NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick has a clause in his contract stating he can leave 23XI Racing if the team is stripped of its charters by NASCAR amid its ongoing antitrust lawsuit. With 23XI Racing facing the potential loss of its charters as soon as Wednesday, Reddick could theoretically leave this month.
On the latest episode of The Teardown, NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic noted that multiple teams in the garage are closely monitoring the situation and would like to sign Reddick if he becomes available. However, a midseason move is considered highly unlikely due to the logistical challenges involved.
“There are numerous teams in the garage who have looked at this situation and said, ‘We would love to have Tyler Reddick in our race car.’ Do I think anything will happen in the middle of the season? I do not. For a lot of reasons, I don’t think you would expect to see anything midseason. There’s too many hoops to hop through, it gets messy and complicated.”
Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic on another NASCAR team potentially poaching Tyler Reddick midseason
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Tyler Reddick stats (2025): 615 points, 8 top 10s, 5 top 5s, 1 pole, 112 laps led, 12.8 average starting position, 13.85 average finishing position.
It was revealed in December that Reddick’s contract with 23XI Racing includes a clause that allows him to become a free agent if the team loses its charter. This clause came into focus when the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals denied 23XI’s appeal to keep its charters through the season.
On Monday, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed for a restraining order and preliminary injunction, arguing their charters should be protected because NASCAR “signaled its intentions to immediately move to sell” the charters to other teams.
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If the injunction is denied and 23XI Racing loses its charters, after refusing to sign NASCAR’s new charter agreement this winter, the team would operate as an open entry. Reddick and Bubba Wallace are expected to remain with the team through the end of the season, but that commitment could change in the offseason.
“That said, if this prolongs into the offseason and 23XI doesn’t have its charters and theoretically Reddick is a free agent if you will. Yeah, I would be surprised if there is not a team who says, “We’re going to go all in and we’re going to get him.’…This is a business at the end of the day and when you have a driver to get, like Tyler Reddick, you gotta do what you gotta do.”
The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi on a NASCAR team pursuing Tyler Reddick this offseason
The antitrust lawsuit brought by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR is set for trial in December and challenges the legality of the charter system, which teams argue gives NASCAR monopoly-like control over the sport. The teams claim they risk having their charters sold immediately and face financial risks if forced to operate as open teams, including the possibility of losing top drivers like Reddick to chartered teams in the Cup Series. In addition, there could be no charters left in December if there is a ruling in the two teams’ favor against NASCAR.
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23XI Racing is seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent NASCAR from reallocating its charters. Without such protection, the team would be at risk of losing Reddick at any time and faces an increased likelihood he could depart in the offseason.
NFL, MLB & college football writer for Sportsnaut. Graduated from San Diego State University with BA in Journalism, 2019. … More about Matt Johnson