NASCAR: Surprise Tyler Reddick 23XI departure rumor emerges
By Asher Fair
A judge finally ruled in favor of 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports last week, allowing them to sign the charter agreements while pursuing their antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR.
The preliminary injunction means that these two teams are indeed allowed to race as chartered teams in 2025 using their existing two charters, bringing the accounted for charter count back up from 30 to 34.
Additionally, after NASCAR's motion to appeal was denied, it allows them to purchase one charter each from Stewart-Haas Racing, just as they had initially planned on. The acquisitions would give them three each for the 2025 season, positioning NASCAR to run the usual 36 charters after all.
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing the big winners
23XI Racing have already announced that Riley Herbst is set to join Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick in 2025, while Front Row Motorsports are expected to confirm Zane Smith alongside Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson.
But one overlooked aspect of this decision is that it prevented the potential for an extremely damaging situation for 23XI Racing, one which actually reportedly played a part in the judge's ruling.
Had 23XI Racing not been classified as a chartered team for the 2025 season, Tyler Reddick, who won three races and was Toyota's only Championship 4 representative in 2024, would have been allowed to seek a new team. His contract reportedly specifies that he drives a chartered entry.
As far as irreparable harm, judge noted: "Absent entry of a preliminary injunction by December 18, 2024, Tyler Reddick will become a “free agent” and whether or not he has a firm plan to leave 23XI, other teams will have the present ability to contract for his services."
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 18, 2024
And with the two Stewart-Haas Racing charters still technically available in that scenario, it's not hard to imagine that he would have found one.
Fortunately for Reddick and the Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned team, it doesn't look like it is going to come to that. Reddick is set to continue behind the wheel of the No. 45 Toyota for a third consecutive season in 2025.
While not explicitly discussed like it was in regard to Reddick, both Wallace and reserve driver Corey Heim also reportedly had discussions with the team about potentially seeking other options for next year. Herbst's contract is also said to contain a similar clause, as is Gragson's with Front Row Motorsports.
Heim has a contract with 23XI and he emailed the team (as did Bubba) that they needed answers so they could decide whether to talk to other teams. My guess is Heim contract includes some select Cup races that could have been impacted if they had to race all open cars. https://t.co/Vp3s7F9KFT
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 18, 2024
Next. NASCAR Cup Series: Two tracks losing race dates in 2025. NASCAR Cup Series: Two tracks losing race dates in 2025. dark
The 67th annual Daytona 500 is scheduled to get the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season underway on Sunday, February 16. The "Great American Race" is set to be shown live on Fox from Daytona International Speedway beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.
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