Drivers getting into their cars and winning races is just one aspect, but in what conditions they win, often remain hidden from public view. For instance, Connor Zilisch, a budding NASCAR talent, experienced dizziness during an ARCA race due to the severe temperatures in his car.
Advertisement
Similarly, Noah Gragson struggled to maintain his stillness and needed to sit immediately after a race to regain his bearings. Tyler Reddick, the 2024 Regular Season champion, has also encountered the harsh realities of the sport. When asked about his most grueling race experience, he referenced the race at Darlington last September.
During that event, Reddick was visibly unwell inside his vehicle. Yet, despite battling a severe stomach ailment, he showed strength by advancing to a 10th-place finish. The effort was crucial, securing the regular-season title by a narrow margin of just one point over Kyle Larson, who dominated the early stages and ultimately finished in fourth place as the race concluded.
Reflecting on that experience, Reddick recounted, “That was fighting both ends, fluids wanting to come out one way and then wanting to go out another way. And in the Southern 500 of all races, which is a pretty challenging race.”
“That probably takes the cake. How uncomfortable I was for hours after that race also was just miserable. It took me two or three hours post-race to finally feel good enough to be able to get in the car and drive home,” he added.
Despite this ordeal, he admitted uncertainty about the root cause of his distress. However, considering he grappled with the symptoms for two or three days, he surmised that it might have been a viral affliction.
Tyler Reddick’s fortitude was likened to that of his team owner, Michael Jordan, whose legendary performance during the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz remains iconic. In that series, with the teams locked at 2-2, Jordan faced health challenges before and during the crucial Game 5 in Salt Lake City.
Suffering from severe dehydration and weakness, Jordan struggled with energy levels in the first quarter. However, summoning strength and endurance, he went on to score 38 points, driving his team to victory.
What exactly happened to Reddick?
As Stage 1 neared its conclusion, Tyler Reddick communicated to his team that the stomach bug he had been battling since midday Friday was worsening. He noted that his son, Beau, had been ill the previous weekend and the ailment seemed to be contagious. In anticipation of his next pit stop, his team prepared crackers and fluids, addressing Reddick’s concerns that his condition might lead to vomiting.
Despite these challenges, he secured P4 in Stage 1 as the intense sun began to wane. During a pit stop, Reddick accidentally dropped the first set of pills provided by his team, prompting his crew to switch to offering him a water bottle mixed with a medicinal solution to endure the race’s prolonged stages. By the end of Stage 2, he had slipped to P8.
Entering the final stage just one point behind Larson, Reddick persisted through his discomfort, leveraging his Goodyear tires, which were nine laps fresher than many of his competitors. The advantage enabled him to win the regular season championship, a first for 23XI Racing and Reddick as a team and driver pairing.
