rest of the race.

Moreover, the combination of brake problems and a sudden loss of car balance left Reddick struggling to maintain pace on the precision-demanding flat track. Known for its tight grip window, New Hampshire punishes even minor handling faults, and this time it caught up with the No. 45 Toyota.

“So yeah, just a terrible day,” Reddick summed up his day. And such a difficult race day was reflected in his playoff standings, too. Reddick now finds himself barely hanging on. He is currently in 11th place with 23 points below the cutline. If he doesn’t perform exceptionally well in the next two races, his 2025 title contention can end. The clock is ticking for the team to find solutions.

Still, Tyler Reddick remains hopeful, looking forward to upcoming races, particularly at Kansas Speedway, where he has won once in 2023 in his 12 starts. But immediate focus is on overcoming the disappointment of a “terrible day,” as he put it, and regrouping quickly to stay in the playoff hunt. “So yeah, we need something special to happen. Hope we may find the answer hopefully,” he concluded.

It was a rather rough afternoon for Austin Cindric, Tyler Reddick, and Bubba Wallace. All three drivers finished outside of the top-15. Wallace’s team missed out on the setup of the car as he fell behind in the opening five laps after starting 14th. Throughout the race, his handling struggles were evident as he failed to work his way back into contention. He finished 15th in Stage 1 and 25th in Stage 2 and ultimately closed the race in 26th spot, with one lap off the pace.

The 31-year-old now sits last in the playoff standings, 27 points below the cutline. On the other hand, Riley Herbst started the race in 25th spot and finished 22nd. Heading into the other two races of the Round of 12, the team needs to fix what they’re doing wrong; otherwise, advancing further into the championship is up for heartbreak. While that’s that, there are other troubles surrounding the Michael Jordan team.

What if Michael Jordan and Tyler Reddick part ways?

The ongoing NASCAR vs. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports lawsuit over charter agreements could profoundly impact Tyler Reddick’s future with 23XI. The core issue stems from 23XI’s refusal to sign NASCAR’s charter agreement, leading to the loss of their guaranteed race entries and putting Reddick’s contract at risk, as it requires a chartered entry.

With courts denying preliminary injunctions to restore 23XI’s charter status, Reddick may be able to declare a breach of contract and become a free agent by 2026. If this occurs, Reddick would instantly become one of the hottest free agents in NASCAR, drawing interest from top teams like Hendrick Motorsports, Team Penske, and RFK Racing. Each of these organizations could offer him a competitive ride to maintain his success trajectory in the Cup Series.

Meanwhile, 23XI would need to consider promoting their development driver Corey Heim or exploring other options to fill Reddick’s seat, potentially reshuffling their driver lineup. The lawsuit has wider implications beyond Reddick, threatening 23XI’s ability to field chartered cars and maintain funding streams dependent on guaranteed race participation.

The legal battle, with a trial set for December 1, underscores tensions between NASCAR’s governance of charters and teams seeking greater autonomy. While 23XI has yet to publicly hint at parting ways with Reddick, the fallout from the lawsuit (and its effect on team charters) could force difficult decisions in the near future. The situation remains one of the sport’s most closely watched stories heading into the 2026 season.