Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway presents Tyler Reddick another opportunity to conquer “The Track Too Tough To Tame.”
Reddick’s track record at the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval has been stout as of recently, especially after the introduction of the Next Gen race car in 2022. Since its entry into the Cup Series, Reddick boasts three top-three finishes in four starts at Darlington, including two second-place finishes.
So, how has Reddick been so good on one of NASCAR’s toughest race tracks?
While the assumption would be his adaptability with the Next Gen car, he believes otherwise.
“I’m not totally sure this new car has helped me and my driving style at Darlington a whole lot,” Reddick told SPEED SPORT. “But, one thing that has changed with the Next Gen era is just the capability of our cars has gotten better. I’ve gotten better as a driver too.
“But certainly, I’d say the last two years at Darlington for me when I was at RCR (Richard Childress Racing) and now at 23XI. Just one of our stronger tracks that we have on the calendar year. For me, it’s been great to be as strong as we have and be as close to winning as we have.”
Knocking on the doorstep has been Reddick’s M.O. as of late at Darlington.
While the balance of his race car and improved race craft are certainly major keys, there’s an additional piece to the puzzle that may be the most important in having a successful day at Darlington — pit stops.
“With just how valuable Goodyear tires are at a place like Darlington, there’s a lot of pit stops,” Reddick began. “Honestly, the teams that are fast on the race track will find themselves contending at some point.
“But I think more than anything, I’ve heard this where it’s more like a pit crew showcase as well.
“If your pit crew is able to gain you one or two spots every time you hit pit road at a place like Darlington, you will eventually get to the lead and you’re gonna have a strong chance of winning the race.”
As Reddick chases his first win at Darlington, he’ll be sporting a special throwback paint scheme that pays tribute to one of NASCAR’s most storied personalities to ever walk the garage area, Tim Richmond.
Reddick’s No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota will be wrapped in a white base color with purple, blue and orange stripes throughout, replicating Richmond’s 1982 Motorcraft paint scheme.
For Reddick, the opportunity to honor Richmond’s personality was equally as important as honoring his driving career.
“He really enjoyed life. I think as a race car driver, it’s really easy to get down or lose sight of what’s important,” Reddick explained. “If you’re truly just happy and doing everything you want to do, living life the way you want to, you will find more success on the weekends with that.
“I think for him, (he) wasn’t necessarily a part of the normal mold for a lot of drivers at the time. But, he was doing what made him happy at the race track, during the week and getting ready for the race weekends.
“He didn’t really let someone tell him how he was going to live his life, in my opinion of him. He just did things his way. He really enjoyed himself,” Reddick continued.
“And I think that allowed him to go to the race track with a smile on his face and be aggressive and have the confidence that I think as a driver today that’s really important to have.”