Big Machine Racing announced that Tyler Reddick will be piloting the team’s No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series events at Darlington Raceway and at Texas Motor Speedway in the month of May.
Reddick, a two-time Xfinity Series champion with nine victories who currently competes on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, will be making his return to the series since competing on a part-time basis during the previous season between RSS Racing, Our Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing. Campaigning in seven Xfinity events in 2021, his best on-track result was a fifth-place run at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May. He initially earned a runner-up result at Homestead-Miami Speedway in February, but the Corning, California, native was disqualified due to his car failing post-race inspection.
For his first scheduled start with Big Machine Racing this upcoming weekend at Darlington on May 7, Reddick, who last competed as a full-time Xfinity competitor in 2019 when he achieved his second consecutive series title, will be sporting a special gold, red and white scheme that pays homage to NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison and the Coca-Cola Monte Carlo scheme Allison drove to his 1972 Southern 500 victory as part of NASCAR’s throwback theme. Following an off-weekend period, Reddick will return for his second scheduled Xfinity event at Texas Motor Speedway on May 21. The two events will tally Reddick’s career starts in the Xfinity circuit to 93.
“I’m really excited to get back in an Xfinity Series car and it’s even cooler that I get to do it for Darlington Throwback Weekend,” Reddick said. “I’ve always loved that weekend because it honors our sport’s legends, like Bobby Allison. Big Machine Racing put together a really awesome looking car, and Bobby Allison is not only a NASCAR Hall of Famer but a NASCAR icon. I hope we can get this hot rod in Victory Lane on the 50th anniversary of his Southern 500 win. Thanks to Big Machine Racing’s alliance with Richard Childress Racing, our Chevy will certainly be fast and I’m hoping we can get that No. 48 up front. Thank you so much to Big Machine Racing for letting me get behind the wheel of the car. I’m really looking forward to it and to running other races in the future.”
Reddick’s addition to Big Machine Racing means that he will become the fourth overall competitor to campaign in at least one event for the team that initially began the season with Jade Buford as their full-time competitor. During the previous two Xfinity events at Talladega Superspeedway and at Dover Motor Speedway, however, Kaz Grala replaced Buford in Big Machine Racing’s No. 48 entry as part of the team’s goal for on-track success.
“We are honored to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bobby Allison’s 1972 Southern 500 win,” Scott Borchetta, team owner of Big Machine Racing, said. “The design has always been a fan favorite and we’re thrilled to have former Xfinity Series champ Tyler Reddick behind the wheel. The Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers team badly wants this design back in Victory Lane.”
Additional announcements regarding the remainder of Big Machine Racing’s driver lineup are yet to be determined.
Reddick is set to pilot the No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet Camaro for the upcoming Xfinity Series event at Darlington Raceway on Saturday, May 7. The event’s coverage is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
