“We will appeal NASCAR’s ruling.” This was the message sent out by the 23XI Racing team after last weekend’s controversial race finish at Martinsville Speedway. Bubba Wallace and the entire #23 team were reprimanded by the officials for being involved in race manipulation tactics.

With Christopher Bell needing a single position to draw level with William Byron, Wallace surprisingly slowed down during the last lap of the race. Which in turn allowed the JGR driver to thread the needle and take the start-finish line in a hail-melon style. Although Bell’s antics were ruled out on the race day itself, the fate of #3 Austin Dillon, #1 Ross Chastain, and #23 Wallace was yet to be determined.

However, it didn’t take long as NASCAR dropped the hammer on the teams involved in suspicious activities to manipulate the finish of the race. All three teams involved saw their crew chief, spotter, and team member ejected for the Phoenix race. Along with the 50 owners and driver points, they were hammered with a $100,000 fine for the driver and owner each.

Now, 23XI Racing could’ve gotten themselves into an unnecessary drama at the time their driver, Tyler Reddick, was racing for the championship. Not to forget, they are already at odds with NASCAR following their legal tussle; this certainly isn’t the best time to create a ruckus over a penalty call. And this is why the higher-ups at the 23XI Racing have decided not to appeal the penalty.

“We disagree with the penalty ruling and strongly believe we did not break any rules at Martinsville. It is in our best interest and those for our team members, partners, and fans to fully devote our personnel and resources this weekend toward the championship and not an appeal.” The team shared this on X. Fans had already asked the team to stay away from the controversy and avoid the appeal. And they very much appreciated their call to take a step back and focus on the bigger picture.

Fans are glad to see 23XI Racing prioritize the championship over a penalty appeal

A lot of Tyler Reddick and 23XI fans were not sold on the team’s stance of appealing the penalty in the first place. Usually, such messages and advice by the fans are often ignored, but Michael Jordan and Co took notice of the fan support. Moreover, they understood their energy and resources should be focused on the #45 team and not crawling with NASCAR. Seeing the team take a U-turn on the appeal, a jubilant fan wrote, “Thanks for taking my advice on this. I truly think it’s what’s best for the organization. 🏁❤️”

Championship races come once a year, and for 23XI Racing, this is their first-ever shot to conquer NASCAR’s highest peak. Apart from focusing on the weekend, everything else seems like a distraction that could derail their preparations. Therefore, their decision to avoid the unnecessary chaos was received well by this fan, “Love seeing this and I do believe this is the right call. Can’t wait to see you guys at Phoenix in the garages🤘🏻 GO TR45!”

While most of the reactions were positive, a few were disappointed with this call. Not because the team chose not to appeal, but they couldn’t give Bootie Barker a good send-off in his last race with the #23 team. Charles Denike will be taking command of the #23 team from next year onwards, while Barker will take a new role in the team. “Just sucks Bootie won’t be up there for the last race.”

It is indeed tough to see NASCAR backtrack on this decision, especially after the backlash they received from the fans on social media. Also, what Bubba Wallace did on the racetrack did warrant some sort of reaction by NASCAR, and unfortunately, he received a similar treatment as the #1 and #3. But, regardless of the facts and evidence, this race fan felt that 23XI stood no chance against NASCAR, as the two are embroiled in a legal battle. “Don’t blame you. Nascar wouldn’t overturn a penalty against a team that is currently suing them.”

Now it is hard to predict if NASCAR would intervene and change the course of championship results if similar tactics came into play in Phoenix. And this is why a user on X suggested that Toyota drivers should pull off a similar stunt in helping Reddick win the championship. This would act as a perfect rebuttal to the penalty decision, “Just do what team Chevy done in final race and take home that trophy.”

The prospect of winning the Cup Series championship certainly outweighed any other priorities for the 23XI Racing team at this team. And this is why they are ready to bear the brunt of a $200,000 fine and the ejection of crew chiefs and spotters from the #23 team.