"I haven’t felt right since that restart" - Tyler Reddick could be next victim of concussion after scary radio call at Martinsville

Future 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick has announced his arrival in the NASCAR Cup Series firmly this season, taking his maiden victory in the sport's highest echelon. In a year that has seen Reddick being mentioned as one of the 'generational drivers' in NASCAR, the Richard Childress Racing driver has solidified those claims with two more visits to Victory Lane in addition to his first win at Road America.

Last weekend's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, however, did not bode well for the 26-year-old as he retired from the 500-lap-long race with complaints of headaches from inside the cockpit. Given the Corning, California native's dedication behind the wheel of a stock car, many wondered about the implications of the headache that forced him into retirement. In subsequent communications over his team radio, it was clear Reddick did not suffer from the average headache.

In an exchange with his team over the radio, Tyler Reddick referenced a restart from the Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which saw him crash into the inside wall. He stated his health issues ever since the impact in Miami while asking the team for the possibility of someone filling in for him, and said:

“Do we have a backup driver? I haven’t felt right since that restart. My head hurts. I’ll stop now probably, but then our day is over.”

The #8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver retired shortly after his exchange with crew chief Randall Burnett. Given the history of the NASCAR Next Gen car and its safety issues over the current season, it seems Tyler Reddick might as well be the third driver to have suffered concussion injuries in the new car. Even though the 26-year-old was released from the infield care center in Miami, he is reported to have felt ill for several days after hitting the inside wall at the 1.5-mile-long track.

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Tyler Reddick reportedly fell ill the entire week after the Cup Series race in Miami

After retiring from last Sunday's Martinsville race, Richard Childress Racing driver Tyler Reddick was reported to be feeling ill ever since his crash in Miami the week before. After the #8 3CHI Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 driver retired out of Xfinity 500 after rear-ending another car, an impact similar to his head-on crash in Miami, reports suggest his past week was no different.

Jordan Bianchi from The Athletic confirmed the news from a source at Richard Childress Racing on Twitter and wrote:

“Richard Childress Racing team member tells me Tyler Reddick hadn’t felt right all week after his hard crash at Homestead, and when he rear-ended someone in the race today he started to feel worse so he pulled to the garage. Here’s the front of Reddick’s car and the damage.”

NASCAR goes live from Phoenix Raceway next Sunday for the 2022 Cup Series title decider.