Why is Tyler Reddick Again Not Planning to Rest Much During NASCAR’s Offseason?
No sleep ’til the finish line. That’s Tyler Reddick’s plan.
Last offseason, Reddick focused his free time on improving his road course skills. The result? All three of his stage wins came on road courses, and by placing eighth at Road America, ninth at the Circuit of the Americas, and 10th at Watkins Glen International, the extra points played a crucial role in securing one of the final NASCAR Cup Series playoff spots.
This offseason, Reddick, who once shut down the president on social media, is putting in additional time to improve his overall skillset with the new Next Gen cars.
Tyler Reddick: ‘Whatever it is in life that you want or really desire … it doesn’t just come to you’
Reddick believes young racers should be busy during the offseason. Again, that’s his plan.
“Whatever it is in life that you want or really desire … it doesn’t just come to you,” Reddick told NBC Sports. “You have to go out there, whether that is quite literally get out there and figure it out, or put something in place or position to gain experience.
“The time I put into (improving on road courses last offseason) equaled the reward that I got out of it for getting better at something that I felt like I truly struggled with. Just lots and lots of time.”
The Xfinity Series’ back-to-back champion in 2018 and ’19, Reddick completed his second full Cup series in ’21, an up-and-down affair. Shaking off a 27th- and a 38th-place finish during the season’s opening two events, Riddick secured a runner-up finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He compiled 16 top 10s, nearly double his rookie mark, and endured only two DNFs.
It was enough to qualify for his first postseason, but it was a short run.
Reddick: ‘Let’s pick it up a notch and take it even further’
During the Round of 16 finale at Bristol Motor Speedway, Reddick was in a position to advance, but he placed 12th. He missed an opportunity to advance by two points.
Time to get back to work.
“When I got to the first day after this past season and was that motivated to just roll into the next year without a break, I knew I was doing the right things last offseason and throughout this past year because I’m just as hungry – if not more hungry – than I was before,” Reddick said. “The effort, the time, and the experience gained (the previous offseason) were clearly paying off, so the motivation was there to just, ‘Let’s turn it up a little more if we can. Let’s pick it up a notch and take it even further.’ ”
Reddick is also watching the work current Cup champion Kyle Larson puts in on short dirt tracks to improve his driving style. Larson is on top and not slowing down.
Why should Reddick?
Reddick is entering the final year of his contract with Richard Childress Racing
That certainly isn’t part of his plan.
“When I think of somebody that spends as much time in a race car as possible, trying to learn and trying to get better, (Larson) has got everybody beat by a lot,” Reddick said. “You could probably add the amount of lap time or track time that he has, and you could probably throw five or six other drivers together, and you wouldn’t still get the amount he has. He’s just raced so much.”
Last winter’s focus was on road courses. This winter, it’s learning everything he can about the Next Gen cars. Next season is the final year of his contract with Richard Childress Racing, and he is better preparing to move forward in the ‘22 playoffs.
Reddick will be back in his mobile office on Jan. 12 for the second day of NASCAR organizational testing at Daytona International Speedway. He hopes to miss the sand-filled barrels this time.
“My approach is kind of going in with an open mind and just absorbing as much as I can,” Reddick said.
Sounds like a plan.
Like Sportscasting on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @sportscasting19.
