Talk about having the odds stacked against you. Tyler Reddick and his team 23XI Racing have plenty of obstacles ahead of them. At least he can try and win a championship before, having to worry about what happens with his race team’s current lawsuit against NASCAR. Then again when hasn’t the odds been against Reddick?
He’s delivered on all the biggest stages throughout his NASCAR career. Let’s look back at the ladder he had to climb to reach this level. He started a thrilling racing career in the Truck Series for Brad Keselowski and helped that team become a weekly contender. Then as they were getting closer and closer to winning a Truck Championship the team shut down, as Reddick was preparing to make the jump to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Fast forward and Reddick finds himself behind the wheel of the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. A team and car that had won championships with both Chase Elliott (2014) and William Byron (2017). What did he do in his first start in 2018, he won the season opener at Daytona. Then he disappeared throughout the rest of that season.
Then he suddenly in the clutch won at Homestead-Miami Speedway, in doing so he won the Xfinity Series Championship. That paved the way to moving to Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Xfinity Car, and he only got better winning a second-consecutive Championship in 2019. That led to a full-time Cup ride in 2020. He spent three years at RCR, with three wins coming in his final season. Which brings us back to Reddick having to defy the odds to become the success he is.
Tyler Reddick Continues to Defy Odds, Reaches Championship Four
Reddick had to make one hell of a move to get past Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Blaney to win this past weekend at Homestead. He made it work in the final two turns to punch his ticket to the Championship Four. He made so many people proud including his boss Michael Jordan.
Jordan spoke with motorsport.com’s Nick DeGroot, about the grit he showed to win Homestead.
” Little kid drove his ass off,” Jordan said.
Reddick later followed it up with comments of his own and cited being back into a corner.
” We were backed into a corner man,” Reddick said. “We had no other choice. I know we were on a tire deficit and here at Homestead, that’s a death sentence. But I don’t care. We did what it took to win this race. We’re fighting for a championship.”
That’s some fire and passion of a driver with one goal in mind. For a team that needs some good news to happen, Reddick being in the Championship Four is deserved.
No Pressure in Martinsville, Yeah Right Yes There Is
Everyone knows Reddick and Joey Logano don’t have to worry about pressure in Martinsville this weekend. Everybody else yeah. Hendrick Motorsports has three cars in the round of 8, Kyle Larson, Byron, and Elliott. Reddick’s boss Hamlin is below the cutline. As is Blaney. Currently, the final two spots are held by Bell and Byron. Boy is that going to change a few times before the end of the 500-lap race on Sunday. Homestead’s finish was outstanding. What will Martinsville provide? The pressure is at the highest I think I have ever seen it. All eyes will be on the playoff drivers.
