Kyle Petty Uses ‘Crazy Theory’ to Explain 23XI and Trackhouse’s 2025 Struggles

Ex-NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Petty has explained why the main drivers at 23XI and Trackhouse are struggling in the 2025 season.

Kyle Petty Uses ‘Crazy Theory’ to Explain 23XI and Trackhouse’s 2025 Struggles

Kyle Petty and Denny Hamlin (Via IMAGO)

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The 2025 season so far hasn’t been kind to 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing, two of the newest as well as the fastest growing teams in NASCAR. The former has been the worst of the two, with only one win the whole season while the latter has scored five wins. Ex-racer Kyle Petty explains why the was a massive drop in performance.

The five wins Trackhouse has secured is actually hiding their struggles as four of the wins came in road courses, thanks to rookie Shane van Gisbergen. In the meantime, their star drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez are struggling in both ovals as well as road courses. The same is happening Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick.

Kyle Petty believes this drop is the product of the teams expanding their operations and becoming three cars’ teams. SVG was in the third Trackhouse car in 2025, while Riley Herbst got the 23XI seat. The former at least got four Cup wins with the move, while for Michael Jordan’s team, Herbst has been more than just a below average racer. Their resources got thin, and their star drivers are struggling, especially in ovals which decides the champions.

This is the crazy Kyle Petty theory. We look at Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez; they were setting the world on fire. They add that third car, what happens? They go flat. We look at Bubba and Tyler, they’re setting the world on fire with a two-car team. They add that third car, what happens? They go flat.

Kyle Petty said via GoPRNLive.

The former racer himself has gone through the same situation at Petty Enterprises, which is now the Legacy Motor Club. Expansion from a two-car team to three car team hindered their oval progress and affected their results. He pointed out having three teams isn’t the right choice and pointed out that expanding to four cars is better as two teams can work side by side.

We at Petty Enterprises never set the world on fire with two-car teams, but when we went to three, we were terrible. We were worse. It was that third thing you just couldn’t wrap your arms around. When you got the four, it was better because you had two teams working together.

Kyle Petty added.

Team Penske Racing can be used an example to argue against the claims put forth by Kyle Petty, as they won three championships in the Next-Gen era with three cars. But Wood Brother Racing’s partnership with Penske is so close that they are effectively their fourth car and both parties are benefiting from to this arrangement.

Kyle Petty explains the mindset of 23XI Racing boss Denny Hamlin

One other challenge 23XI faces, which Trackhouse faces is they are racing against their boss Denny Hamlin, who is dominating races for JGR. This sometimes puts them in tough situations. The most recent example of this is the Kansas race from last week, when Hamlin used up Bubba Wallace on the last lap and cost the 23XI driver an important win.

Kyle Petty
Kyle Petty (Via NBC Sports)

Many criticized Hamlin for his actions, as the week before he wrecked teammate Ty Gibbs as well. But Petty is impressed with the veteran driver’s greedy mindset as he pointed out that it’s true signs of a champion driver, who wants to win everything. Athletes have to greedy in order to thrive in any sport.

Denny puts himself first over the Gibbs team, Denny puts himself over 23XI. Denny puts himself over every driver out there and I’ve said it before, I believe to be a championship driver and a winning driver and to win at this level, you’ve got to do that. You’ve just got to be greedy. You’ve just got to put it all and throw it all out there and I do like that part of it.

Kyle Petty added.

The comments from Kyle Petty are something that is echoed by many former drivers, while talking about the wild duel. But Hamlin and Wallace need to talk to each other in order to find ways where they can race better to make one of the win races after such moves instead of gifting the win to Chase Elliott like they did at Kansas.

Also Read: Denny Hamlin Exposes “NASCAR’s Greed” Amidst Massive TV Rating Drop