On Thursday at Phoenix Raceway, Tyler Reddick began one of the biggest weekends of his career: his first true shot at a NASCAR Cup Series championship. Forty drivers had arrived, but all but the Championship Four — Reddick, William Byron, and past Cup champions Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney — were eliminated from title contention. The highest-finishing driver among the Championship Four on Sunday would be crowned champion.
Reddick’s championship hunt came at the end of a tense week. He was the lone Toyota remaining, as his 23XI Racing team owner, Denny Hamlin, was eliminated on points at Martinsville Speedway, and teammate Christopher Bell had been in the Championship Four for 27 minutes before being disqualified for a safety violation. Byron secured his spot despite allegations of race manipulation favoring both himself and Reddick. Meanwhile, 23XI Racing faced legal battles with NASCAR, jeopardizing their team’s future.
After spending the afternoon promoting the race, Reddick walked over to me for an interview about the championship. As usual, our conversation veered off course, and we spent 10 minutes dissecting JDM cars instead. I tried to steer back toward his season, but he told me about a recent meme comparing movie critics’ use of “slow burn” with “boring” (which I had seen too!). Eventually, I managed to ask my final question.
“Don’t jinx yourself,” I said. “How do you feel about Sunday?”
Reddick sat back, exhaled, and visibly relaxed.
“Really good,” he responded. “I feel really good about it.”
The Making of a Champion(ship Contender)
NASCAR’s modern championship format, applied to all its national series (Cup, Xfinity, and Truck), utilizes an elimination playoff system. In the Cup Series, the playoffs begin with 16 drivers. They span 10 races and four rounds; the first three elimination rounds each consist of three races, while the final round involves four drivers competing in a single race. This year, that single race is held at Phoenix Raceway, with the highest finishing Championship Four driver claiming the title. Automating advancement occurs when a driver wins within a round, and other spots are determined by points.
Reddick qualified for the eight-driver round this year but wrecked himself in the first race in Las Vegas. It significantly dropped his points position and almost ended his championship hopes. However, Reddick told me he’s gotten better at separating personal life from his on-track performance.
“I feel like when I was younger, I wouldn’t turn that off,” Reddick said. “If it was something bad, I would drag that back home or to the bus. Over time, I’ve become better at finding peace with what has happened, good or bad. I move along and allow myself to be present with my family.
“There is a point at which overthinking can lead you nowhere, especially when dealing with negativity. It’s important to learn from it, acknowledge it, but dwelling on it isn’t healthy.”
Champion Tyler Reddick, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Camaro TAME the BEAST
Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
But remember, Reddick is a two-time Xfinity Series champion. Both victories came after winning at one of his best tracks: the 1.5-mile Homestead-Miami Speedway oval. While the Xfinity series isn’t on par with the Cup Series,
Tyler Reddick’s Unexpected Path to Phoenix
The experience had prepared him well for the weekend ahead. “It feels so similar to when I did this while racing in Xfinity,” Reddick told me. “I know it’s the Cup Series. I’m racing against Cup champions. It’s at Phoenix instead of Homestead. But just the feeling, the mindset, where I’m at internally going into it, all feels very aligned with those other Championship Four appearances. It just kind of came naturally.”
Modern NASCAR: Win and You’re In
Reddick knew he had to win the next race at Homestead-Miami to secure a spot in the Championship Four. He was third with two laps remaining, trailing Hamlin and Blaney, both facing the same scenario – victory would automatically qualify them for the Championship Four.
On the final lap, Reddick skillfully maneuvered past Hamlin low in Turns 1 and 2, then zipped by Blaney on the high side entering Turns 3 and 4 to claim victory. His last-lap speed defied expectations, making it a legendary finish. Yet during this moment, Reddick existed in another world.
“I just … I ended up there,” Reddick said. “I don’t know how to explain it. People talk about getting in the zone, and it felt like one of those moments where you lock in, it happens, it’s over, and you’re left thinking: ‘What just happened?’ That’s what it felt like – time was moving so quickly but also slowly all at once. It’s really trippy stuff.”
