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Tyler Reddick, who's leading the points table, is just one race away from securing his first NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship. But ahead of him, he will have to face a crucial challenge at the Darlington Raceway and must beat regular season title contenders Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott.
Darlington Raceway, often referred to as “The Lady in Black” and “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” is considered one of the most difficult tracks in NASCAR. It’s unique layout and abrasive surface are difficult to deal with for any driver.
With the regular-season title on line, conquering the Darlington test is a pivotal moment for Reddick and his #45 23XI Racing team.
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Ahead of Sunday’s Southern 500, Reddick, who drives Michael Jordan's co-owned #45 23XI Racing Toyota in Cup Series, spoke about the challenges of racing at Darlington.
Reddick explained that unlike other race tracks where strategy might focus on competing directly with other drivers, “The Lady in Black” requires a different approach.
“When you go to some of these other tracks, you have to think about it a little differently. But Darlington’s a race; it’s you versus yourself and the race track.
"Obviously, we’re competing with other drivers out there, but you can make mistakes pretty easily there by getting too caught up in what your competitors are doing. So it’s just a good mindset to have,” Reddick said on running at Darlington (via NASCAR.com).
Tyler Reddick has had a strong season with multiple wins. If he runs consistently, it will be easy for him to clinch the regular season title and valuable 15 playoff points.
Tyler Reddick to race against Hendrick Motorsports drivers for regular season title
Heading to Darlington, Tyler Reddick is leading the Cup Series points with 823 points. He's 17 points ahead of Kyle Larson and 18 ahead of Chase Elliott in the battle for the regular-season title.
During NASCAR’s first trip at Darlington this season, Reddick led a race-high 174 of the 293 laps from the pole, but a late-race incident with Chris Buescher ended his hopes of winning the race. It was his still worst-ever finish of the season so far, finishing 32nd.
Reflecting on his Darlington spring race, Reddick said (via NASCAR.com):
“Yeah, I really wish I could have looked into the future and saw where I’d be points. I would have taken that second place right about now, because I’d be just going into Darlington and not worrying about racing the 5 (Larson) or the 9 (Elliott) at all,”
Catch Tyler Reddick in action at Darlington Raceway for the last race of the regular season on Sunday, September 1.
