It has been a long time since 23XI Racing had both cars finish in the top five but it finally happened at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. Tyler Reddick started the race from pole and finished P2 while Bubba Wallace capped off a commendable drive in P5. This result was a much-needed one for the #23 team.
Advertisement
It has been tough going for Wallace this season who has yet to book his spot in the playoffs. However, a P5 finish and a stage win did him a lot of favors in the playoff picture. He is currently seven points behind the cutline in P16. If he keeps this kind of form up, he can point his way into the playoffs. However, that depends on the condition that there is no new race winner in the final few regular season races. It’s a situation the #23 driver is all too familiar with.
Flexed our muscles with 2 Top 5’s at the Brickyard! 🧱 💪
🏁 from @IMS:@tylerreddick P2@bubbawallace P5#TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/k5TNFfGrFO
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) July 21, 2024
“We were fifth – what a day. I just did not do a good job on Friday and Saturday and set us behind for track position. I really didn’t know what our car had, but I knew the people we had on it and that is what matters the most. I appreciate Bootie (Barker, crew chief) and the gang for just giving me a car to work with,” he said after the race.
The playoff situation is finally looking good for the #23 team but they cannot take it easy unless they win a race. Had Wallace aced the qualifying session and started higher than P17, he might have been within a shout of winning the race.
Tyler Reddick rues pit road issues as he misses another win
The #45 car was running in P2 after passing the #12 on the final restart. Reddick might have gone for a late charge against the #5 but a caution after the white flag meant that there was nothing he could have done. Speaking to the media after the race, he said that pit road issues did not help his cause.
“We had that issue on pit road. I think he had some issue on pit road as well that put him back there. Just didn’t have anything to lose. A great effort by all of us, the car went through the field. Unfortunately, when Kyle got to me and passed me like he did, I wasn’t expecting it,” he said.
He might not be winning races but Reddick’s recent form has been impressive. He now has five consecutive top-10 finishes, three of them in the top three. Taking this kind of form into the playoffs will be crucial as he looks for his first title win.
