Reddick Relishes Rookie Battle in 2018

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (Jan. 22, 2018) – JR Motorsports’ newest addition, rookie driver Tyler Reddick, is eager to get the 2018 season under way, and why wouldn’t he be? He’ll be in the car that won the 2017 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, under the tutelage of championship crew chief Dave Elenz and with the organization that has placed at least two drivers in the top four in the point standings every year since 2014.

Oh...and Reddick will be running for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors to boot. In JRM’s championship seasons (2014 and 2017), both Chase Elliott and William Byron won the title while also winning Rookie of the Year honors in the No. 9 machine.

“It’s going to be a lot of pressure,” Reddick said Saturday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the Fan Appreciation Day activities. “Knowing that the team has done it twice before is nice, but we can do it, we can pull it off. We have to start off the year on the right foot and never let up.”

In addition to chasing the popular award, Reddick will have a revamped point system working for him this season.

Beginning this season, the Sunoco Rookie of the Year point system will mirror the point structure that awards the season-long championship, including stage points and playoff points, with the eventual Sunoco Rookie of the Year earning the most points throughout the season.

For instance, should Reddick win a race in 2018 (he won one at Kentucky Speedway last year while driving a partial schedule), he will earn 40 rookie points and five precious playoff points. Second place will earn 35 points, third place will earn 34 points, and on down the line. Stage victories will pay out 10 rookie points and a single playoff point.

Rookies in all three national NASCAR series will earn points in this manner.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Reddick said. “I don’t worry about that too much. Where we are in the points is where we are in the rookie standings, so we’ll take that as it comes.”

The 22-year-old Californian is spending his time getting involved in the day-to-day workings of the team, working with his teammates and setting the stage for a successful debut at Daytona International Speedway next month.

“It’s a huge opportunity,” he said. “The 9 car has won the championship two of the last three times it has run for it. [Those are] big shoes to fill, obviously, but I couldn’t be stepping into a better situation than the one I’m in. I’m really excited to have that opportunity, but I’ve got to focus and make sure I make the most of it. I’ve got a good group of guys around me, they did a great job last year with William.

“If I do everything I can and go above and beyond, I think we’ll be just fine.”

Spending time with Elenz, who led Byron to the crown in 2017, is a definite advantage too, he said.

“I know we’re going to get along well already,” Reddick said. “He definitely works hard, I saw that right off the bat, and I have a feeling we’re going to mesh pretty well together. There may be moments on the race track when he may hate me (laughter), but off the track I think we’ll get along really well.”