Tyler Reddick Feels NASCAR Is Not What It Was at Its Peak, But Still In “Really Good Place”

NASCAR, at its peak, was one of the most-watched sports in the United States. Its popularity and appeal among the public were next only to the NFL, and it boasted some of the country’s most admired superstars. While that crescendo has fallen far from what it once was, 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick believes that the sport is back on its way towards regaining its status.

In a recent interview for CNBC Television, he was asked if NASCAR was on the precipice of a new wave of growth. He replied, “I think it’s in a really good place. Honestly, it’s not at the peak that it was years and years ago, but I do feel like it’s going in the right direction. We went to this Next Gen car, as it’s been called over the years. It was a really big deal for this car to be successful.”

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He continued to state that the new seventh-generation car has indeed been successful in a lot of ways. But there is still room to make improvements. He also appreciated NASCAR for listening to drivers and teams in its efforts to make the car better. Goodyear’s work in recent years has also bolstered Reddick’s belief that the sport is heading in the right direction.

Tires have become an integral part of racing today. Each track type requires a different type of compound, and Goodyear has been doing excellent work in research and development, aiding tires that promote falloff, and in turn, more racing action. He said, “You know, I’d say for us, the tire really makes a huge difference right now on what kind of racing we put on the race track. So I think we’re in this spot.”

He acknowledged that he did not know if the sport was going to blow up spectacularly as it did decades ago, but he sure feels the direction it is heading is the right one. NASCAR’s new short track package ought to be a factor in his optimism. After several rounds of trial and tribulation, NASCARand Goodyear appear to have found the right formula to make the races interesting, with another example of the same coming soon at Darlington.

This involves excellent soft tires from Goodyear, extra horsepower under the hood, and a simplified diffuser that improves the aerodynamics of the Next Gen car. The first short track race of the season, in Phoenix, used this package and delivered good results.

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The second test will be at the Darlington Raceway this weekend, with the added perils of cars having no diffusers at all. Hopefully, it will hold up there as well. While it’s only a small step, it is still a crucial one towards the ultimate goal.

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