KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Tyler Reddick, driver for 23XI Racing, is looking to improve his Tyler Reddick playoff chances during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Despite trailing by 23 points below the elimination cutoff and sitting 11th among 12 postseason contenders, Reddick hopes to turn his season around in this critical event.
Strong History for 23XI Racing at Kansas
In 2022, when NASCAR introduced the Gen 7 car, 23XI Racing established dominance by sweeping both Kansas events, with Kurt Busch winning the spring race and Bubba Wallace taking the fall race. This winning streak carried into 2023 when Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, who also co-owns 23XI, claimed victory in the spring. Reddick continued the team’s success by winning the most recent Kansas race, marking the third win in four Kansas events for 23XI and the fourth consecutive win for Toyota.
Facing Challenges and Shifting Dynamics at the Track
Since then, Chevrolet drivers, particularly Kyle Larson, have emerged as strong competitors at Kansas. Reddick acknowledges the changing conditions and challenges that have affected his recent performances at the track.
We had a stretch here where it was a 23XI Toyota or a Toyota car in general, we had a pretty good record here to be able to win races,
Reddick said.
“I look at the last two or three times we’ve been here; we’ve been missing a little bit of something.”
Tyler Reddick, NASCAR driver
The car changes, the Goodyear tires change, so naturally you’ve got to keep up with it. I think it’s fair to be nervous. There’s a lot that weighs on this weekend that it’s super important for us to either win or run top five all day and score a lot of points.
Tyler Reddick, NASCAR driver
Optimism Returns with Mile-and-a-Half Track Racing
This race will be the first time since the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May that Reddick competes on a 1.5-mile speedway, a setting he views as promising based on recent performances at similar tracks.
You look at other mile and-a-half tracks this year, and we’ve brought cars capable of winning races at those tracks,
Reddick explained.
“It’s been since Charlotte Motor Speedway (that) we’ve had a true mile and-a-half race, so there’s been a lot of time for things to change, for people to catch up and people to fall behind.”
Tyler Reddick, NASCAR driver
I think that just adds to the nerves of the weekend to see how we perform when we get to the race track.
Tyler Reddick, NASCAR driver
Potential Impact on Playoff Standings
As Reddick sits just outside the cutoff line entering Kansas, a strong finish is crucial for advancing in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs. A victory or a consistent top-five result could significantly enhance his position heading into the next playoff round, making this race a pivotal moment for the 23XI Racing driver in his postseason quest.
