Tyler Reddick is not interested in measuring the final two races of his 2026 Cup Series season by a points position, especially after the Talladega debacle, which just highlighted how futile it is to aim for a certain finishing position. Even with the championship fight still carrying mathematical implications for the No. 45 team, the 23XI Racing driver has a far simpler target: win again before the season ends.
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Reddick comes into Martinsville after a DNF at Talladega, where he started 33rd and, after the lap 132 incident, was wiped out of the race. Asked what would make the final two weeks successful, Reddick did not reach for a top-five finish, a points gain, or a particular place in the standings.
“At least one more win. I can live with that,” he said during his media availability at Martinsville Speedway (via Peter Stratta on X). A follow-up question asked whether he had a specific points finish in mind. His answer was immediate: “No, just wins, no.”
Reddick drew a clear line between the result he wants and the calculations that dominate a championship run. And anyway, winning a race is the best he can do to improve his championship position.
The timing makes that stance particularly interesting. Kyle Larson entered Martinsville with a substantial 73-point lead over second-placed Denny Hamlin and a chance to clinch before Homestead. The wider debate around the title had increasingly centered on Denny Hamlin a few race weekends ago, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver credited Larson’s run while acknowledging that his own team had missed opportunities.
Even then, the Motorsport.com breakdown of the early-clinch scenarios showed Reddick was still mathematically in the picture: Larson needed to avoid losing more than 49 points to the 23XI driver to eliminate him. Reddick’s public focus, however, was firmly on wins.
Larson, by contrast, had said he did not anticipate clinching at Martinsville and wanted to avoid giving up too much before Homestead.
After his Phoenix victory earlier this month, Reddick acknowledged that Martinsville had not been a strength for him in the past, but sounded encouraged by the progress made with 23XI’s short-track package.
Asked how confident he was heading into the weekend, Reddick answered, “Really high, yeah. I’m very curious to see what we look like out here in a little bit.”
His confidence was rooted in development, not blind optimism. Reddick was not claiming Martinsville had suddenly become an easy assignment; he was saying the car and the team’s preparation had improved enough to make him genuinely curious about its potential. At a track where the field runs in close quarters and track position can be difficult to recover, a better short-track setup has to show up across a full run, not just in one fast lap.
Peter Stratta’s account of the media session also highlighted Reddick’s optimism about a possible career-best Martinsville result. That would turn the package gains into something tangible, even if it fell short of the victory he wants.
Reddick’s target reflects the shape of his 2026 campaign. The No. 45 team opened the season with three consecutive wins and added two more in the six races after that. But the season since has been more uneven. He described it as an up-and-down year rather than a sustained run of dominance.
He drew comparisons with 2024 and 2025, saying the potential had been there in both seasons, including 2025, when the team did not win. “We’ve just, we’ve got to put it together better on a more consistent basis,” he said.
Reddick is not suggesting 23XI lacks the speed to compete. His point is that flashes of performance are not enough if the team cannot reproduce them week after week. The challenge is making the opening stretch its baseline, not an occasional peak.
A victory in either of the final two races would not erase the inconsistency, but it would give the team a meaningful result and reinforce its belief in the No. 45’s potential. It would also be a stronger finish to a year that began with such promise than quietly climbing a few places in the standings.
Reddick was also asked about the possibility of Brad Keselowski joining 23XI in some capacity. He expressed respect for the (now former?) RFK Racing driver and co-owner, for whom he had driven earlier in his career, but largely agreed with Denny Hamlin’s earlier response.
“Basically how Denny answered, that’s a very good viewpoint,” Reddick said. “I got to drive for Brad a long time ago, so I think a lot of him. But Denny raises a fair point. It probably wouldn’t be a long-term planning spot.”
It was not a confirmation of any potential arrangement. Reddick separated his respect for Keselowski from the practical question of whether such a move would make sense for 23XI long term.
The closing races are about finding the execution that has too often escaped the No. 45. Martinsville tests the improved short-track package, while Homestead offers another chance to add to the win column. Reddick may remain part of the championship equation, but he is not letting the points set his ambition.