23XI Racing faced a series of costly challenges and missteps at Nashville Superspeedway during the 14th regular-season race of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series, with multiple team drivers encountering trouble throughout Sunday’s Cracker Barrel 400. The 23XI Racing struggles and setbacks at Nashville Superspeedway unfolded in dramatic fashion, with issues ranging from penalties and tire problems to an early exit for a development driver.
Penalty Sidelines Bubba Wallace Early in the Race
One of the most notable hurdles struck early, when Bubba Wallace, behind the wheel of the #23 Toyota, was flagged for speeding on pit road at lap 44. Although Wallace had one of the fastest cars in the field, this penalty forced him a lap down at an early stage, marking the beginning of a difficult afternoon for the organization and heavily impacting his race strategy.
Unscheduled Pit Stops and Quick Cautions Create Further Obstacles
Tyler Reddick, piloting the #45 Camry, became the next 23XI driver caught in a string of misfortune. On the restart at lap 124, Reddick suspected that he had a flat tire, prompting him to make an unscheduled stop for a tire check. The move cost him valuable track position, dropping him to the rear of the field. Almost immediately after his stop, a caution flag was waved, intensifying Reddick’s setback and further compounding the difficulties for the team.
Corey Heim’s Early Exit Following Incident with Keselowski
Development driver Corey Heim, making only his fifth NASCAR Cup Series appearance and running the #67 Toyota, did not have the outing he hoped for at Nashville. As Heim approached Turn 4, he came in contact with Brad Keselowski’s #6 Ford. The misjudgment sent Heim spinning across the track, resulting in an accident that forced him out of the race early. This incident occurred as Heim attempted to advance rapidly in the field, making his day end sooner than anticipated due to an error in judgment.
“I’m pretty sure I just kind of cleared myself across the nose of the 6 (Brad Keselowski). A little bit too desperate. We were moving forward really quickly, and I had a lot of confidence in my Chief’s Camry and thought I could clear him by the time I got to the wall, and just used too much race track, so sorry to those guys. It looks like I kind of ruined his day, too, and never want to do that.”
—Corey Heim, 23XI Racing driver
Results Reflect Team’s Battle Through Adversity
Despite the cascade of setbacks, both Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick managed to salvage strong results, finishing sixth and ninth respectively. Riley Herbst crossed the finish line in 24th place, while Corey Heim ended his day in 37th after the crash. The range of problems faced by the drivers underscored a demanding and tense outing for 23XI Racing at Nashville Superspeedway, as speeding penalties, tire misjudgments, and racing incidents challenged the team’s resilience and composure throughout the event.
Aftermath for 23XI Racing
The turbulence at Nashville highlights ongoing challenges for 23XI Racing as the Cup Series season moves forward. The misfortunes exposed areas in pit strategy, on-track decision-making, and race execution that the team will need to address while pursuing more consistent results. Key figures like Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Corey Heim continue to search for steady ground, as the season’s intensity escalates and every point becomes increasingly critical in the NASCAR standings. The impact of 23XI Racing’s struggles and setbacks at Nashville Superspeedway may influence how the team approaches upcoming races, both in driver development and in strategic planning.
