Tyler Reddick sits in his car during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on April 8, 2023. Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Almost assuredly, Tyler Reddick will qualify for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, thanks to his March 26 victory on the road course at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas
But the driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota hasn’t adjusted seamlessly to the transition to his new Toyota team. In fact, after moving from Richard Childress Racing to 23XI to start the 2023 season, Reddick has suffered through some spotty results on paved oval tracks.
“Honestly, I like to look at the ‘What ifs’ to a degree,” Reddick said. “We’ve had a lot of other good races that have kind of gotten away from us. But this is a new venture for me — my first year with Toyota, first year with this team and just trying to get to know everybody.
“I think, from that standpoint, we’re doing a really good job of that. It’s really great that we have that win, but we’re just building on all the important things that matter when the Playoffs come around.
“The numbers, while we’d certainly like to have a few more here or there in certain columns, it’s just about going through these experiences and learning together, so when it comes time to get down to business in the Playoffs, we’ve gone through all those trials, and we’re ready.”
Reddick comes to Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway with extra motivation. The No. 45 Camry he drives swept last year’s two races at the 1.5-mile track — with two different drivers behind the wheel.
Kurt Busch won the spring race, and after Busch was sidelined with concussion-like symptoms, Bubba Wallace moved from his customary No. 23 to the No. 45 and won the Playoff race at Kansas last September.
With the start of the new season, the No. 45 went to Reddick, who has a chance to be the third straight different 23XI driver to win a race at Kansas.
“This is a track where I had a lot of speed last year in both events (in the No. 8 RCR Chevrolet) but just couldn’t quite put the whole race together,” Reddick said.
“I’m really excited to get back here, obviously. I had to race against 23XI here last year, and it was really cool to see all the speed they had, knowing that I was going to be going there at some point.”
Ross Chastain, Daniel Suarez Enter CARS Race As All-Star Warmup
Trackhouse Racing drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez provided strong indication of how serious they are about the May 21 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Both Chastain and Suarez have entered the CARS Tour Late Model Stock event scheduled at the venerable short track on Wednesday, May 17.
“I have never been to North Wilkesboro nor really spent much time driving a late model,” said Suarez, who will drive the No. 99 Jockey Chevrolet for R and S Race Cars from South Boston, Virginia.
“Every little bit helps. Plus, it’s going to be a lot of fun going short-track racing. Getting familiar with the track will help our program a lot.”
The NASCAR Cup Series hasn’t raced at .625-mile North Wilkesboro since 1996, when Jeff Gordon won the last points event held there. The NASCAR All-Star Race is an exhibition — but a lucrative one indeed.
“They are paying a million dollars and giving out a beautiful trophy to win the race,” said Chastain, who will drive the No. 28 Ambetter Chevrolet fielded by the Pinnacle Racing Group of Mooresville, North Carolina.
Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks is part of a group that acquired the CARS Tour at the end of the 2022 season. The ownership group also includes Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton.
Earnhardt, Harvick and Chase Briscoe also will compete in the May 17 race.
Kyle Larson Takes First Step Toward Coke 600/Indy 500 Double
Racing in the Indianapolis 500 has long been a dream of Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson.
Earlier this week, Larson took the first concrete step toward making that dream a reality. On a visit to the Arrow McLaren race shop in Indianapolis, Larson was fitted for the seat he will occupy during the 2024 running of the race.
The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet already has made his mark in a wide variety of racing equipment. Among his accomplishments are winning the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series championship, the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals, and the Knoxville Nationals and Kings Royal for winged sprint cars.
Tony Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 champion and Larson’s teammate on the winning 2015 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona team, also attended the fitting.
“I know we will have a shot to win,” Larson said in a Hendrick Motorsports release. “This is definitely winning equipment. It’s going to be a fun experience. Want to soak it all in and try to do the best job we can come a year from now.”
Larson plans to race in the 2024 Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day. He would become the fifth driver to run that double — joining John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch.
NASCAR Cup Series
Kansas Speedway – Kansas City, KS
Advent Health 400 – May 7, 2023
Sunday’s Starting Lineup
Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
1. 24 William Byron Liberty University Chevrolet 30.133 179.206
2. 5 Kyle Larson HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 30.139 179.170
3. 1 Ross Chastain AdventHealth Chevrolet 30.145 179.134
4. 19 Martin Truex, Jr. Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota 30.181 178.921
5. 45 Tyler Reddick McDonald’s Toyota 30.210 178.749
6. 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 30.255 178.483
7. 54 Ty Gibbs # Monster Energy Toyota 30.269 178.400
8. 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 30.301 178.212
9. 99 Daniel Suarez Worldwide Express Chevrolet 30.384 177.725
10. 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Moen Ford 30.426 177.480
11. 3 Austin Dillon BetMGM Chevrolet 30.445 177.369
12. 20 Christopher Bell SiriusXM Toyota 30.450 177.340
13. 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Light #ForTheFarmers Ford 30.473 177.206
14. 17 Chris Buescher Fastenal/Body Guard Ford 30.473 177.206
15. 2 Austin Cindric Freightliner Ford 30.503 177.032
16. 8 Kyle Busch Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet 30.513 176.974
17. 23 Bubba Wallace Dr Pepper Zero Sugar Toyota 30.647 176.200
18. 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 30.730 175.724
19. 43 Erik Jones Allegiant Chevrolet 30.743 175.650
20. 6 Brad Keselowski King’s Hawaiian GoTG Vol 3 Ford 30.745 175.638
21. 9 Chase Elliott UniFirst Chevrolet 30.788 175.393
22. 42 Noah Gragson # Sunseeker Resort Chevrolet 30.799 175.330
23. 34 Michael McDowell Love’s Travel Stops Ford 30.838 175.109
24. 7 Corey LaJoie FOE Chevrolet 30.863 174.967
25. 21 Harrison Burton Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford 30.865 174.955
26. 77 Ty Dillon Ferris Commercial Mowers Chevrolet 30.920 174.644
27. 16 A.J. Allmendinger Action Industries Chevrolet 30.945 174.503
28. 41 Ryan Preece HaasTooling.com Ford 30.968 174.374
29. 48 Josh Berry(i) Ally Chevrolet 31.036 173.991
30. 31 Justin Haley Celsius Chevrolet 31.114 173.555
31. 14 Chase Briscoe Rush Truck Centers/Cummins Ford 31.149 173.360
32. 38 Todd Gilliland Speedy Cash Ford 31.236 172.877
33. 47 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Dillons/Kraft Mac & Cheese Chevrolet 31.421 171.860
34. 15 Brennan Poole(i) VDL Strong/go2mro.com/donate Ford 31.473 171.576
35. 51 J.J. Yeley(i) Biohaven/Jacob Co. Ford 31.602 170.875
36. 78 Josh Bilicki Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet 0.000 0.000
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
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