Fans have been waiting for this for so long. The last Cup Series race was the finale at Phoenix on November 6. With the season opener at Daytona, fans will finally get to see the live NASCAR action that they have been looking forward to. All the more exciting is the secret third entry from 23XI Racing to partner Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.
23XI Racing was going to have 2 entries to the Cup Series—their chartered entries. The #23 will be steered by Bubba Wallace, while the #45 will be taken up by Tyler Reddick for the first time. But the co-owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan gave fans something else to get excited about as they released this video on their Twitter page.
𝙏𝙃𝙍𝙀𝙀 is the magic number 👀🤫@DAYTONA #Daytona500#TeamToyota #ForwardTogether pic.twitter.com/yR5HVUdUkO
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) January 13, 2023
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Fans’ interest was instantly piqued as they started debating who it might be.
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) January 13, 2023
CARL EDWARDS’ RETURN??? https://t.co/t9R5PJdVxt
— Matthew McMillen (@24andFCFfan) January 13, 2023
Travis Pastrana?? In the Daytona 500?? Holy crap. The star power if you have Jimmie, Travis, AND Helio…that would be simply incredible. https://t.co/TS4QcDf3o7
— Brandon (@bhauff_549) January 13, 2023
It's Pastrana, guys. https://t.co/8QWw9q6O9h pic.twitter.com/vVFwVZa4Xf
— Daniel (@kreidizzle20) January 13, 2023
Holy Mother of pearl it's @TravisPastrana . https://t.co/GvpJuH2LP4
— AdaptivMom (@AdaptivMom) January 13, 2023
Grosjean? pic.twitter.com/N6NXQKvFTh
— Jimmy Zajac (@SlimJimJZ) January 13, 2023
Hmm Three. Of course it’s the 3rd year and Denny is a 3x Winner, but to me it would be pretty cool if @KurtBusch could end his career running the 500 as the 3rd car. 👀
— Tim Moore (@WordBurton) January 13, 2023
👀👀
— Daytona International Speedway (@DAYTONA) January 13, 2023
It's Travis Pastrana 👀!! https://t.co/5huUO7bn2d
— Ryan Ostrander 8 🏁 (@RyanOstrander_8) January 13, 2023
Well whoever it is. It’s a good thing I got tickets to the Daytona 500 this year!!!! https://t.co/swlKfSQMV8
— Johnny on the Track (@JOTT_Podcast) January 13, 2023
While everyone was taking shots in the dark, some fans did some amazing high-tech research. Those fans might actually have hit the right spot!
Decoding the identity of Bubba Wallace’s new partner
There was an array of far-fetched guesses that included names like Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. However there were some excellent guesses that did sound a little more realistic.
On the list of realistic possibilities, there are three prime contenders—Helio Castroneves, Carl Edwards, and Travis Pastrana. For starters, Castroneves has been touted to get an entry into the Cup Series for a long time. While that entry was most likely to come with the Trackhouse Racing Team, there has not been any update on that move in quite a while.
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On the other hand, Edwards has been out of a full-time seat since 2016 when he last competed in a Joe Gibbs Racing uniform. The 2007 Cup Series champion was a brilliant driver during his prime in NASCAR. Pastrana, meanwhile, is known more for his legendary motocross career. Although he has previously competed in NASCAR, all his starts have come in the Truck Series and the Xfinity Series.
Regardless of who the third driver is, with only four available spots for non-charter cars, he will have to be one of the two fastest during qualifying. Alternatively, he can get in if he is the highest finisher (among drivers not guaranteed a place) during one of the two qualifying races.
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Watch This Story: Michael Jordan’s NASCAR Team Makes Exciting New Additions in Preparation for the 2023 Season
If, and only if, the Pastrana move is pulled off by 23XI Racing, it’ll add more intrigue and spectacle to a team aiming for its first title this season. It could add to what is certainly going to be a crucial season for the team’s future.