When you’re performing a gala burnout on the victory lane, all that matters to you is that you have won and nobody else has. And that includes even your teammates. Indeed, you work together in a team, but when it comes to the ‘win-at-all-cost’ attitude of the game of stock car racing, the drivers think twice before going easy on even their teammates.

When 40 cars run at full throttle to grab that checkered flag and bask in the limelight, every move is crucial. Earlier in the history of NASCAR, fans have seen instances of teammates spinning out each other on the racetrack. So it is not abnormal that Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing paid no heed to his teammate’s lack of promising performance at Talladega Superspeedway and focused solely on his own run.

Tyler Reddick is not ready to leave room for his teammate

Since his Xfinity Series win at the restricted track of Talladega Superspeedway in 2019 for Richard Childress Racing, Tyler Reddick has not seen the face of victory at the infamous asphalt oval. Back in April this year, Tyler Reddick made his first start for Michael Jordan‘s team at Talladega but couldn’t fare any better than a 16th-place finish.

But after winning the race at Kansas Speedway, Tyler Reddick seems to have regained his confidence and now, he looks forward to more.

And while he does that, he will go to any and every extent. The #45 Toyota driver admitted that when you buckle yourself up to the seat of your Cup Series ride, there is just one thing ahead of you; the start-finish line. While it’s preposterous to aid a rival, it’s equally foolish to give up your own chances of winning to a teammate.

Reddick said, “You help yourself by helping your line for the most part. If you can get around fellow teammates, that’s even better. I wouldn’t say it’s quite that crazy.”

“You’re not gonna sacrifice your own line just because the guy in front of you is battling around the same position that you are on points,” he stated with a straight face.

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Michael Jordan’s other driver must be feeling the heat, as despite showing winning speed, his season has not been the best, owing to a series of faulty pit strategies and misfortune.

Bubba Wallace hangs in a precarious situation as NASCAR unleashes its fury on Talladega Superspeedway

Bubba Wallace has had a winless year so far. Despite winning the pole award at Texas Motor Speedway last week and running top 3 almost all day, he couldn’t secure the victory and settled for a P3 finish. The Alabama native has been scurrying along the point standings solely based on points, and perhaps it is time for him to buckle up and get his first win of the season.

But Tyler Reddick’s recent claims are bound to add pressure on his shoulders. Currently, he sits in the 9th spot, just 2 points below HMS icon, Kyle Larson. Hence, he is still stuck inside the round of 8 bubble.

It is not that Walace has zero records of success at Talladega. Back in 2021, he has a victory to his credit at the 2.66-mile, tri-oval course. However, that is the only top-5 performance that he has in his 11 attempts.

Nevertheless, Wallace has shown undeniable promise this year. Besides qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in his career, he has also racked up 8 top-10s, including 5 top-5 finishes; not to mention his top 3 finish last week. Let’s just cross our fingers so that Bubba can bring his A-game out at Talladega and make his boss Michael Jordan proud.

Read more: Tyler Reddick Admits Michael Jordan Wasn’t “Expecting a Lot” From Him, But It Was a Ploy for the Best