One driver who has impressed everyone in the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series has to be Tyler Reddick. Only in his 5th Cup Series season, the California native is having his best career season. Bagging two wins, eleven top 10s, and nineteen top 5s so far, Tyler Reddick raked in the glory after being crowned the regular season champion. The first for him and the 23XI Racing team.

The kind of consistency that the two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion has shown in the Cup has made him one of the most likable drivers on the grid. And it’s not just his impressive racing prowess. Even his off-track demeanor is respectful and kind. You would not hear any other driver bad-mouthing the 28-year-old. Recently, a NASCAR insider dwelled upon what makes the #45 driver so likable.

Is Tyler Reddick the most likable driver?

Possibly the only instance when Reddick was involved in a brawl was in the 2019 Kansas Xfinity Series. When he had contact with Cole Custer, leading to him finishing 11th whereas Reddick finished 2nd in the playoff race. This incident had both drivers wrestle after the race, as track officials had to separate them.

After that season, Reddick joined Richard Childress Racing for a full season in the Cup and has grown in maturity and skill gaining the respect of his colleagues. Recently on the Rubin is Racing podcast episode, host Daniel DiOrio spoke about Tyler Reddick.

He said, “I think he’s definitely one of them (most likable drivers). Everything about him is relatively likable. He’s a clean driver, he’s got good sponsorships on his car. He races for a good team. Everything about him, personality is likable, he doesn’t cause issues and not to mention probably some of the best skill set. He is easily one of the most likable or easy to root for drivers.”

While a majority of Reddick’s races have been clean, some inevitable circumstances do rear their ugly head. The #45 had contact with Chris Buescher with just 10 laps to go in the spring Darlington race. What could have been Buescher’s win ended his run in P3. The RFK driver was furious post the race and charged at Reddick after the race. However, the 28-year-old showed maturity, accepted the mistake, and remained calm throughout the situation.

Even in the most recent Charlotte race, Reddick, who started the race in P2, was desperate for a good finish to continue his playoff run. After a contact with Denny Hamlin, Reddick found himself behind the pack. However, in a sheer display of racing prowess, the 23XI racer climbed several positions and clinched a spot in the top 8. Amid this in a desperate move to gain positions, he shoved Daniel Hemric. While any other driver would have faced retaliation and fury. Reddick was acquitted by the Kaulig driver! Perhaps because of his good demeanor. Hemric and Reddick were teammates in Brad Keselowski Racing while they raced in the Truck Series.

This was a perfect example of his race track prowess and his colleagues’ respect for him. He has built this reputation over the years, moving from the lowest-most series to the top one. Post the race, even Kyle Petty lauded Reddick as a future ‘superstar’. Post the race, he said, “Roval never fails to give us a great story and the great story yesterday was Tyler Reddick. Tyler Reddick as a driver, Tyler Reddick as a team. This is where drivers that you would never expect reach a little deeper take it to a different place and they become superstars. I think what we saw yesterday was a future superstar. A glimpse into what it takes to be a great driver. A glimpse of championships to come for Tyler Reddick.”

Not just petty, but several in the NASCAR community have picked Reddick as one of the top contenders to win the championship.

Can Tyler Reddick win the championship?

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After a splendid regular season, Reddick has struggled in the playoffs so far. However, NASCAR veterans are still rallying behind his championship chances. Recently Kevin Harvick said, “I still think Reddick can go out there and win one of these first two races. I don’t know that he’s going to. If he doesn’t put himself in a good position going into Martinsville, I think they’ll be in trouble because that’s just not a track where we expect Tyler Reddick to go and dominate. I think being able to put that car up against the fence, so it really kind of leans into giving Tyler Reddick a good chance at Las Vegas and Homestead. They got to get it done in the first two races.”

Reddick had shown the same consistency in the 2023 season when he made it to the round of 8. However, a P26 finish at the Martinsville race ended his Champions 4 hopes. However, to his good fortune, the track has been kinder to the #45 this season. In the spring race of the season, Reddick finished 7th, which is also his best finish on the track so far in the Cup.

However, before Reddick reaches Martinsville, he would have Las Vegas and Homestead Miami as the first two races in the round. And Reddick is coming from a P2 finish in the first Vegas race of the season. As for Miami, the #45 finished 3rd in the race last year. On the four occasions that he has raced at the Miami track in the Cup, thrice he has managed top-5 finishes. And thanks to Reddick’s consistency in the regular season, he will enter the Vegas race as the third top-seeded player.

This year NASCAR’s most likeable driver can also become the 2024 champion. What do you think? Does Reddick have what it takes? Let us know in the comments below.