23XI Racing will try NASCAR historical past this weekend at Kansas Speedway with the No. 45 Toyota.
Kurt Busch and Bubba Wallace swept the NASCAR Cup Sequence races in Kansas final season, and each had been driving the No. 45 once they gained. Tyler Reddick will drive the automotive Sunday afternoon (3 p.m. ET, FS1) as he tries to win the crew its third consecutive race on the observe.
No automotive quantity has gained three consecutive races at a racetrack with three totally different drivers.
“It could be actually cool, however all that apart, it’s about coming in right here and placing collectively a great weekend and executing,” Reddick stated. “Each automobiles and each groups, this complete group is absolutely, actually excited and actually needs to see what we’ve acquired a few months faraway from the final time we had been right here.
“Everybody is available in with a variety of confidence, and we have to capitalize on that and get the weekend began on the suitable foot in apply and qualify nicely. However actually, it will be actually cool to try this. I do know we’ll each be on the market giving it the whole lot we’ve acquired, so so long as one in every of us will get it executed, it’s effective by me.”
Busch gained the spring race at Kansas Speedway. Wallace is the newest winner, capturing his second profession win within the sequence in September. In each races, the No. 45 was one of many quickest within the discipline.
“It was large for the crew,” Wallace stated of his triumph. “The win final 12 months was large for the crew, and to finish the sweep was actually cool. I believed the 23 automotive was fairly stable there within the first race, too, and had some troubles that took us out of rivalry, however to come back again and seal the deal within the 45 was simply particular for our crew and being so new. That was our second 12 months, and (we made) essentially the most of it.
“I’m assuming once they all began this, they didn’t actually plan on sweeping Kansas races within the second 12 months going. So, I’m simply proud to be part of the method and coming again right here, I believe all of the momentum is on our facet.”
Wallace drove the No. 45 within the second Kansas race as a result of Busch had been sidelined in the summertime with a concussion. As a result of Busch’s automotive was nonetheless within the proprietor championship hunt, 23XI Racing made the choice to place Wallace behind the wheel in its hunt for proprietor factors.
Ideas of profitable apart, Wallace and Reddick are optimistic and keen in regards to the weekend forward. Kansas is a quick intermediate facility that can make it clear the place a corporation stands.
“I believe it’s going to be thrilling,” stated Wallace. “Clearly, it feels actually good to get again right here to Kansas and get again to what we did within the fall. … I’ve seen some talks that Toyota is the highest of the subject heading into the weekend, so it’s good. We’re on observe to get our ship righted in the suitable method, so all of it begins right here.”
Wallace has not had a top-10 end since Martinsville Speedway three weeks in the past. He has two top-10 finishes via 11 races.
Reddick has 5 top-10 finishes, together with a win. Reddick began on the entrance row in each Kansas Speedway races final 12 months and led laps in each races however completed no higher than thirtieth in these occasions.
“It is a observe that I had a variety of velocity final 12 months in each occasions however couldn’t fairly put the entire race collectively,” Reddick stated. “The second race went out with a bang for us (crashing from the pole). However actually excited to get again right here, clearly.
“I needed to race towards 23XI final 12 months right here, and it was actually cool to see all of the velocity they’d and understanding I used to be going to be going there sooner or later, and now that we’re right here I’m actually excited to see what now we have in apply in a couple of hours. It’s going to be a bit of hotter, however I believe that ought to assist us much more.”