“Denny (Hamlin) talks about a five-year plan of starting this team and then by Year 5 being a consistent race-winning team and championship contending team, and I think we took a big step forward to that in Year 3,” This is what 23Xi racing team President Steve Lauletta had previously said. The team started in 2020, is currently in its fifth year and the plan seems to be a success. They are already competing with giants like Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Team Penske for the championship.

While Bubba Wallace missed out on a playoff chance, his performance has led this to be his career-best season so far. And on the other hand, his teammate Tyler Reddick has been a force to reckon with. After recently winning the team’s first regular-season championship. He is en route to become the 2024 Championship. This has given the team co-owner Denny Hamlin two chances to win a championship this time!

Denny Hamlin is in a win-win situation for the championship

Tyler Reddick is a playoff regular, this marks his 4th back-to-back appearance. But this year, a missed championship would be a disappointment rather than a surprise. He’s been consistently strong, leading all drivers in top-fives (11) and top-10 (18) finishes and having the best average finish of 11.15. This could be the year for Reddick to finally bag a championship trophy.

This could also be ‘the’ year for Denny Hamlin to win in his 19-year-long career. After all, the probability has now doubled! In the upcoming races, we will see Hamlin go up against his driver as both take shots to win their first Cup Series title. Hamlin couldn’t have been more pleased at seeing Reddick’s success since he joined the team in 2022.

Hamlin at the NASCAR Cup Series Media Day was asked if Reddick was his biggest competitor, to which Hamlin said, “No doubt about it. I mean truthfully, if I’m being honest. I’ve got two chances to win the championships this year, and I’d be happy with either. I really would, because I mean, it’s like watching your kids do something. I had a hand in everything with that 45 car, from the sponsorship to the marketing, to the competition, to the simulation, everything.”

Hamlin takes pride in the success of Reddick. “Certainly, I think they will be a contender. I think the playoffs track set up really well for Tyler. So certainly he’s a guy that we’re probably gonna have to battle,” Hamlin added. Much like Steve Lauletta, the #11 too believes to have accomplished the plan they set out for the 23XI team. To which he said, “I am happy for the team to have a five-year goal that I set forward to be a championship contender. I think we can argue that we’ve accomplished that.” 

Now the next step is to bag that trophy. But the task won’t be easy for Reddick, as other top contenders will stand in his way, including Hamlin himself.

What are Reddick’s chances among the top 10 playoff drivers?

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While Reddick has his consistency to back him, Kyle Larson has a huge jumpstart with his 38 playoff points accumulated throughout the season. This puts him in a strong position to make it to the semifinals, or even the championship round. As opposed to him, Reddick only has 28 playoff points before the playoffs commence. However, Larson is trailing behind Reddick when it comes to average finish. His is 13.6, almost 14th, compared to the #45’s 11.1.

On the other hand, Denny Hamlin’s team has some of the fastest cars out there. He can win on almost any track, and he’s a strong bet to make it to the Championship 4. If everything goes his way, the 43-year-old could finally win the Cup Series championship. His best finish so far has been 2nd which came in 2010. Hamlin has had a good season apart from the Bristol penalty. His average finish is at 15th.

Also, strong championship contenders include Christopher Bell. If Bell makes it to the Championship 4, it’ll be his third year in a row. He’s got a pretty impressive track record, like that time when he started 20th at this year’s Phoenix track and ended up winning the race! Bell too has more playoff points (32) than Reddick, giving him a slightly upper hand. The 29-year-old is on par with Hamlin when it comes to average finish this year. Reddick would also have to vary of defending champion Ryan Blaney, who will be looking for a back-to-back title.

Who, according to you, is the strongest championship contender? Let us know in the comments below.