Tyler Reddick’s first season driving for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and fellow NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin has produced one victory and a guaranteed spot in the 16-driver playoff field with room to spare on the regular-season schedule.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing. A high-profile setback Aug. 6 at Michigan International Speedway led an incensed Reddick to unleash a series of expletives after a mistake on a pit stop left his No. 45 Toyota with a loose right rear wheel. Reddick went from contending for the win to a 30th-place finish.
Reddick, 27, will seek his fifth career Cup victory when he competes in the Go Bowling at The Glen on Aug. 20 at Watkins Glen International’s road course. His first victory with 23XI Racing came March 26 at the Circuit of the Americas road course in Texas. Reddick’s NASCAR resume also includes 10 Xfinity Series triumphs and the 2018 and 2019 Xfinity Series championships.
Looking back:Kyle Larson repeats at Watkins Glen
Last year Reddick won three Cup races in his third season with Richard Childress Racing. He moved to 23XI Racing a year earlier than originally planned after previous No. 45 driver Kurt Busch stepped away from full-time racing because of lingering concussion-related issues.
Reddick’s four Cup wins include three on road courses. He finished 10th at Watkins Glen in the 2021 Cup race and seventh last year.
He is a native of Corning, California, and now lives in Mooresville, North Carolina. (He said he thought his mind was playing tricks on him when he discovered Watkins Glen neighbor Corning, New York). Reddick is set to marry fiancée Alexa De Leon next summer. They have a 3-year-old son, Beau.
Reddick talked about the series’ return to Watkins Glen and more during an Aug. 8 interview.
Question: How would you assess the season?
Answer: The tough things that are difficult to have are speed in the race cars. That’s something we have not lacked. We’ve had a lot of speed in our cars.
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