Denny Hamlin, NASCAR Cup Series driver and owner of 23XI Racing based in Huntersville, North Carolina, addressed the uncertain future of Tyler Reddick with the team amid ongoing legal challenges. These recent court decisions could result in Reddick becoming a free agent once the 2025 season concludes, stirring questions about his future with 23XI Racing.
Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth D. Bell rejected the preliminary injunction sought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports in their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The ruling means these teams will lose their charter status for the remainder of the season, impacting their ability to guarantee car entries for their drivers.
Normally, teams provide chartered cars to their drivers to secure race participation. With the current legal landscape, Reddick risks losing his guaranteed ride heading into the 2026 season. When asked by FOX’s Bob Pockrass about efforts to keep Reddick on 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin offered a guarded response.
“Well, we have him under contract, and I think he probably feels as confident as we are in December.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver and 23XI Racing owner
A jury trial is scheduled for December 1 if neither party reaches a settlement beforehand. When questioned about interest from other teams in recruiting Reddick next year, Hamlin replied,
“I’m not sure.”
Attention now turns to the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. The 1.25-mile oval will host Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300, a 240-lap contest airing on USA Network at 3 pm ET, with live radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Denny Hamlin will compete in his 27th race of the season on Sunday. Sitting second in the championship standings, Hamlin has secured four wins, 11 top-five finishes, and 14 top-10s so far. He has led 567 laps this season and maintains an average finish position of 13.615.
Hamlin Clinches Second Consecutive Playoff Pole at World Wide Technology Raceway
Hamlin earned his second straight NASCAR Cup playoff pole position for the Enjoy Illinois 300, marking the 46th pole of his career. He recorded a qualifying lap speed of 139.190 miles per hour, outpacing his rivals at the Madison track.
“We were able to, very similarly to last week, make some great adjustments from where we were in practice,” Hamlin explained after qualifying. “And again, there is so much that is different from practice to qualifying when you are going for one lap — air pressures at a track like this is dramatically different, certainly, the intensity from which I drive is a lot different in practice than qualifying.”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver and 23XI Racing owner
“They gave me all of the adjustments that I needed to have a really good handling car there and we were able to capitalize on it,”
—Denny Hamlin, NASCAR driver and 23XI Racing owner
Hamlin will start Sunday’s race on the front row alongside Hendrick Motorsports star Kyle Larson, who qualified second with a 139.099 mph lap. Chase Briscoe, Hamlin’s 23XI teammate and last week’s winner, secured the third starting spot by posting a 138.902 mph lap. Rounding out the top five starters are Ross Chastain and Ryan Blaney.
The unfolding legal dispute involving NASCAR’s charter system could have lasting consequences on driver-team relationships and competitive dynamics within the Cup Series. For Tyler Reddick, the uncertainty around his contract and 23XI Racing’s future position intensifies as the December court trial approaches. Fans and insiders alike will be watching closely to see whether his tenure with the team continues or if a new chapter begins in 2026.
