Bubba Wallace Unfurls How Tyler Reddick’s 23XI Racing Signing Forced Him to Step Up His Game

In a short span of time, Michael Jordan-Denny Hamlin co-owned 23XI Racing has become quite the powerhouse in NASCAR. While Jordan brings the resources and the motivation needed, Hamlin has invaluable experience being at the top of the game that adds ammunition to the team’s endeavors. But, at the end of the day, it is the drivers that are the actual stakeholders. The team can only do as much as provide them with adequate equipment and crew. However, it’s the drivers that need to deliver. Ever since, road racing phenom, Tyler Reddick was roped in as Kurt Busch’s replacement in the #45 car, the performance charts of 23XI Racing have gone up, even forcing Bubba Wallace to rise to the occasion and do his best to stay relevant.

Bubba Wallace opens up about Tyler Reddick’s impact on him at 23XI Racing

Winning back-to-back championships in NASCAR’s second-tier series in 2018 and 2019, it was an open road for Tyler Reddick to transition into the elite club at Cup Series. Riding with Richard Childress, one of the sport’s most decorated team owners, the driver got through the fundamentals of the game in no time. Then it was time for a switch.

Thus came the vacant spot in the Toyota camp at 23XI Racing when Kurt Busch announced his sabbatical. Reddick filled the veteran’s shoes perfectly and brought back the momentum into the camp with a bunch of well-placed finishes at COTA and Kansas. Moreover, his road racing prowess gave him a slight edge over his teammate Wallace who was well-versed with the conventional ovals.

This way, the duo bested each other, prompting one another to up their game, and pushing each other beyond their limit. Now, coming to the recent happening, Bubba Wallace’s appearance in the DBC podcast with his spotter, Freddie Kraft opened the door for this conversation. He said, “I’ve been really saying a lot about 2014 Bubba, like I’m trying to bring that back, let’s bring that confidence back because, at the end of the year, we are running right there with him. you know, so, I knew. Amanda asked how’s Reddick going to be when he came over, I was like, ‘Kids going to kick my a** he’s fast’. So it made me step up and deliver more but now I feel like I’m kind of, you know, we’re both helping each other climb the ladder if you will. So it should be a good year for both of us.” 

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Talking about his mental health journey, the driver also revealed how he’s been doing a lot better than he was.

“The best I’ve felt mentally” – Wallace reveals his “confident” self, turning a new page in 2024 while revealing what has changed

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Unlike his 2023 campaign, where a set of setbacks got him down low, completely taking away his confidence, Bubba Wallace is high in spirits this season. A down and dejected Wallace was seen venting out his frustration live on TV, even asking his boss Jordan to find something else to replace him. But as we get past that, it seems Wallace has got that boost of confidence this season. He revealed, “Really good, the best I’ve felt mentally.”

The Alabama native said to NASCAR, “Turning 30, celebrating my one-year wedding anniversary, celebrating life, just having fun with life, letting the little stuff go, focus on the big stuff. I go back and find myself watching 2014 truck races, back when you really couldn’t tell that kid nothing. He’d just jump in a truck and go rip. Didn’t have any self-doubt in the world. So, trying to bring that back, so I feel good.”

Mentioning the very same thing, Wallace opened up to the crew at DBC revealing his supreme confidence, saying, “Yeah, confidence coming off last year. And you know, for the last three years, I’ve been racing to prove you wrong, prove you wrong, you wrong, prove people over here wrong. What the f**k does that matter? Go out and race cos you know how to race and win races and go have fun with it.” 

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With this unwavering mindset, Wallace has racked up a commendable top-5 finish at Daytona and will certainly look to retain his form throughout the season.