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NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 25: Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23xi racing and NBA, Basketball Herren, USA legend watching the action on pit road during qualfying for the 2nd annual Ally 400 on June 25, 2022 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Nashville, TN. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUN 25 NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series – Ally 400 Icon220625931400
![](https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/imago1012816959h-1.jpg)
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NASHVILLE, TN – JUNE 25: Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23xi racing and NBA, Basketball Herren, USA legend watching the action on pit road during qualfying for the 2nd annual Ally 400 on June 25, 2022 at Nashville SuperSpeedway in Nashville, TN. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUN 25 NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series – Ally 400 Icon220625931400
23XI Racing was one of the teams that had a horrendous outing at the Chicago Street Race. The Michael Jordan-owned team seemed like they failed to find their groove amid all the ruckus. On an already wet evening, their drivers simply couldn’t get it going on the street course. The #45 Camry driver Tyler Reddick had a great start to the weekend with a second-place finish in the qualifying session on Saturday.
But despite being positioned for a good finish at the start of the race, he crumbled to the obstacles resented by the track in a race filled with mishaps. The 27-year-old has been named as one of the most exciting drivers in the Cup but failed to live up to his reputation on Sunday.
Owing to the water on the track and, according to him, a transaxle problem, Reddick was seen making a rather strange ‘request’ in the official race clips released by NASCAR.
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“Destroy This S***”: Flares of Frustration Flew as Tyler Reddick Crashed Into the Tire Barrier
With the track unable to provide much grip because of the pour down on the city just before the race, Reddick missed the corner at turn 6. Unable to gain control of the car, he slid sideways into the tire barrier, trying to make the turn. Further, in a desperate attempt to get back on track, Reddick did try his best to get the car out of the mess. But as there was no grip on the wet region, the vehicle needed some manual help to pull out from the barrier.
Reddick voiced his frustration on the team radio channel, using explicit words to describe his anger. Quite understandable considering at the point of the crash, he has just passed Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch and was well positioned at 4th.
“We don’t use this transaxle ever again, I personally request that I get to destroy this sh**” communicated Reddick cursing the equipment.
This crash triggered a restart by NASCAR officials in a race that experienced it multiple times. Reddick eventually finished 28th, which was far behind what anyone would expect after a great qualifying and even more considering his recent record at street courses.
Read More: Unimpressed Kyle Larson Slams NASCAR’s Mind-Boggling Decision After “Logjam” Conundrum at Chicago
23XI Racing Drivers Disappoint Michael Jordan in the City Close to His Heart
Despite an unfortunate end for Reddick, Michael Jordan would have hoped that his other driver, Bubba Wallace to salvage some pride in the race. But that was not the case. Bubba, in fact, had to settle for a worse finish in the 31st place. A truly disappointing race for MJ, who might be looking for his drivers to deliver performances similar to his for the Chicago Bulls. Having won six championships in the NBA with the Bulls, this city does hold a special place in Jordan’s heart.
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At turn 1, in a similar fashion to Reddick, Bubba lost control over his car on the left lane as he spun into JTG Daugherty Racing’s #47, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Rather it was Stenhouse who suffered the same fate as Reddick and got stuck in the tire barrier. The crash somewhat helped Bubba maintain a straight course ahead as it turned his car right onto the track. The #23 Toyota sped up, taking advantage of the situation, but in the end, it was another failure for the Alabama native.
The race result will hurt them, especially because in the build-up to the event, the team had got themselves into multiple exciting initiatives. Evidently, none of that energy could be reciprocated on the track. From Bubba hosting a block party in the city to unveiling a special show car in the gorgeously painted #45, 23XI did everything to create hype for the weekend. The residents of Chicago also have a special affinity for the legendary MJ, who received their love and blessing in his glory days in the NBA. Safe to say, everything went south for Jordan on Sunday.
WELCOME TO CHICAGO
Not a bad way to kick off our week in Chicago – @23XIRacing partnered with @justdon and @RSVPGallery to reveal a special Chicago show car. Hopefully we can channel this @Jumpman23 energy this week and bring home a win on the Chicago Streets.#TylerReddick pic.twitter.com/7j88VLMFjB
— Tyler Reddick (@TylerReddick) June 28, 2023
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