Bubba Wallace is back in his #23 ride. With Kurt Busch stepping back from the 2023 Cup Series, Tyler Reddick will now be joining 23XI Racing in the #45 car. The 23XI Racing co-owners will have lofty expectations from their drivers in the upcoming Cup season, starting February 5 at the LA Coliseum.
And meeting these expectations is definitely no cakewalk for them. Making it to the playoffs requires a combination of talent, timing, and a bit of luck. However, this year, it seems that Wallace should not be worrying about the third requirement that much.
In his recent Instagram story, Wallace reshared his wife Amanda Wallace’s picture of him at a breakfast table. And interestingly, the table was numbered 23. Along with the picture, Amanda shared an intriguing caption explaining how the universe is probably on Wallace’s side this year.
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The caption read, “Taking this as a good sign. 2.3.23. 23 in 23. And 23 at breakfast this morning @bubbawallace @23xiracing”
A coincidence or a sign. There is no way of finding that out. However, there’s no doubt that a bit of positivity always helps. And with this sign being perceived as good, maybe the year 2023 could actually turn out to be 23XI Racing and #23’s year.
Tyler Reddick joins Bubba Wallace in 23XI Racing
Moving ahead with an early exit from Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick is all set to join Bubba Wallace in 23XI Racing this year. Back in July 2022, Reddick announced that he had signed an agreement with 23XI, beginning in 2024.
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However, in October, Kurt Busch announced that he would not be racing full-time in 2023. Owing to this, Reddick reached an agreement with RCR, allowing him to replace Busch in his #45 Toyota Camry. Excited about the opportunity, Reddick told NBC Sports during the announcement,
“It’s great that it’s out there. This is the direction we’re going next year. […] I am definitely excited about it.”
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And just like Reddick, 23XI Racing too is excited to have him on their side this season. Happy to strike a deal with him, 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin said that it is not common for franchise drivers to come around that often. Hence, when the team saw an opportunity, they were more than excited to go ahead and grab it.
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