Tyler Reddick was the primary domino to fall final 12 months when he introduced his possession Departure from Richard Childress Racing to 23XI Racing in 2024. Kyle Bush adopted by Leaving Joe Gibbs Racingsigning with RCR, and taking the vacant No. 8 seat.
Drivers at all times discuss how arduous it’s to see one other driver of their seats. Whereas technically nonetheless his seat, it is smart that Riddick would really feel uncomfortable seeing Busch working along with his former crew chief and staff for the primary time in his previous automobile.
That first occurred this week on the Circuit of the Americas when the pair joined Austin Cendrick testing Goodyear tires on the three.41-mile highway course. After the primary day’s testing session, drivers visited reporters and the 27-year-old spoke concerning the scenario.
Tyler Reddick was changed at RCR by Kyle Busch
Tyler Reddick shocked the NASCAR world final 12 months when he unexpectedly introduced after three years with RCR that he would be part of 23XI Racing in 2024. On the time, Kyle Busch was nonetheless in limbo about his future with JGR.
After Reddick’s announcement, Austin Dillon satisfied his grandfather, regardless of his presence Rocky historical past with Bush, to observe the two-time Cup Collection champion. He did, and it labored.
A number of months later, Busch and Childress joined collectively on stage on the NASCAR Corridor of Fame to make it official, and it was revealed that the motive force would take over the No. 8 automobile. That left Reddick with no trip, however, as everyone knows now, with the unplanned departure of Kyle’s brother Kurt, from the No. 45 within the 23XI because of concussion points, had made the bench seat obtainable to make the transition the earlier 12 months.
Reddick addresses the potential embarrassment of seeing Busch within the No. 8 automobile for the primary time
Tyler Reddick overtly admitted in December that he was Jealous of Kyle Busch at RCR And the way the race staff allowed the brand new driver to vary lanes on the No. 8. The pair have not seen one another since these feedback.
That modified his week when the pair have been collectively at COTA for the primary Goodyear tire check of 2023 and the primary time the 2 drivers had pushed their new automobile with their new groups. After the primary day of testing, they every visited the media. Reddick was requested concerning the degree of embarrassment of seeing Bosh along with his former staff and if the pair had had an opportunity to speak about it.
“We have been speaking about this for some time, however you go low season and also you’re sort of targeted on what lies forward, and you are taking day out to spend time with household,” Reddick stated. “(former crew chief) Randall (Burnett) and I ran into one another in a couple of locations. Nate Troupe on this staff received married within the low season. There have been two different issues occurring, so we received to see one another a couple of instances.
“Yeah, we’re right here testing, you may suppose from the surface wanting in there’s going to be a time to fulfill one another and discuss and do all that stuff, however for us, we received right here right now, and from 7 up to now we have been digging within the race automobile, making adjustments, And we attempt to study as a lot as we are able to. There actually is not a lot downtime.”
Who is best off in 2023?
Since each drivers introduced they have been heading to new groups in 2023, there was appreciable hypothesis as to who would profit most from the strikes concerned.
For Reddick, he pulled away from the staff he helped not solely win his first Cup championship in 2022 at Street America, however adopted it up with two extra victories on the Indy highway course and Texas. He’s now within the No. 45 automobile at 23XI which scores a mixed two wins between them Kurt Bosch and Bubba Wallace. Most pundits predict that Reddick will solely get higher on this efficiency and maybe even surpass his greatest from final 12 months.
Bosh, who received as soon as final season, satirically coming at Reddick’s expense on Bristol clay, will obtain the identical gear and crew that introduced these three victories in 2022. However the 37-year-old has struggled currently to provide you with a four-win season. the previous three years.
It is not out of the query that Busch will carry that momentum constructed final 12 months with the No. 8 staff into 2023. A brand new staff, a brand new manufacturing facility, and an entire new mindset could possibly be simply what Physician Rowdy ordered him to beat. Slack the previous three seasons and make a number of journeys to Victory Lane.