A new team is on top of the NASCAR Cup Series point standings

As a gamer who’s had my fair share of rollercoaster rides in virtual racing games like iRacing and Forza Motorsport, I can truly appreciate the real-life journey of Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing. Four summers ago, they were just a promising new team, akin to an underdog in a Grand Tourism Nations event, but now, they’re leading the NASCAR Cup Series!

Four summers back, a team formed by NASCAR racer Denny Hamlin (of Joe Gibbs Racing) and basketball legend Michael Jordan sparked by an online gossip, has for the first time in its four-year existence, taken the lead in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings.

23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick claimed the number one spot in the season standings for the first time ever, clinching victory in the postponed FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Monday. This makes him the eighth racer to lead the points in the 2024 racing season.

Recently, the driver of car No. 45 (who previously triumphed at Talladega Superspeedway in April) has been on a remarkable streak. In the last 11 races, he’s racked up ten top-six finishes and five podium placements in just six events. At long last, he secured his second victory at Michigan International Speedway.

Reddick continues surge, 23XI Racing red-hot

Reddick snatched the top spot in the driver rankings from Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports, following his win, as Larson dropped to fourth position after an early crash. He currently holds a 10-point advantage over Chase Elliott of Hendrick Motorsports with just two races left on the season schedule at Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

Although Larson was absent from the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team accrued points filled in by Justin Allgaier, Reddick’s victory has propelled the No. 45 team to the forefront of the owner rankings.

1. Allgaier earned 24 points for his team after finishing 13th in that particular race. Currently, Larson is 32 points behind Reddick, which means the team number 5 now holds the second position in the owner rankings, a mere 8 points behind the team number 45.

It was evident last year through Chase Elliott’s injury and suspension that the driver playoffs and owner playoffs function independently when a substitute driver takes over for a charter team. In other words, they represent distinct postseason events.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to see Reddick’s outstanding performance this season! With 24 races under our belts, his No. 45 team leading the driver standings is nothing short of impressive. And let’s not forget about their owner standings lead – it’s a remarkable feat for a young Cup Series team. Their technical alliance with the mighty Toyota powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing certainly plays a role, but the achievements are undeniably Reddick and his team’s own!

23XI Racing’s second driver, Bubba Wallace, currently holds the 14th spot in the points ranking, but due to the location of the playoff qualifying line, he is technically one point short, placing him at 17th in the playoff standings. Simultaneously, his team ranks 14th among owners, and they too find themselves in 17th position in the playoffs, just a single point shy.

The Daytona International Speedway will be hosting the Coke Zero Sugar 400 this coming Saturday, August 24th, with live broadcast starting on NBC at 7:00 p.m. ET. Additionally, Darlington Raceway is set to host the Cook Out Southern 500 as the end of the regular season next Sunday, September 1st, with live coverage beginning on USA Network at 6:00 p.m. ET. Sign up for a free trial of FuboTV today and make sure you don’t miss either race as we approach the four-round, 10-race postseason!

2024-08-24 14:32