Tyler Reddick is regarded as one of the most well-rounded drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series right now. His versatility shows up on every track type from superspeedways to road courses. So how did he develop such an impressive skill? The answer lies in his dirt racing background.
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The current Cup Series field has many drivers who started in dirt racing. The common word you hear from them all is that their experience in that racing discipline has helped them endure the challenges of the Cup Series.
He said, “I think it’s my dirt racing background. I really do. When I grew up racing Ala-Karts in California, we raced at like three or four different racetracks, but man, you could go to those places and every night they’re a little bit different.” He used the examples of the Volusia Speedway and the Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky to make his case.
Volusia, for instance, he says, was hooked up to be fast all night long on some of the years he visited. In others, it was slick, slow, and hard to get a hold of. The I-55 Speedway and Ken Schrader’s speedway in St. Louis followed the same formula. But his expertise stems not only from the experience of racing at these different tracks. It is also about whom he worked with.
He continued, “When I was a young kid, I’d go to Silver Dollar Speedway and watch Steve Kinser dice it up. And as I got older, I got to work with guys like Scott Bloomquist and be around guys like Steve Richards with Rocket Chassis.” The lessons he learned from them are what have shaped him into who he is today.
Going forward, Reddick is completely thrilled about taking on the San Diego race this season. The race will go down on a street circuit set up at Naval Base Coronado. He hopes to use his dirt racing techniques to dominate the venue and reach Victory Lane. Few drivers in the current field combine road course skills, intermediate speed, and superspeedway techniques as efficiently as him.
And fewer with no dirt racing experience can do it. As he put it, “Being versatile is the name of the game for a good dirt racer.”
