The 23XI Racing 2025 season has taken a sharp turn from the promise shown just a year ago, as Tyler Reddick‘s campaign fell short of expectations and drew pointed criticism from NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. This shift comes on the heels of an offseason filled with operational upgrades at 23XI and mounting pressure, as both the organization and its drivers now face uncertainty heading into a pivotal winter both on and off the track.
Tyler Reddick’s Form Slips Following a Standout 2024 Season
In 2024, Reddick appeared to have established himself among the elite, capturing two wins—at Talladega and Michigan—claiming the regular-season title, and earning a place in the Championship 4. His performance delivered one of the most consistent stretches of his career, setting high hopes for the team’s future. However, the 2025 season unfolded drastically differently. The No. 45 car struggled to replicate the previous year’s pace, and Reddick went winless for the first time during NASCAR’s Next-Gen era. Despite 23XI Racing making investments to modernize its race week operations and upgrading facilities like the Xfinity Speed Center, results failed to match the ambition. This lackluster performance quickly became a point of discussion among experts.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Weighs In on Reddick’s Troubles
Appearing on his podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. candidly addressed the downturn in both Reddick’s results and 23XI Racing’s overall progress in 2025.
23XI as a whole, I mean, Bubba did step up. Yeah. But I think 23XI as a whole, they’re looking at themselves, and I would too. They look at each year like, ‘Man, we want to make a chunk, a big gain. Let’s make a gain, gain, gain, year over year’ And it just, to your point, it just didn’t happen for Reddick. And I don’t know what that’s all about.
– Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Hall of Famer
This comment highlights the internal and external pressure both the drivers and team leaders are feeling after a challenging campaign. The expectation was steady progress, but instead, results stagnated for the No. 45 camp. Reddick completed his season with a difficult race at Phoenix, winding up 26th in the finale after exiting the playoffs in the Round of 12. Despite a consistent 10-race stretch to finish out the year, Reddick’s overall stats—seven top-five finishes, 14 top-10s, and a ninth-place position in the overall standings—could not match his 2024 peak.
Bubba Wallace Outshines Teammate During Landmark Season
Comparisons between Reddick and his teammate Bubba Wallace grew sharper as the season developed. While Reddick matched or slightly surpassed Wallace in some performance metrics, Wallace seized the year’s defining moment by becoming the first Black driver to win a crown jewel race. That historic triumph at the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis was a signature achievement, even as Wallace nearly secured another pivotal win that would have secured him a deeper playoff run. Ultimately, both drivers finished tied in top-ten finishes, but Reddick edged ahead in top fives and pole positions. However, Wallace’s ability to deliver when it mattered most set him apart.
Throughout the season, Wallace led over 200 more laps than Reddick, underscoring a growing divide in momentum within the team. As tightly matched as their results appeared on paper, the implications were clear—Reddick’s outcomes lacked the headline moments that elevate a driver and a team’s reputation. The ongoing search for speed with the No. 45 operation was evident and led to ongoing questions about strategy and execution in a critical period for the organization.
Off-Track Issues Add to On-Track Pressure
Reddick faced additional hurdles away from racing. Beyond the challenges on Sundays, the stress of an impending lawsuit involving 23XI Racing—and speculation about the security of his seat—contributed to the off-track noise. A personal struggle compounded the strain: Reddick’s four-month-old son was diagnosed with a serious medical issue, involving a tumor that placed burdens on his heart. After surgery, Reddick reported a promising prognosis for his child, but the ordeal clearly weighed on his focus and morale.
Given the combination of professional and personal setbacks, it was an especially taxing year for the 29-year-old driver. As the team’s season ended without a trip to Victory Lane, Reddick is now aiming for a complete reset heading into 2026. However, the path forward remains uncertain as 23XI Racing faces not just internal regrouping, but also significant legal proceedings on the horizon.
Antitrust Trial Looms Over 23XI Racing and NASCAR
Adding to a complicated offseason, 23XI Racing is preparing for a high-stakes antitrust case against NASCAR, scheduled to begin in less than two weeks. Along with Front Row Motorsports, the organization has spent the lead-up trading edits to the trial’s proposed jury instructions and the verdict form, each side attempting to shape the panel’s understanding of the Sherman Antitrust Act’s Section 2 implications. The proceedings are set for a panel of nine jurors, with arguments expected to last just over two weeks.
Judge Kenneth D. Bell has authority to overrule the jury’s verdict if he concludes the law was improperly applied, a process known in legal terms as a judgment as a matter of law. Preparing the case also requires good faith cooperation between the parties as they build the jury questionnaire and negotiate the language to be used. As outlined in trial filings, both sides remain able to object and propose further changes, with the judge responsible for resolving outstanding disputes.
The parties reserve their rights to amend these proposed instructions or propose additional instructions on the basis of, among other reasons, further exchanges, the parties’ meet and confers, further orders or clarifications by the court and the evidence admitted at trial.
– Court Filings
The trial is seen as a critical turning point, not just for 23XI Racing as a business, but for drivers like Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick as their competitive futures remain interlinked with the case’s outcome. The result could reshape how independent race teams operate within NASCAR and will likely exert a major influence over the shape of the 2026 season and beyond.
What’s Next for Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing?
Tyler Reddick’s 2025 season ended amid disappointment and scrutiny, yet the team’s intentions to bounce back remain resolute. The combination of a season that fell short, personal hardship, and impending courtroom battles has set up a crucial winter for the 23XI organization. Fans, drivers, and stakeholders now await two decisive developments: the outcome of the antitrust trial, and whether the operational upgrades at the Xfinity Speed Center and beyond can help Reddick and his team rediscover—and sustain—the form that made them a force just one year ago. The pressure is mounting, and the spotlight is firmly fixed on both the racing and the legal arenas as the community looks toward 2026.
