Big Machine Racing Turns to Cup Series Drivers

The No. 48 Big Machine Racing Chevrolet Camaro will have another guest driver for the Xfinity Series race at Darlington Raceway. The team will turn to two-time champion Tyler Reddick.

NASCAR provided the news on May 2 by releasing the entry list for the Mahindra ROXOR 200 at Darlington. The list showed that Reddick will make his first Xfinity Series of the year after he suited up for seven races in 2021. He will take over for Kaz Grala, who made two starts in place of Jade Buford.

Reddick will drive the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro at both Darlington Raceway on May 7 and Texas Motor Speedway on May 21 while working with Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers as his primary partner. Reddick will also have additional starts in the No. 48 that the team will reveal at a later date.

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According to a press release from Big Machine Racing, Reddick will use a special scheme at Darlington Raceway. He will drive the red and gold No. 48 that pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of Bobby Allison’s 1972 Southern 500 victory.

“We are honored to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Bobby Allison’s 1972 Southern 500 win. The design has always been a fan favorite and we’re thrilled to have former Xfinity Series champ Tyler Reddick behind the wheel. The Big Machine Vodka SPIKED Coolers team badly wants this design back in Victory Lane,” said Big Machine Racing team owner Scott Borchetta in a press release.

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Reddick Has Considerable Success in the Xfinity Series

The decision to side with Reddick is fitting considering his previous history of success. He has only made 91 starts in the series — 66 as a full-time driver — but he has reached Victory Lane nine times.

The California native made his debut in 2017 with 18 starts for Chip Ganassi Racing. He took the No. 42 to Victory Lane at Kentucky Speedway, and he won the pole at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Kansas Speedway.

Reddick moved over to JR Motorsports for a full-time run in 2018. He took over the No. 9 Chevrolet and kicked off his year with a win at Daytona International Speedway. He posted top-20 finishes in 60.6% of his starts before capping off his season with a championship-sealing win at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Reddick returned to the Xfinity Series in 2019 to defend his title, but he did so with Richard Childress Racing. He turned in a very strong season in the No. 2 Chevrolet by winning six races and posting top-five finishes in 72.7% of his starts. He finished the year with fewer wins than Cole Custer (seven) and Christopher Bell (eight), but he had the most points and the championship-sealing win in the finale.

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Another Cup Series Driver Will Compete With Reddick

The two-time Xfinity Series champion will not be the only Cup Series driver making a return at Darlington Raceway. The 2014 Xfinity Series champion in Chase Elliott will also pull double-duty during Throwback Weekend.

Elliott, who is fresh off a Cup Series win at Dover Motor Speedway on May 2, will take over the No. 88 JR Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro for the Mahindra ROXOR 200, and he will have HendrickCars.com as his primary partner. This will be his lone start for the organization as it brings back the No. 88 for an extra five races.

JRM announced on April 26 that three of the HMS drivers will split starts in the No. 88. Elliott will compete at Darlington while William Byron will suit up at Texas Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kyle Larson will round out the schedule at Watkins Glen International and the second Darlington race.

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