Just three months ago, Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team faced uncertainty. A legal battle against NASCAR had put their future in jeopardy. Questions loomed over whether 23XI Racing would even be allowed to compete in 2025. Jordan, Denny Hamlin, and the entire team watched as court proceedings decided their fate. However, a district court gave them a preliminary injunction for the upcoming season and another opportunity for Tyler Reddick to repeat his 2024 heroics.
It was a victory off the track, but their focus quickly shifted back to the asphalt. The pressure was immense. Would they be able to bounce back? Could they prove their worth in the upcoming season? The EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at COTA provided the team with a perfect opportunity. And Reddick displayed his road racing prowess by clinching the pole position for Sunday’s mega event.
Amid front-row sweep, COTA hurts 23XI Racing!
Tyler Reddick came to Austin with a mission. The 2023 COTA winner knew this track well. When the qualifying session began, he wasted no time showcasing his speed. With a lap time of 1:38.08, he claimed the pole position. Meanwhile, his teammate Bubba Wallace made sure it was a 23XI sweep, securing P2. Notably, Wallace had made remarkable progress on this track. From P23 in 2022 to P11 in 2023, P10 in 2024, and now P2 in 2025—his improvement was undeniable.
After the session, Reddick admitted that he was worried about Wallace’s pace. “I was worried I screwed Bubba’s lap up. All in all, I think today threw us for a loop. The pace was not what we thought it was going to be. Just glad today went the way that it did, it’s going to be a great track position for us tomorrow,” Reddick said after the session. Notably, Reddick’s pole was his second at COTA, and it reinforced his dominance on road courses.
However, 23XI nearly swept the top three as Riley Herbst posted the third-fastest qualifying time before officials disqualified his lap for track limit violations. He eventually finished 31st with almost a second slower time than his teammates. Meanwhile, Chase Elliott delivered a stunning performance as he will start the race P3 in the second row.
This is a developing story.
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