Denny Hamlin Admits Tyler Reddick’s Early Signing ‘Cost Him a Lot of Money’ as Michael Jordan’s Latest Recruit Proves His “Poise”

The fact that Tyler Reddick managed to win the race in the circumstances he did towards the end speaks volumes about his talent and his capabilities. This is something that wasn’t lost on his boss, Denny Hamlin, either, as he sang praises about how the #45 driver controlled the race from the front and handled the pressure in the end.

Hamlin also touched upon the risk and reward of signing Reddick as early as he did, the extra money it cost him, and his expectations from the former Richard Childress Racing driver.

Denny Hamlin claims Tyler Reddick is so good it’s as if he is racing “in slow-motion”

In a post-race interview, Denny Hamlin was asked how would he describe Tyler Reddick’s handling of the race and his lead with the “craziness” of three overtimes, and whether it’s rare for a driver to go through so much and still end up victorious.

“Yeah, I mean, certainly it’s a big pressure situation probably for Tyler because you’ve been the dominant car all weekend, you’ve had the field covered, and you know at that point when you’re leading the race, it’s your race to lose,” said Hamlin.

“There’s not much to gain. There’s only a lot to lose if he doesn’t execute, right? For him to manage those pressure situations, execute on restarts, it’s huge.”

The veteran remarked that Reddick’s “poise” was there for everyone to see. Hamlin claims what happened at the end of the race in COTA was something he was seeing all week.

“He’s running fast, but he’s doing it in slow-motion, which is just a sign of someone that’s in control,” he added.

WATCH THIS STORY: Kyle Busch Expected “Learning Experience” at Richard Childress Racing Amidst Unexpected Win

Hamlin is glad his gamble and “lot of money” is paying off on Reddick

It was pretty rare the way Michael Jordan co-owned 23XI Racing signed and announced Tyler Reddick so far ahead in advance. But now that he’s running in the #45 car and his performances have been consistently good, Denny Hamlin is quite glad now.

When asked if Reddick’s COTA win validated what he saw in him long before he was signed, Hamlin said, “Yeah, I mean, it’s why I went after him as early as I did.”

“I wanted to get the jump on all the other teams because I knew he was going to be the most coveted free agent in a very, very long time. That’s why I got the jump on it. It cost me a lot of money to do it, but it pays dividends.”

Hamlin emphasized that, as a team owner, one needs a driver that can contend for championships and “wins for decades.” 

“I think we have that guy. It’s not going to stop at road courses. Dirt racing, short tracks, speedways, he’s got what it takes on every racetrack we go to,” he added.

Also Read: “No Sense in Taking It From Him”: Kyle Busch Opens Up on Lead Battle With the Man He Replaced, Tyler Reddick