Race winner Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, The Beast Killer Sunrise Toyota Camry
Photo by: NASCAR Media
Reddick explained that the most agonizing part of the NASCAR playoffs becomes apparent when the field narrows down to eight drivers. Three playoff contenders dominated all three races in the Round of Eight, leaving a single spot for the Championship Four determined by points. This final position became a fierce battle until the following week at Phoenix where the tension from the controversy lingered.
“It’s hard to win in the Cup Series, and it pretty much was something you had to do to give yourself a decent shot at being here,” Reddick said. “Look at how William [Byron], Denny [Hamlin], and Bell performed in these races we had – they were incredibly strong. Kyle [Larson], with all his playoff points, you’d think he’d be set.
“But in the Round of Eight, it can get out of control so fast if you don’t win.”
His win at Homestead gave 23XI an extra week to prepare for Phoenix. After the race, Reddick contemplated the bigger picture – his chance at a career-defining first Cup championship.
“I allowed myself to think about it, take it in,” Reddick said. “I absorbed that information to be ready to focus on preparation. Everything just felt natural. I didn’t have to force myself to think about this or not think about that. It all feels as it should.”
Other Factors in Phoenix: The Car, Strategy and Pit Performance
But a championship is more than just a driver’s mindset; it requires a strong team and car. I asked Reddick’s crew chief, Billy Scott, what this weekend is like for him. He kept things practical.
“Normally, we only go through tech [inspection by NASCAR officials] once,” Scott said. “Our cars are basically impounded, which means there are very limited…”
We can make continuous adjustments throughout the race weekend. After a 20-minute practice session, drivers head straight into qualifying. Then, cars are parked until the race on Sunday.
“This weekend, because it’s the final playoff race, we go through tech inspection when we arrive, but the cars aren’t impounded yet. It helps us get a feel for where everything is. We have a full practice session: 50 minutes with multiple sets of tires. Teams can freely change just about anything on the car they want or have time to adjust. There’s simply more garage time, more opportunities to fine-tune things, and more trips to tech inspection.”
Scott prefers a shorter weekend format. He says it rewards 23XI’s pre-race preparation and limits other teams’ time “to science things out” based on practice speeds. However, in Phoenix, 23XI rolled into the track with three cars ready to compete: Reddick’s No. 45, Wallace’s No. 23, and Hamlin’s No. 11.
JR Houston, a friend of mine and an engineer on Wallace’s car, explained that 23XI’s primary goal for Phoenix was the championship. To achieve that, all three cars arrived with similar setups, allowing the team to work as a unified force on adjustments and driving techniques for Reddick.
“I’d say 90% of our weekend is focused on making sure they get everything they need,” Houston shared. “If we find something that makes the car faster, we tell them about it, then both our cars become faster. If they get everything they need, we perform well, and vice versa.”
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry
Photo by: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
NASCAR teams utilize off-track time for debriefs, discussions about adjustments, and data analysis. A significant amount of data comes from a system called SMT, which displays graphs and animations of the speed, revs, shifting, braking, throttle, steering, delta time, and driving line executed by any car. Each weekend, Reddick’s team can analyze where other cars gain or lose time relative to him, and conversely, other teams can see the same information for Reddick.
However, a car’s speed is only part of securing victory. Pit road plays a vital role, where teams of five change tires and add fuel in the 8- to 10-second range. Each pit crew member’s sole objective is to work as quickly as possible, and before the race, they spray sticky traction compounds in their pit boxes to aid drivers during launches.
Pit road itself resembles a long, congested parking lot with a few open spaces. Teams choose pit boxes strategically based on performance, and pitting near empty spots reduces stress levels.
“The most important thing for us is having an opening,” Scott emphasizes. “If you have an opening when leaving your pit box, you control your destiny more than ever before. And as long as you’re running ahead of the car that pitted behind you, it should make getting on and off pit road easier.”
