At the Charlotte Roval NASCAR Cup Series race, 23XI Racing Roval elimination became a reality for Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who entered desperate for a win and left the event facing playoff elimination. Both drivers were ousted from the Round of 12, after a turbulent race marked by high stakes, strategy gambles, and disappointment at one of the season’s most challenging road courses.
Elimination Confirmed Despite High Hopes at the Roval
Tyler Reddick, beginning the race from pole position, faced the daunting task of securing enough points to advance, especially as fellow playoff contender Joey Logano finished in 20th—just enough to make the cut. However, Reddick was caught in heavy traffic late in the race and crossed the finish in 10th place, falling 14 points short of continuing in the playoffs. Bubba Wallace finished 15th, also failing to progress despite entering Charlotte in a must-win scenario.
The Charlotte Roval, now a road course that Australian driver Shane van Gisbergen has dominated, proved unforgiving for 23XI Racing. Both Reddick and Wallace found themselves struggling with track position and unable to capitalize fully on their opportunities despite the high-pressure situation.
Reddick Reflects on Missed Opportunities and New Hampshire Setbacks
Post-race, Tyler Reddick spoke candidly about the team’s struggles and pinpointed the consequences of their poor performance earlier in the playoff round. Referencing the opening race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Reddick noted the impact of unfamiliar tire compounds and the team’s inability to adapt, which set them back significantly on points.
“I don’t think so. I mean, when you look at the three races, we just certainly missed the mark as a company at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. That was a different tire that we haven’t had there before, and we just missed the mark in the first race and got behind on points.”
Tyler Reddick told Frontstretch.
The tough outing in New Hampshire, where both drivers struggled with new tire setups, proved costly. This early setback meant 23XI Racing spent the rest of the round fighting from behind, unable to recover the lost ground even with a strong run into the Roval event. The missed opportunities at New Hampshire haunted the team, as did their inability to make the necessary adjustments to maximize their playoff hopes.
Strategy on Race Day: Execution Falls Short
Tyler Reddick explained that while much of their Charlotte Roval race unfolded as planned, a series of poor restarts effectively ended their hopes. The intent was to set up a race-winning move, but execution faltered at key moments. Reddick acknowledged the razor-thin margin separating him from the next playoff round and pondered whether prioritizing points over the outright win could have changed the result.
“I don’t know if anything necessarily went wrong today. For how the race was playing out, we wanted to prioritize setting up to win the race. I think you could pick apart a couple of restarts and whatnot, but the race just kind of unfolded.”
Tyler Reddick said.
As the race played out, Reddick struggled to keep up with leading drivers like Shane van Gisbergen, Christopher Bell, and Kyle Larson, all of whom battled at the front for the win. During the final stage, the team gambled on a long run, hoping for a late caution that never materialized. This cost them valuable track position and, ultimately, a shot at advancing.
“Our long run wasn’t where it needed to be with the top guys, and in stage three, we just didn’t make the progress we needed to. We kind of went long, hoping for a caution there, and lost a lot of spots, but at the end of the day, we were trying to set ourselves up for a caution late.”
Tyler Reddick asserted.
The decision to chase a caution, rather than fight aggressively for points, meant opportunity slipped away as laps wound down. Reddick’s reflection on the strategy revealed a sense of frustration—with execution nearly matching their plan, but the outcome not aligning as hoped.
Assessing the Aftermath: Team Resolve and What Comes Next
Looking back, Reddick acknowledged the possibility that focusing on points rather than a win could have kept their playoff hopes alive. Despite the disappointment, he expressed pride in his team’s perseverance and resilience through a difficult postseason run.
“Looking back on it, my crew chief Billy Scott mentioned we were only out by 14 points. Maybe we could have chased points a little bit harder today. A few things to look back on, but coming into this, we played it the way we should have.”
Tyler Reddick added.
This reflective mood illustrates the emotional intensity and internal conflict felt within 23XI Racing. Recognizing that better execution—especially at pivotal races like New Hampshire and the Roval—could have altered their trajectory, Reddick and Wallace must now regroup, searching for lessons to carry into next season’s campaigns.
The exit from the playoffs does not go unnoticed across the NASCAR community, particularly with figures like Christopher Bell, Shane van Gisbergen, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Billy Scott involved in the on-track narrative. The implications for 23XI Racing are significant: their 2023 season ends short of the championship round, despite having shown flashes of competitiveness throughout the playoffs, punctuated by the wrenching nature of their Roval gamble.
For NASCAR, the drama at the Roval keeps the playoff format unpredictable and high stakes, with each event capable of ending championship dreams in an instant. As 23XI Racing turns its focus toward rebuilding and improving their strategic execution, the team becomes another example of how slim the margins are within NASCAR’s postseason, where a single race—or a single gamble—can define an entire season.
.@TylerReddick is still proud of the team’s resolve despite getting eliminated from the Round of 12. #NASCAR
Presenting partner: @MyPlaceHotels pic.twitter.com/LF0yFmOqlD— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) October 6, 2025
