‘Both cars in the playoffs’: 23XI Racing makes 2022 goal clear

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Now a two-car household, the room is split at 23XI Racing when it comes to postseason experience. Kurt Busch, the brand-new driver of the No. 45 Toyota, is a former Cup Series champion, inking his name in 2004. Bubba Wallace, meanwhile, scored his first career win just last year in his continued No. 23 entry. “A goal for us is to have both cars in the playoffs,” team owner Denny Hamlin said Wednesday during Media Day for the Daytona 500. “I think Bubba isn’t far off from that. I mean, it’s one DNF away when you look at the standing for who’s a contender to beat.” DAYTONA 500: Weekend schedule | Betting odds | All-time winners Wallace finished last year’s standings a career-best 21st. He did not make the 16-driver playoff field in his fourth full-time season. His victory came at Talladega Superspeedway in Race 31 of 36 -- five events too late for an automatic postseason ticket. Busch raced for Chip Ganassi Racing last season and qualified for his eighth playoff run. He placed 11th in the final standings, having been eliminated in the Round of 16. His berth was clinched, opposite of Wallace, five races before the regular-season finale in Race 21 at Atlanta Motor Speedway -- his 33rd career win in 21 full-time seasons. “As a teammate, he’s a listener and he’s eager to learn,” Busch said. “I mean that’s what any young driver should be doing. But it’s funny on how the information’s being thrown at him, and he goes, ‘Hey, man, is this something that’s serious that I need to look at or is this something that Denny is going overload on for data information?’ And I said it’s a perfect question. Because Denny is such an analytical numbers guy; he will eat, sleep and chew on them until it turns into a pulp. Bubba and his level, my level -- we’re all working together to find that right stream.” SPEEDWEEKS: Entry lists, qualifying procedure and more Their first opportunity is Sunday in the season-opening Daytona 500 (2:30 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN and SiriusXM), an event Busch has previously won (2017). The 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway track is, of course, a superspeedway, which matches the same track type Wallace won on last year. He also has a runner-up Daytona 500 result on his resume from 2018, along with another second-place showing from 2021 in the summer race. “We want to make the playoffs and compete for a championship, that’s a given,” Wallace said. “That’s what any driver is going to say. For us, it’s just become consistent. … Be more competitive, be more consistent. Get that speed up there, figure out this new car. Everybody’s figuring out this new car, but making sure we’re on that upper tier of the people who figure it out so we can have that advantage.” RELATED: Wallace on relationship with Busch | Next Gen car completes first day of work at Daytona The Next Gen car could very well make a difference in what teams make the playoffs. It’s an unknown, as this Speedweeks is really the first competitive opportunity. Wallace had the seventh-fastest speed in Tuesday’s opening practice (47.081 seconds, 191.16 mph). Busch was ninth (47.085 seconds, 191.144 mph). Both worked in a five Toyota pack. In the second session, Busch and Wallace were 29th and 31st, respectively. Qualifying is set for Wednesday night (8:05 p.m. ET on FS1). The two Bluegreen Vacations Duels are Thursday before two more practices Friday and Saturday. Sunday then marks the official start of the season. “Right now, we’re tied for the lead in points,” Busch said. “And we intend to work our way all the way through the first couple months with a points-building frame of mind.”