Scott is also responsible for race strategy, which can evolve based on a car’s performance and caution flags. NASCAR teams have various options during a race: two tires, four tires, no tires, scuffed tires, new tires – a myriad of combinations – they can use. They also can choose to pit early or late, depending on how it will affect speed and track position when exiting pit road.
The season finale in Phoenix spans 312 laps, and Cup cars can run for approximately 95 laps on a tank of fuel. Due to tire degradation, tires wear down more rapidly during “short runs,” typically reaching a maximum of about 30 laps in Cup cars at Phoenix. After that initial period, tires plateau and degrade much more slowly for long runs extending up to 95 laps.
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The ups and downs of championship weekend
On Friday, Reddick ran the 21st-fastest lap in practice — the fourth among the four championship cars. Blaney led, Byron finished fourth, and Logano ninth. Hamlin and Wallace, driving similar cars to Reddick’s, ran eighth and 11th, respectively. They spent the night tirelessly working to close the performance gap.
“Throughout practice, if a driver encounters a specific handling issue, we meticulously record those laps,” Houston explained. “During our debrief, instead of sifting through 60 laps of data, we focus on these precise instances where they adjusted their approach and how it impacted their cornering.”
“In practice, Bubba felt more comfortable with the car,” he continued. “We spent an hour debriefing about the different car feels, realizing that given their similarity, the drivers were the key differentiator. This inherent likeness allows us to learn from each other.”
The next day, Reddick significantly improved, clocking in at 10th during qualifying. Logano secured second place, Byron qualified eighth, and Blaney 17th.
“We have a clear understanding of what needs work and have been collaborating on a plan for Sunday,” Reddick told the media after qualifying. “I’m confident in my direction and how we need to keep up with the race car. Of course, we’ll have to see how the race unfolds.”
On Sunday’s pre-race grid, minutes before the cars lined up, Reddick’s friends and family showered him with hugs and well wishes—a common ritual in NASCAR. Drivers are often swarmed by loved ones and the media until they step into their vehicles.
Reddick started 10th and maintained that position for a significant portion of the race. He was strategically aggressive on restarts, and his pit stops were consistently reliable throughout the day. By usual standards, it was an excellent performance. But championship-caliber racing demands a level of long-run speed Reddick’s car lacked compared to the other Championship Four drivers.
The race featured only four cautions: one for an early wreck, two planned pit stops for stage breaks, and one resulting from a crash on lap 251 of 312. The final green-flag run exceeded 50 laps, and during this crucial stretch, Blaney relentlessly closed the gap on his teammate Logano, eventually pressuring him at his back bumper. Logano held off Blaney to clinch his third Cup championship, while Byron finished third in the race and Reddick sixth.
While a sixth-place finish is commendable on an ordinary day, it falls short of requirements in the championship standings.
“I believe we did everything within our power,” Reddick stated in a post-race press conference. “But it’s disheartening when the lead pack continues to pull further away. We fought valiantly and avoided any mistakes that would have eliminated us from contention. We exerted every effort to refine the car throughout the day. The result, however, was simply lacking the speed and effective restarts needed to challenge at the forefront.”
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Photo by: NASCAR Media
Reddick stepped off the press conference stage, gave me a half-smile conveying effort and determination, and I simply nodded, acknowledging his sentiment.
“I know you’re ready”—and his words on Thursday about the championship echoed in my mind.
“You just have to accept whatever happens,” Reddick said. “If you win the championship, it’s fantastic. But there’s a three-in-four chance that it doesn’t happen, and you must be able to come to terms with that. I think you can if you go into this weekend knowing you’ve prepared as much as possible, covered all your bases, and made sure every detail is in place.”
“Yes, it’s difficult to walk away from a weekend if things don’t work out, but it’ll allow us to process it better knowing we have no regrets. We did everything within our power to win it.”
