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In the 2024 Cup Series regular season, Tyler Reddick, driving for 23XI Racing, was the star of the show. His incredible consistency helped him edge out Kyle Larson to claim the regular season championship. In just his second season with the team, Reddick managed to secure three wins, making him one of the top contenders for the championship. However, the #45 driver’s playoff performance has been a stark contrast to his regular season success.
Reddick started the playoffs with a solid 6th-place finish at Atlanta, but things quickly took a turn for the worse. The tracks where he dominated during the regular season now seem to be working against him. Despite his hope for a turnaround in the second round, his struggles have persisted. In the Kansas race, Reddick finished a disappointing 25th, leaving fans and analysts wondering if he’s still the same driver who dominated earlier in the season. The once-dominant driver now finds himself in the elimination zone, raising the question: Is Tyler Reddick still a championship favorite?
Before his playoff struggles, Reddick had a stellar regular season, racking up eleven top-5 finishes and eighteen top-10s. Even while dealing with illness in the regular season finale, he managed a 10th-place finish at Darlington. With two Xfinity Series championships (2018, 2019) under his belt, Reddick appeared to be on a path to glory in the Cup Series. However, the playoffs have been a different story. In the second playoff race at Watkins Glen, where Reddick had been a force on road courses, he finished a shocking 27th. This result was especially surprising, considering he had five consecutive top-10 finishes on road courses earlier in the season.
Next up was Bristol, where Reddick finished 20th, another disappointment for a driver who had shown consistency on short tracks. In the first round of the playoffs, Reddick only managed to collect 69 points, far below expectations. Reflecting on his performance, Reddick admitted, “It was definitely not a good first round for us. Yeah, I think a number of things played into that.” Still, thanks to his strong regular season, he entered the next round as the third-highest seeded driver.
Unfortunately, the second round began with yet another underwhelming performance. After starting in 4th place, Reddick finished 25th at Kansas, a track where he won last year. This poor showing dropped him four points below the cutoff line, adding pressure as the playoffs progressed. NASCAR analyst Eric Estepp echoed the concerns of many fans, asking, “Where is Reddick?”
Estepp’s September 30th analysis highlighted Reddick’s recent struggles, noting how his performance had dipped dramatically. “Something has changed these last couple weeks, the mojo is gone,” Estepp remarked. He pointed out that the same tires were used at Las Vegas, Nashville, and Pocono—tracks where Reddick finished 2nd, 3rd, and 6th, respectively. Estepp also mentioned Reddick’s dominant win at Michigan earlier in the season, raising the question: “What happened?”
Reddick himself seems concerned about his recent performances. After the Kansas race, he acknowledged, “For a month straight, we haven’t been that great, but we have two weeks to figure it out.” The next race is at Talladega, and Reddick needs a strong finish to stay in the championship hunt.
Looking ahead, the next two races are crucial for Reddick’s championship aspirations. While he won at Talladega last year, his overall performance on superspeedways has been inconsistent. In this year’s Daytona races, he finished 28th and 29th, highlighting the unpredictability of these tracks. Estepp also pointed out that despite his win at Talladega, Reddick’s average finish at the track since 2021 has been 20.9, with an average starting position of 13.6.
Reddick remains cautiously optimistic about his chances at Talladega. “I have confidence when we go to the speedways, certainly of what we need to do to put ourselves in position to win, but every race plays out just so uniquely,” he said. He emphasized the importance of adaptability, noting that each race requires different strategies depending on how the race unfolds.
After his disappointing Kansas finish, a strong result at Talladega is now essential. The final race of the Round of 12 will take place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course, a track that has been one of Reddick’s strengths. He’s known for his dominance on road courses, having secured three wins in the next-gen car on such tracks. In last year’s Charlotte ROVAL race, Reddick finished 6th and has never placed lower than 12th on the track. However, given his recent struggles on road courses, including a poor finish at Watkins Glen, it’s unclear if he’ll be able to reclaim his road course prowess this time around. The track has also been reconfigured, introducing new challenges.
Ultimately, the next two races will be pivotal for Reddick’s playoff hopes. Can he bounce back at Talladega and Charlotte, or will his playoff campaign continue to falter? Only time will tell if the #45 driver can recapture his regular season magic and remain in the hunt for the championship.