“I Try Not to Bug Him Too Much”: When Tyler Reddick Explained How Brad Keselowski Functioned As a Team Owner

Tyler Reddick has settled into a stellar stint with 23XI Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series after joining the team in 2023. But he had shown the same independence and competitive clarity long before he became a weekly front-runner, particularly while racing under the banner of Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) in the Camping World Truck Series.

Reddick reflected on how Brad Keselowski operated as a team owner in a 2o16 interview with Frontstretch once. He explained that Keselowski’s schedule left little room for constant interaction, owing to the demands of the team owner’s Cup calendar.

Between racing obligations, media appearances, and other responsibilities, Keselowski’s time was stretched thin. So, Reddick used to try not to barge into conversations too much.

“Aside from that, I try not to bug him too much more than that because, as a truck team, we may have time with a few weeks off, but we race back-to-back and run out of time throughout the week. I can’t imagine what he goes through, and he has a lot more media responsibilities and things he has to do. I don’t get to see him all the time, but when I get to talk to him, it’s great to see him around,” Reddick had said.

Reddick never interpreted Keselowski’s limited availability as disinterest. On the contrary, he recognized that a hands-off presence did not equate to a lack of care. Keselowski’s expectations were set: He wanted to see his Truck drivers run at the front, contend for wins, and avoid fading into the background.

During his time in the Truck Series, Reddick captured three wins across three seasons and wrapped up his second full year with the organization as the championship runner-up in 2015. Those results showed that Reddick was a driver who already understood how to manage his craft, process feedback, and execute on track, without relying much on his team owner.

During his developmental years, Reddick could already tell that Keselowski approached ownership with a purpose rooted in helping his drivers raise their ceiling rather than merely filling seats.

When asked whether Keselowski carried himself more like an owner, a competitor, a friend, or some blend of all three, Reddick avoided giving labels. Instead, he described Keselowski as someone who remained approachable regardless of circumstance; someone drivers could seek out whenever questions surfaced, or uncertainty crept in.

“Brad is obviously a Sprint Cup champion. But whenever he comes around, he is very much in tune with what we are doing with the trucks. He’ll say: If you feel this, maybe you should try this. He is always a great person to go to if you have any questions on anything,” Reddick explained at the time.

“It’s a nice thing. You have an owner, but you have somebody that you can go to ask questions to. He has his advantages for sure,” he added.

In 2016, he wrapped up the season ninth in the standings, closing the chapter on his Truck Series tenure with BKR before stepping up to the Xfinity ranks. The transition marked a turning point not just for Reddick, but for the organization itself.

One year after Reddick moved on, Keselowski shut down his Truck Series program. The team’s final entries included the Nos. 19 and 29 Ford F-150s, driven by Austin Cindric and Chase Briscoe.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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