Editor’s Note: This continues the series of season reviews for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers.
Driver: Tyler Reddick
Car: No. 8 Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Crew chief: Randall Burnett
Final 2021 ranking: 13th
Key stats: 3 top fives, 16 top 10s, 43 laps led
How 2021 ended:
Reddick was eliminated in the first round of the Cup Series playoffs in his first appearance in the premier series postseason. Needing a strong finish in the Round of 16 finale at Bristol Motor Speedway, Reddick and Co. landed in 12th, just missing out on advancing by a heartbreaking two points. The early exit didn’t stop the second-year driver from competing for the rest of the season, grabbing three more top 10s including a runner-up finish at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
His final top 10 came in the 33rd race of the season at Texas Motor Speedway — making it 16 for the year, nearly doubling his 2020 total — to establish a new benchmark. He rounded out the season with a 22nd-place finish at Kansas Motor Speedway, an 18th-place finish at Martinsville Speedway and slotted in 19th in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
RELATED: Tyler Reddick’s driver page | 2022 Cup Series schedule
Best race:
Reddick’s best performance came in the third race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Rolling off 35th to start, the young driver rallied his way through the field to finish ahead of title contenders Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Larson. In the end, however, William Byron took home the checkered flag and Reddick’s valiant effort landed him second and just shy of his first Cup Series victory.
Additional highlights:
– Though the season was a rollercoaster at times, Reddick routinely found himself going toe-to-toe with the frontrunners. The most memorable, perhaps, was his battle with Byron at the Roval. He led laps in nine of the 36 races this season, four more than in 2020.
– In addition to his pair of runner-up finishes, he earned his first career Busch Pole Award in the inaugural race at Circuit of the Americas in May.
Stat to know:
Only two DNFs in 36 races allowed Reddick to finish 99.4% (9141 of 9200) of the laps this season, trailing only Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick.
Quotable:
“I need to get this Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevy to Victory Lane because if I would’ve, I would’ve gotten a lot of people in America free chicken tenders on Monday night.” – Reddick after a runner-up finish at Homestead-Miami.
RELATED: Shop Reddick die casts, gear
Looking ahead:
Reddick returns to RCR next season, the final year of his current contract, with reasonable momentum alongside teammate Austin Dillon. From 1.5-mile tracks to short tracks and road courses, Reddick made enormous gains from a season ago and is a surefire playoff contender for 2022. He’s flashed the speed and the talent. Now, comes the experience. Entering his third season in the premier series, the 25-year-old’s goals and confidence should be higher than ever.