2023 will be considered a crucial year in the history of the Michael Jordan-Denny Hamlin partnership’s 23XI Racing. Though the young team is just stepping into its fourth season, it has made significant progress over these last three years. In 2023 it took its greatest stride thus far and put both its drivers – Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick – into the playoffs.
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With the 2024 season on the horizon, the team has declared its goals and they are no less ambitious than before.
Bringing in 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣ with a few new year resolutions #ForwardTogether pic.twitter.com/42d4ZqZQyF
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) January 1, 2024
This past season was notable for 23XI Racing not just for the final standings that its drivers were in but for consistent performances across all 36 races as well. Almost always in contention to be grid leaders, the drivers ended the year with a combined stat record of 2 wins, 15 top-5s, and 26 top-10s.
Reddick’s performances slightly edge out Wallace’s in consideration of the fact that 2023 was only his maiden full-time year with the team. He finished 6th in the driver standings. Wallace found himself further down at 10th. Both drivers experienced their longest championship runs as well. Reddick’s Round of 8 appearance and Wallace’s Round of 12 feature were fresh heights for them.
The step-up is uncanny when these stats are put on the table with those from the team’s 2022 season. In 2022, Kurt Busch and Wallace managed to bring in 2 wins, 10 top-5s and 18 top-10s. They finished further low at 30th and 19th, respectively.
Preparations to meet 2024 goals in full swing at 23XI Racing
2024 will be a fresh year for 23XI Racing. The team is moving to a new headquarters in Huntersville, it has a brand new logo to decorate its gear and it will also be powered by the new Toyota Camry XSE. What’s not new is the driver lineup, which builds on its experience and will benefit from that continuity.
Setting the scope for hitting the bullseye in 2024, Bubba Wallace said to NBCSports last month, “We’ve got all the right people in the right spot. The new shop’s going to pump some new life into our guys and into ourselves, and we’re gonna go out and work our asses off this year.”
He added that having no wins for himself despite the great performance bugged him and hoped to change that in the coming season. He believes that Reddick’s experience over the last year will help the team reach its goal sooner than later. All that is left for now is for the engines of the #23 and #45 Camry XSEs to roar into life at Daytona next month.
