Tyler Reddick bookends the month of July in a winning manner. (Photo: Cayden Rush | The Podium Finish)
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – While Tyler Reddick has plenty to look forward to in 2024, perhaps the here and now is just as fruitful.
After all, the 26-year-old Corning, California native continues to give it his best for his No. 8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro team. If anything, the two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion looks like a man on a mission for Richard Childress Racing.
Following an impressive pole position run, Reddick essentially paced the way, only losing the lead when pitting prior to the end of Stages 1 and 2. Placing 15th and 12th in Stages 1 and 2, Reddick made his presence known when it really mattered.
Muscling his way past Christopher Bell on Lap 50, Reddick surrendered the lead for his final pit stop. However, things got interesting following a scary Turn 1 crash on Lap 63 involving Kyle Larson and Ty Dillon.
Undoubtedly, Reddick was the man to beat, urging past Joey Hand on Lap 62, relentlessly holding onto a lead for the remainder of the race.
Not even a NASCAR Overtime restart could derail the young racer, urging his No. 8 ride to his second career NASCAR Cup Series win. Moreover, he becomes the first driver since the late Tim Richmond to earn his first two Cup wins at road courses.
Needless to say, Reddick was absolutely ecstatic prior to kissing the yard of bricks with his family and crew.
Reddick enjoys some asphalt laden donuts. (Photo: Cayden Rush | The Podium Finish)
“What a day!” Reddick exclaimed in a team press release. “We qualified on the pole and our car was crazy fast. This team has worked so hard and they brought me a dominant car. Thank you to everyone at RCR and ECR for making this possible. My pit crew and spotters were on top of it all day and my crew chief, Randall Burnett, made all the right calls.”
Much like an actor who gives it 100 percent in the final seasons of a hit show, Reddick continues to deliver for RCR. Likewise, he recognizes one of his strong suits with the perennial Cup team.
“Road courses have been so good for us and I’m just really glad we were able to capitalize on our speed and bring home another win,” he observed. “To be able to get another victory and do it here in Indianapolis, I’m just thrilled.
“This is one really special place to race, and really excited that I got to kiss the bricks. I’m so excited that we got 3CHI a win in their hometown, too. Just such a special, special day and this No. 8 3CHI team is going to celebrate.”
Prior to the celebrations, Reddick acknowledged one of the Next Gen’s helpful but distracting components – the rear view camera.
Indeed, Reddick basks in a glorious win at Indianapolis. (Photo: Stephen Conley | The Podium Finish)
“I’m not going to lie, I wish I had a switch to turn my camera off on the back of that dang car because I can’t tell you how many times when AJ (Allmendinger) flew up into the sand in Turn 3 and 4, when Chase (Elliott) spun out or I think it was (Ryan) Blaney that spun out on the final restart, I was just like caught looking in the camera like I was a kid watching the best of the best race in front of me, like I’ve got to drive my dang car,” he recalled. “I’ve got to stop looking at this camera. I wish I could turn that thing off sometimes.
“It captures way too much. I would hit a really good corner, but I would get so caught up with what was happening behind me that I would lose track of what I was looking at. I don’t know, the camera is great, but sometimes I wish I could turn that thing off because I get too caught up in what’s going on behind me sometimes.”
Even with the rear view camera presenting a tempting obstacle, he stayed the course. Simply put, there was no stopping Reddick and the No. 8 team on Sunday afternoon, particularly with delivering another winning performance for RCR.
“For me, I just look at the time we have left, and I know I always give it my all, but certainly knowing that this is when — this is when the end of the road is going to be,” Reddick shared. “I need to do everything I can to win as many races as possible for this group because I wouldn’t be the road course racer I am today if it wasn’t for RCR, if it wasn’t for the people on my team, if it wasn’t for Chevrolet.
“I owe it to them. I owe it to my team. I owe it to the people that really have helped me to get that done and go out there and deliver for them.”
Certainly, Reddick is turning up the wick when it matters. (Photo: Cayden Rush | The Podium Finish)
Notably, Reddick moves up to fifth in the NASCAR Playoffs standings. With four races left in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, the Chevrolet brigade continues to rack up wins and dominant performances.
Once the champagne and distinct taste of the Brickyard bricks dissipate from Reddick’s memory bank, it’s onto Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway (3 p.m. ET on USA). Ryan Blaney hopes to replicate his winning ways from last year’s riveting race.
Stage 1 Top 10 Finishers
Briscoe-Blaney-Byron-Logano-Elliott/Gilliland-Larson-Ky. Busch-Burton-Truex Jr.
Stage 2 Top 10 Finishers
Bell-Ky. Busch-Wallace-Elliott-Ty Dillon/Hamlin-Briscoe-Custer-Jones-Ware
Verizon 200 Top 10 Finishers
Reddick-Cindric-Burton-Gilliland-Wallace/Logano-Allmendinger-McDowell-Custer-Buescher
