“You can’t have your cake and eat it, too.” Judge Paul Niemeyer said these words while questioning the injunction that granted 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports to race in 2025. These two teams stood out among 15 Cup Series teams in signing the 2024 charter deal and filed a lawsuit against NASCAR last October. But even after securing their charters while fighting against the charter system, the rebellious teams may lose them now. However, Denny Hamlin is unbothered and intends to eat the ‘cake.’

The NASCAR Cup Series is at Kansas Speedway this weekend, gearing up for the AdventHealth 400 race. Among the teams under the spotlight to dazzle on Sunday, 23XI Racing reigns supreme. With four cars competing, the work has doubled in the 23XI shop. But a smiling leader in Denny Hamlin may propel them to success soon.

Denny Hamlin shoots down inhibitions

Folks, now should be the time to panic for 23XI Racing. During a hearing at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Richmond, the judges hinted that they may overturn the team’s capacity to run as a chartered team. The result of that could be detrimental, as attorney Jeffrey Kessler argued that drivers and sponsors could walk out mid-season. Despite the storm clouds getting heavier above his team, Denny Hamlin said nonchalantly, “You know, the judges haven’t made any kind of ruling.” He even added, “We’re overall pretty confident in our case.” Added to the courtroom drama is handling four cars in the Cup Series. They are Tyler Reddick’s No. 45, Bubba Wallace’s No. 23, Riley Herbst’s No. 35, and Corey Heim’s part-time No. 67 Toyota. Yet Hamlin’s confidence knows no bounds.

After all, three of 23XI Racing’s eight Cup Series wins have come at Kansas Speedway. In a pre-race presser at the 1.5-mile intermediate track, Denny Hamlin said all the pieces are in the right place. He commented on the 4-car team: “Yeah, it digs into your depths chart both in the shop and on the road. It increases the opportunity to win; that’s another bullet in the chamber that you’ve got. I like how they responded. Certainly, we’ve planned this for quite some time, so we’ve accordingly staffed for it.” Hamlin stressed that 23XI is also ready to face its competitors: “Kind of see where it stacks up competition…with the rest of the Cup field. We are all very aware of the skill set, and it’s going to give some good opportunities over the next few years to show that.”

Bubba Wallace was in the top ten in single-lap practice on Saturday. With a 15th-place starting position and having one of the best pit crews in 2025, Denny Hamlin’s driver can go great lengths. Although he finished outside the top 15 in 2024, he has had accomplishments here. He reflected on his chances in 2025: “We decided to try something different, and it didn’t work for us. I, myself, was very adamant on getting back to where we need to be when we show up to this place because when you show up to places that you’ve had success in, it breeds confidence.” Very truthful! Wallace earned his second victory at Kansas Speedway in 2022, his first in the No. 45 entry. He finished runner-up to William Byron for Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2018, a freshman season that saw Wallace place second in the Daytona 500 and post two other top-10 finishes. And the 2022 victory was a spectacle!

Do you know whom he held off for that victory? It was his team owner, Denny Hamlin! “It’s incredible,” Wallace said. It indeed was. He led 58 of the final 68 laps and crossed the finish line one second ahead of the 23XI Racing car owner. Bubba also became the first Black driver to win a NASCAR Cup Series race in nearly 58 years. And do you know what Hamlin said?

Putting the grief of finishing second as a racer away, Denny Hamlin capitalized on his feelings as a team owner. “Bubba is now showing the results and getting the results from the work that he is putting in as a driver,” Hamlin said. “Really proud of the whole effort.” But this year, things are going to be different. Bubba Wallace’s soaring optimism is not alone. Denny Hamlin’s other veteran driver is also rolling up his sleeves for a grand showdown. So, technically, we will see one owner and two of his racers battling for the ‘soaring trophy’. But who is predicted to be the winner?

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Kyle Larson’s arch enemy

We all know who is topping the prediction models this weekend, don’t we? Who can forget Kyle Larson’s famous 0.001-second victory over Chris Buescher last year? However, Hendrick Motorsports’ golden boy has a solid competitor lurking in the shadows. That is none other than Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin’s other jewel in the 23XI Racing fold. Reddick out-dueled Larson in a heated race at Darlington last year to win the regular season championship. What is more, he has been the most recent wheelman to win for the Michael Jordan co-owned team at Kansas in 2023. So the spotlight is on Reddick as well to shrug off three races of finishing 14th or worse.

According to NASCAR Insights, Tyler Reddick’s Speed Rating at Kansas in the Next Gen era ranks fifth-best among active drivers. As for this season, Reddick’s long run Speed Rating on intermediate tracks ranks second. His Passer Rating on similar tracks ranks second, too, and his Defense Rating on intermediate tracks ranks fifth. He is the only driver to be top five in each of those categories. All of these are strong indications for a solid outing in Kansas.

Denny Hamlin highlighted how Tyler Reddick and his wife Alexa are expecting their second child this June. He stressed that the fatherly responsibility has had a positive impact on Reddick’s performance. “When he had a child there, things changed. But you know, some of that comes with maturity and age as well. Everyone goes through it. No one’s really the same from their early-20s to their mid-30s…It’s just different for everyone, and the timing. Towards the end of last year, we started to see him…being a lot more confident.”

23XI Racing is flying into Kansas at a tremendous pace. Despite courtroom troubles and the chance of dissolution mid-season, Denny Hamlin maintains a rock-solid confidence.