Second-generation stars are practically stitched into NASCAR’s fabric, from Chase Elliott and Dale Earnhardt Jr. to Ryan Blaney. A new set is already forming behind them as Brexton Busch and Keelan Harvick begin cutting their own paths under the watchful eyes of fathers who know exactly how steep the climb can be. Yet not every driver turns the parenting dial the same way.
Advertisement
While Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick take an intensely hands-on approach, Kyle Larson believes in a softer touch, allowing his kids to explore without pressure. And Tyler Reddick seems intent on following that model with his five-year-old son, Beau.
Beau remains far too young to grasp the full weight of a racing life, but Reddick understands the moment will come when his son’s interests sharpen. Maybe Beau will gravitate toward racing in a couple of years, once he is old enough to feel the rhythm and chaos that the sport demands.
Or perhaps he’ll run in the opposite direction and land in baseball, hockey, basketball, or even the academic lane. Reddick insists the choice must be Beau’s, not his. When Reddick fielded the question back in 2021 about whether he would encourage Beau to race if the spark ignited, the 23XI Racing driver didn’t hesitate.
He explained he has never tried to plant the idea in his son’s head. After watching how unforgiving and unpredictable a racing career can be, he refuses to nudge Beau toward a profession that breaks more hearts than it rewards. “It’s a long one,” he said at the time.
According to Reddick, his son lights up around loud engines and remote-controlled cars, chasing them with the kind of unfiltered joy that reminds drivers why they fell in love with racing in the first place. That natural fascination tells Reddick the “bug is there,” but he remains adamant that genuine passion cannot be forced.
“I definitely wanna make sure it’s something he wants to do. I don’t want to push it on him and not have him be fully invested in it, because I think that’s the worst thing you can do. Yeah, I’d love for him to be an awesome race car driver, but I think it’s up to him what he wants to do with his life.”
Reddick made clear he won’t stand in the way if Beau chooses to pursue the sport, but he will not stack the deck to steer him there, either. The dream has to come from the kid, not the father.
Reddick even stated that he doesn’t flood Beau’s toy bin with die-cast cars or push racing-themed presents across the table. Instead, Beau simply wanders into Reddick’s office, spots the simulator, and launches into a pretend race without it even being powered on.
In many ways, the 23XI racing driver and Larson are cut from the same cloth; both believe the worst thing a parent can do in motorsports is manufacture enthusiasm that isn’t real. Pressure may build champions, but it can also break children before they ever reach the starting line.
