"They signed up to race": Kevin Harvick comments on Bubba Wallace-Tyler Reddick's annoyance with 23XI-NASCAR drama

Kevin Harvick commented on whether 23XI Racing's ongoing legal battle with NASCAR would affect their drivers. Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace had great starts to their respective playoff campaigns, as the #45 finished second and the #23 finished sixth at Darlington.

In the latest episode of the Happy Hour podcast, Harvick was asked whether 23XI's off-track affairs were causing distraction and 'mental acquity' for their drivers. He believed that the two drivers were irritated by the situation, if not distracted.

"I think that the two drivers are probably annoyed more than anything because they just want to race. They signed up to race. They signed up to go out there and do their job and they're having to answer questions about stuff that they don't really want to answer questions about that.

"It is a distraction. I mean, it's not the same distraction for Denny Hamlin as it is for Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace because they're not vested in the ownership of the team and restructuring the league. So at this point it's annoying," Harvick described.

Having said that, Kevin Harvick mentioned that both 23XI Racing drivers have to deal with it, but their motivation wasn't the same as their boss, Denny Hamlin. Harvick added that both drivers would want to go out and 'do their job.' However, getting the finishes like at Darlington, that's all they'd care about, Harvick said.

Kevin Harvick believes there's 'a lot of hate' between NASCAR and 23XI Racing-Front Row Motorsports

In October 2024, 23XI Racing announced that the organization, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, along with Front Row Motorsports, had filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR over the new charter agreement.

The most recent hearing in the case has led to some text messages being revealed. Kevin Harvick shared his take on the mood between the two sides.

"When I look at all the text messages, I think to myself, there's a lot of hate in this particular instance and animosity between the two sides. And I think at this point, it seems personal. It definitely seems personal," Kevin Harvick said.

Harvick mentioned that, looking at all the things the judge has told both sides, they're advised to 'work it out' because it wouldn't end well for either side. He hoped that the two sides could work it out before December 1st because otherwise, it would 'drag everybody through the mud.'