NASCAR: 5 possible landing spots for Tyler Reddick in 2023

Tyler Reddick 2023 landing spots: No. 5 – Joe Gibbs Racing

Ty Gibbs is seen as a shoo-in for the #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota once Kyle Busch departs the ride at the end of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, and that is probably what is going to happen.

But if there is any reason to pump the brakes on that — and there might be, given Joe Gibbs’s statement that he wanted Ty to run two full Xfinity Series before a full-time promotion to Cup — then Tyler Reddick could be considered a dark horse to land the ride.

If Richard Childress Racing can’t find a place for him in 2023 and can’t figure out a way to honor his contract, which they have confirmed themselves on multiple occasions does indeed run through next year after picking up an option this summer, perhaps Toyota could make a play for Reddick a year early.

We already semi-touched on this in the 23XI Racing slide. But if Kurt Busch returns and the Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned team remain at two cars, Joe Gibbs Racing could be an option.

Would it be silly for a driver to move to a powerhouse such as Joe Gibbs Racing knowing he’ll only be there for one year? Sure, just as silly as it would be for the team to make the signing.

But Reddick has already signed a multi-year deal with 23XI Racing and Toyota, so his future is secured through at least 2025. It’s not like he’d be competing solely to keep somebody’s seat warm.

With Reddick on a (no-more-than) one-year deal, this would also be a way to guarantee that Gibbs runs two full Xfinity Series seasons and then has a guaranteed Cup ride with his grandfather’s organization in 2024.

Wasn’t that the initial plan to begin with?

Where will Tyler Reddick end up in 2023? Will he complete the rest of his contract with Richard Childress Racing, or will Kyle Busch’s arrival result in him competing elsewhere? If elsewhere, where?