Denny Hamlin: RCR threatened to put Tyler Reddick in a 'terrible third car' if he stayed for 2023

Richard Childress Racing has been seen in a rough light over the last week, and Denny Hamlin is adding to that with a shocking reveal.

First off, drama ensued at the legendary race team during Saturday’s Xfinity Series race, when RCR teammates led the field to green. Sheldon Creed and Austin Hill were both looking for the win during the final laps, and beat on each other all the way to the final corner.

However, neither would end up winning at Martinsville, as Justin Allgaier snuck past Creed and won by a nose, while Hill wrecked behind them as they came to the line.

That prompted Childress himself having some words for Creed in a surprising turn of events, “I’ve had drivers drive for me before but nobody as stupid as Sheldon Creed,” he told NBC Sports. “You don’t do that as a team player. What else do you want me to tell you?”

Hill echoed those sentiments, and the extra layer of Creed leaving the team after next weekend’s race weighed heavy on everyone’s mind as well. After seeing what went down, Hamlin harkened back to an incident in the Cup Series last season, involving 23XI Racing wheelman Tyler Reddick.

Of course, Reddick used to drive for Childress, but he made his feelings known mid-way through the 2022 season regarding his intention to join Hamlin’s team when his contract was up. However, the snag was Reddick was still under contract for 2023, and would have to wait out one more season with Childress.

With the knowledge of Reddick’s eventual departure, Hamlin claimed that Childress was ready to give the driver subpar equipment for his final season at RCR, and basically waste a year of Reddick’s career.

“They were threatening to put Tyler [Reddick] in a really bad car,” Hamlin revealed, via the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast. “Basically take him out of the No. 8 this year, and put him in like, a terrible third car. So it’s tough. For the sake of themselves, I hope they don’t do it. I think that would be adding on fuel to the fire. Let’s just save some face here, move on and understand it is what it is.”

The revelation was prompted by the question of if Childress would pull a similar tactic with Creed this weekend, as the driver is leaving Childress after all the drama.

That’ll be something to keep an eye on this weekend. One thing is for sure, Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick are certainly happy they’re together at 23XI Racing, instead of the latter being stuck at RCR at the moment.