Denny Hamlin Downplays 23XI Responsibility, Saying Tyler Reddick’s Issues Don’t Reflect Team’s Performance

The 23XI Racing team is under increasing pressure to improve both driver and hardware performance as the NASCAR Cup Series speeds toward the postseason. Co-owned with Michael Jordan, Hamlin’s squad must strike a balance between changing standards and internal expectations. His candid comments on Actions Detrimental exposed the developing story:  is it machinery gaining pace, or are the drivers, including Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, raising their game?

Denny Hamlin tackles that very dilemma in the most recent edition of Actions Detrimental, which aired shortly after the Richmond Raceway event where Tyler Reddick’s dreams of making the playoffs were crushed.

Denny Hamlin Dissects 23XI Racing’s Playoff Puzzle

Hamlin acknowledged that while overall speed this season hasn’t matched last year’s across the board, Bubba Wallace’s performance has noticeably improved. “The speed’s been okay, I don’t think speed’s been as good as what it was last year. Now, companywide, Bubba’s performing better than he was last year. So did the cars get better, or did Bubba get better? Riley, it’s just too hard to tell because of the inexperience.”

He further pondered whether the team’s expanded three-car structure added strain, but was quick to assert the opposite, that “it added resources. It seems like a 45 thing, I don’t know if it’s a company thing because the 23 is having another career year, every year is a new bar.” 

Contextually, this follows a difficult race at Richmond when Reddick, a past regular-season champion going into the race, looked strong but lost crucial playoff leverage after being pulled out of contention despite leading laps before the collision. Wallace, meantime, kept up his recent run of strong performance; he had won a big race this season, the Brickyard 400, becoming the first diversified driver to win a major race on the oval course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The win also ended a 100-race winless streak for Wallace and secured him a spot in the NASCAR playoffs. 

Hamlin’s commentary, then, isn’t just speculative; it’s grounded in data points from recent races. Bubba’s upward trajectory and Reddick’s roller-coaster season underline the growing pains of integrating a third entry for 23XI. As the playoff threshold draws near, Hamlin’s candid observations reveal both the promise and the uncertainty at the heart of his racing operation. Also considering that, Hamlin could be transitioning completely into his team owner role in the coming season after his contract with JGR runs its course. 

Hamlin Calls Out NASCAR’s Solo Act Behind 2026 Schedule Leaks

As the official 2026 NASCAR schedule approaches, Denny Hamlin isn’t holding back in the sport’s customary pre-release whisper campaign. The Joe Gibbs Racing star presented the growing discussion about locations like Iowa, Chicagoland, and San Diego on his Actions Detrimental podcast as NASCAR’s unilateral actions gradually came into the public eye rather than as cooperative planning. “Some of this schedule stuff is slowly leaking out… Iowa is in limbo… Chicagoland, no Chicago [Street Race], San Diego is in,” Hamlin noted.

Hamlin was particularly candid about team and driver involvement, or lack thereof, in schedule formation. “As much as they talk about collaboration, NASCAR doesn’t collaborate at all with the teams, drivers, or anyone on the schedule. We have nothing to do with it, no input, no nothing. Whatever it is, it’s what they came up with,” he added. 

According to Yardbarker’s reports, there are currently speculations of a championship weekend at Homestead-Miami and a street race in San Diego, but Hamlin claims that those are just NASCAR’s requests. The All-Star event may be moved to Dover, Mexico City may be discarded, and Chicagoland Speedway may return, according to publications like The Athletic and BVM Sports. This might make room for a Cup points event at North Wilkesboro.

Also, Hamlin argued for a little more liberty in the schedule, suggesting that it could be better to do away with the All-Star Race and give teams an additional week off rather than cramming events into the schedule all the time. One thing is highlighted by Hamlin’s commentary as NASCAR moves closer to its official calendar release. Schedule-setting remains a one-way street with little room for rider input.