Going to race at the Phoenix Raceway on the final day of the Cup Series schedule with a championship at stake requires all the will in the world. While Joey Logano, his teammate Ryan Blaney, and William Byron have a proper picture of what that experience is like, Tyler Reddick doesn’t. Speaking to the press ahead of the finale, Logano broke things down for the 23XI Racing driver.
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He put a huge value on the benefits of experience and said, “There’s no way you can feel ready the first time you come to the Championship 4 because you don’t know what’s coming.”
“So, like I know for myself obviously. Personally, I did not feel ready and after the race, I learned a lot and felt more prepared for next time. But the first one was… you don’t even know what’s coming your way.”
Logano’s first Championship 4 appearance was in 2014. With Kevin Harvick winning the title, he finished dead last in the group. Using the experience, he finished second when he made it to the finale in 2016. The third time he made it, in 2018, he lifted the championship trophy. It is a proper journey of learning from one’s mistake and improving on it.
Logano acknowledged that not every driver necessarily needs to follow this path. Blaney’s first Championship 4 appearance was in 2023 and he won the title. It proves that the lack of experience does not have to be a weak point in Reddick’s attack. It will all come down to who among the four of them has the best car on that particular day and who can execute without errors.
Why Reddick believes that he is one step ahead of his contenders
When the Cup Series field traveled to Phoenix in Spring, Toyota was simply unstoppable. The Japanese carmaker’s entries led 298 of the 312 laps in the race and Christopher Bell took home the win. Reddick led 68 laps that day and finished in tenth place. This dominance is what adds confidence to him.
He believes that his No. 45 Toyota Camry gives him an edge and is something that he can keep in his corner as a strength. However, he is also aware of how the dynamics of the season have changed since. The Fords went from being awful at the beginning of the year to now fielding two entries in the Championship 4.
And Chevrolet has always been plenty strong with its Camaro. “Nothing’s guaranteed for sure, right? But certainly, it feels good knowing that the last time we were here, we were really solid,” he said. With all these diverse opinions, the upcoming battle is bound to be one for the ages.
