Tyler Riddick Makes an Early NASCAR Team Change: Report

Tyler Reddick may be switching to 23XI Racing sooner than expected. Lee Spencer reports that the Cup Series team has purchased his contract with Richard Childress Racing.

A longtime NASCAR journalist submitted the report on October 11th. Spencer tweeted that Reddick will be joining 23XI Racing in 2023 and that there will be an announcement over the weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Heavy has reached out to 23XI Racing and Richard Childress Racing for comment on the report. Neither team has responded at the time of publication. The story will be updated if there are responses.

Reddick and 23XI Racing owner Denny Hamlin originally announced on July 12 that he would be leaving Richard Childress Racing after the 2023 season and moving to the Toyota subsidiary. This put him in a scenario where he was basically a lame duck in RCR for one year, but now he is said to be switching to 23XI Racing early.

Reddick is currently in the midst of a career season. He earned his first Cup Series win at Road America, which helped him secure his ticket to the playoffs. He then added his second win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Since then, the California native has claimed his third career win—his first on an oval—at Texas Motor Speedway.

Childress had previously addressed Reddick’s case for 2023

GTTyler Reddick will become a member of Toyota Racing.

Reddick’s status for 2023 has been a conversation since the mid-July announcement. There have been questions about whether he will remain at RCR for another season or move to 23XI Racing after he was laid off from his contract.

Team owner Richard Childress already provided some comments on the matter on September 13th during a press conference. The longtime owner helped announce that Kyle Busch would take over the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro in 2023, then mentioned that Riddick would still be part of the team.

Childress said during the press conference that Riddick will be moving into a third entry for the 2023 season. He will partner with a new Chief of Staff while Randall Burnett joins Bosch.

Childress added that this would be a rental entry rather than an open car. Although Childress did not provide further comment on where he would obtain this charter and whether it would be a purchase or a lease.

Questions remain about the 23XI Racing lineup

Spencer’s report provides some clarity about Riddick’s future. It also raises some questions about another member of the 23XI Racing driver lineup.

What will happen to Kurt Bosch? The veteran driver has been out since crashing in qualifying at Pocono Raceway in late July. He has since addressed his ongoing recovery from a concussion, and said he could be back sometime in the 2022 season.

Before crashing at Pocono Raceway, Bush dropped some retirement excitement. He appeared on “CBS This Morning” and talked about the 2023 season, NASCAR’s transition to the Chicago Street track, and his future.

“I’ve had 23 years in the sport and this, for me, is one of those kids in a candy store, ‘I want to be a part of this,'” Busch said on July 21. “I’m glad I have the opportunity next year to lead for the team and then I might be I would have finished driving then.”

If Reddick joined 23XI Racing a year earlier than expected, where would he fit in? Will he drive a third entry car or will he just take number 45? These are questions that will need answers in the coming weeks and months.

Hamlin has stated during previous media outlets that Bush has a seat as long as he wants to race. He and 23XI Racing also indicated that the 2004 Cup Series champion would have a role in the organization after exiting the race car.