Even growing up as a racing fan, Tyler Reddick couldn’t have envisioned himself in this position, vying for a NASCAR Cup -Series title on Sunday.
“I’d only dreamed of one day racing in the Cup Series, let alone winning [NASCAR Cup Series] races,” said Reddick, who races for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing. “Driving for someone like [co-owners] Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin is pretty unreal. It’s a pinch yourself type of moment.
“But it’s so important in these final days leading into it, to appreciate it, but to not lose sight of what is left for us.”
Reddick secured a spot among the Champ 4 drivers after his win at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Entering the final lap of the race, Reddick was in third place, but he was able to blow past Ryan Blaney on Turn 4 to get the win.
“It flipped the playoffs on its head,” Reddick said. “We went through a lull of lacking speed, a lull of just not being able to finish races cleanly, and so for us to be able to go into Homestead like that and win like that was a game-changer for us.
“It gave us an extra week of preparation, and it gave us all of our confidence back that had been slowly slipping away from us throughout the playoffs.”
Sunday will be the first time that Reddick and 23XI will appear in the championship round. Reddick joined 23XI in the 2023 season after racing for Richard Childress Racing.
Jordan attended Reddick’s victory at -Talladega Speedway in April and Homestead-Miami. Representing Jordan matters greatly for Reddick.
“He has a great way of really pulling the best out of those around him,” Reddick said.
The 2024 season has been a success for Reddick. The 28-year-old has led for more laps than Blaney, Williams Byron and Joey Logano, whom he will compete against on Sunday. After his showing at Homestead-Miami, Reddick has shown that he can perform in clutch situations.
Reddick’s success is the fruition of a five-year plan hatched by Jordan and Hamlin to turn the organization into a championship contender, a surprisingly quick turnaround for a newer company.
“We’re moving in the right direction as an organization, and to be able to be here and have this moment in front of us is a nice feeling,” Reddick said.
Since joining Jordan’s company, Reddick has built a bond with the former Bulls legend. He has been struck by how competitive Jordan is and how much he wants to see 23XI win. Having that support will be critical for Reddick as he and his team prepare for Sunday’s championship race. His competition will be steep. Blaney is the defending Cup champion, and Logano is a two-time champion.
“A number of the individuals that work here, our paths have crossed the different teams over the years of my NASCAR -driving career,” Reddick said.
“I’ve seen it from afar as a competitor, watching [23XI] grow when I was at RCR, and seeing just their rate of progression was really impressive.”