The first two NASCAR Cup Series races in 2023 were filled with struggles for 23XI Racing. However, the team got back on track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bubba Wallace delivered a top-five finish while Tyler Reddick recovered from multiple issues to finish 15th.
Heading toward Las Vegas Motor Speedway, neither Wallace nor Reddick had finished a race in their first year as teammates. Both crashed during the Daytona 500 and then Reddick crashed at Auto Club Speedway. Wallace had speed in California, but he ended the day in the garage due to an engine issue.
Chevrolet drivers William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Alex Bowman finished 1-2-3 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but Wallace was fourth across the line in the No. 23 Columbia Sportswear Toyota Camry TRD. He capped off a day in which he had considerable speed, and he took advantage of a late caution to improve his finishing position.
Played the hand we were dealt today at @LVMotorSpeedway. 🃏
🏁:
@BubbaWallace P4
@TylerReddick P15
“Just proud of our efforts though,” Wallace told media members after the race. “We never gave up. I was right there in the top seven or eight the whole time, just biding our time. I was going to settle for sixth. I was going to settle, and the caution came out. Here we go.”
Wallace struggled with his setup throughout the race, and he was vocal at times about issues he experienced. However, he finished eighth in Stage 1, sixth in Stage 2, and fourth in the final stage. He secured 41 total points and his first top-five finish since his win at Kansas Speedway in 2022.
Reddick Overcame Major Obstacles at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
GettyTyler Reddick poses during NASCAR Production Days.
The race weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway did not start well for Reddick. His crew discovered an engine issue that kept him out of practice and qualifying and forced the team to swap out the engine.
Reddick started from the rear of the field, but he had plenty of speed. He worked his way through the field during the opening stage and finished the opening segment in the 11th position. He then continued to show speed before finishing Stage 2 in the 12th position.
While Reddick spent some time in the top 10 while running the wall, he also had to contend with some other issues. Most notably, he slammed into the wall off Turn 1 while running in sixth place.
This incident dropped Reddick further back in the pack, but he was still able to keep on the track and avoid a third consecutive DNF. He kept moving forward before ultimately finishing 15th overall.
Work Remains for Both 23XI Racing Drivers
GettyBubba Wallace prepares for a race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway was solid for both 23XI Racing drivers. They showed speed, crossed the finish line instead of heading to the infield care center, and they gained some crucial points.
There is still work for both drivers to do. Reddick moved up four spots in the Cup Series standings, but he is still 34th overall. He will have to start stacking strong performances and accumulating as many points as possible.
Wallace, for comparison, is 16th overall after a strong points day, but he is not satisfied. He has two career wins, but both took place after he missed the playoffs. His focus remains on celebrating in Victory Lane and contending for a championship.
“Small victories,” Wallace said about being the top-finishing Toyota driver. “I thought we were third or fourth-best Toyota and things just fell our way on the last restart. We’re still fourth on the pylon though. Winning races, that’s our main goal from [the] top down.”
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23XI Racing Gets Back on Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway