To win the Daytona 500 is a massive accomplishment. To back it up with a win the following week is equally impressive. But winning the three opening races of a season? Unheard of.
Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing did just that, completing a three-peat to open the season, a feat never done before in Nascar. So how did he get to this stage? And are Reddick and 23XI real contenders for a championship?
THE MAN BEHIND THE WHEEL
In 2013, Reddick got his first opportunity within the NASCAR career through the Craftsman Truck Series, aged 17. He went full time in 2015 for Brad Keselowski racing, earning only three wins across the two years he spent with the team. Reddick was clearly a prospect, but he needed time to develop before he was even considered for the big stage. Signing for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2017, he earned his first Xfinity Series win that year, before moving to JR Motorsports. Reddick bloomed here, and fought his way to a first Xfinity Series Championship in 2018. He moved to Richard Childress Racing the following year, took home a second championship, and finally got the opportunity that he’d been waiting on: a Cup Series drive.
BUILT SPEED OR TRAINED SPEED?
CADEN
Reddick has been on top of the world in recent weeks, and even with an 8th place finish that “brought him down to Earth,” there’s no denying that he has good pace. But is Reddick actually fast, or is Toyota just building rocket ships? The answer is both. Obviously, Reddick wouldn’t get nearly as many shots at a win if he was running for a back marker, but there’s something to be said about the way the 30 year old has been driving. Yes, the Daytona 500 is a toss up, but the last lap pass: pure talent. There’s only a select number of drivers that are making that move happen. Followed by Atlanta, a drive from the back of the field where he took a car lacking fenders to victory lane. And if you still don’t believe it was talent, he took on Shane Van Gisbergen, who won 5 of the 6 road courses last season, and held him off in foreign territory without ever looking like he was truly under pressure. Reddick looks more comfortable than anyone else at the front of the field.
JACKSON
With a driver like Reddick, you have to compare his hunger to the other 38 drivers. Throughout the recent races he has won, you can see even through untimely events, Reddick is able to pull through in the end, big attributes being his speed and his collectiveness during the final lap. In Atlanta, Reddick was caught up in a crash on the 224th lap of the race where he lost his right front bender. Watching it, you have to think that Reddick’s chances are gone. Instead, Reddick then climbed his way back to the top three spots and fought his way to victory again. These first few wins are not a fluke, and I believe Reddick will continue to excel for the rest of the season.
CHASING CHAMPIONSHIPS
CADEN
Reddick is obviously an early favorite to win the championship, but there’s more to my favoritism than just his winning nature. Despite not winning a race last year, Reddick was massively consistent, and only failed to finish 1 of 36 races last season. Last year, his consistency may not have been rewarded with the “win and in” system that Nascar used for their playoffs; but this year, the sport adopted an old system. “The Chase” format returned to Nascar after not being utilized for over a decade, bringing with it a ten race span for the championship for the 16 best qualifying drivers. These 16 drivers could previously win a race to guarantee their spot, regardless of their points position, but now will be placed based on points alone. And for someone as dependable as Reddick, who already added three wins to his name, his consistency makes him, for me, the championship favorite.
JACKSON
As the season has just begun, Reddick has shown his opponents, his sponsors, his owners, and the fans that he is here to stay. The public can forget how last season went for Reddick and can look ahead to see he is going to be a contender this season. Being 60 points ahead of any of the other drivers, he has a severe advantage to winning the regular season championship. With the new championship system, Reddick’s consistency will continue on and he will prove he is the best driver on the track.
