In his first full-time season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, 19-year-old Tyler Reddick has emerged as one of NASCAR’s rising stars. He captured his second win of the season at Dover International Speedway last Friday and moved into second place in the series point standings, 11 points behind leader Matt Crafton.
This was Reddick’s second start at Dover. He finished eighth last year in his debut at the track after experiencing some physical discomfort when his leg fell asleep during the event.
“After what happened to myself last year, not knowing a lot about the g-forces in the corners here, I was kind of green when it came to asphalt racing,” he explained. “We had a top-five truck last year, and to have something like that impede our progress in what would have been our first top five, to have something like that mess up what could have been potentially a breakout day for us, are the things you can’t have happen in racing.”
Instead of dwelling on past mistakes, Reddick used it as motivation.
“I really wanted to come back here and run really strong,” he said, “just like I want to run strong every given race. But (last year) gave me a little bit of extra fuel for the fire, and I knew I had to run good here, and we did.”
The victory highlighted what has been an impressive showing this year beginning with Reddick taking home the checkered flag in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
For owner Brad Keselowski, it was confirmation that the team had championship potential.
“We’re really serious about this championship effort,” Keselowski said after the win at Daytona. “Tyler finished out the 2014 season with a record that was strong enough to make a legitimate run for the championship. We knew it. We had this conversation. We defined even another level from that to really feel good about this year. We felt like we’re doing that.
“But to prove it right out the gate at Daytona, he emphasized, “that’s really proving it. This was such a big day. Obviously it’s a big day for Tyler and Doug, but it’s a huge day for our team and a statement being able to win the opening race.”
As the season has progressed, Reddick has solidified his standing as a championship contender. In six starts, he has driven his No. 19 Brad Keselowski Racing Ford to five top-fives. With an average finish of 4.8 and an imposing 113.0 driver rating this season, Reddick’s talent cannot be denied and that talent is what drew Keselowski to the young driver.
“Tyler is a winner. He won before I ever worked with him,” Keselowski said, referring to Reddick’s victory in his first start in the K&N Pro Series race at Rockingham Speedway in 2012.
“But to go along with that,” he said, “patience is kind of earned by a driver by having a strong work ethic, meticulous and well put together mental attitude. Tyler’s had that all along.”
The 2015 season has just begun and anything can happen between now and the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. But don’t be surprised if Reddick continues to be a factor in the months moving forward. If the first third of the season is any indication, you may not have seen the last of Reddick in victory lane.
