Tyler Reddick did not secure victory in 2 to 3 races last year due to issues with pit stops.
Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick (Via IMAGO)
Since the start of the 2021 season, the biggest problem faced by 23XI Racing has been their poor performance during pit stops. In the past three years, they have won five races, but their pit-stop troubles have cost them the same number or even more victories.
The most recent incident took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday. Tyler Reddick, who had one of the fastest cars that day, fell just 0.4 seconds short of victory behind another driver. The pit-stop mishaps played a major role in his disappointment, as they consistently put him in a disadvantageous position on the track.
Denny Hamlin, the co-owner of 23XI Racing, once again addressed this ongoing issue. He expressed his immense disappointment and acknowledged that the team’s pit crew has cost them two to three crucial victories since their debut.
“I definitely believe that this will be a topic of discussion this weekend and in the coming hours. But it’s a process. It’s incredibly frustrating. I know it’s frustrating. It’s preventing the 23XI guys from reaching victory lane. There’s no doubt about it. There were at least 2-3 races last year where Tyler should have come out on top, but we made mistakes for him on pit road,” said Hamlin during an interview on the Action Detrimental podcast.
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The veteran driver from Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) went on to urge his team not to overreact to a single mishap this season. He emphasized that the team has been working on improving their efficiency during pit stops in the off-season, and this incident may just be an anomaly.
As they head into the next race at Phoenix, Reddick will be hoping to redeem himself. However, for both the No. 45 and No. 23 teams to succeed, Hamlin needs to provide them with a reliable pit crew.
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