Getty Tyler Reddick prepares for a race at Richmond Raceway.
There are several prominent storylines heading toward Watkins Glen International. One that is fairly underrated is Tyler Reddick‘s opportunity to make NASCAR history by winning his third road course race.
The Richard Childress Racing driver has two wins in 2022 — one at Road America and one at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. If he captures his third win at Watkins Glen International. He will join Kyle Larson as the only drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history to win three road course races in a single season.
Joining Larson would be historic, but Reddick could actually make history in his own way. He could become the first driver to win three consecutive road course races in a single season.
Larson’s trips to Victory Lane took place throughout the 2021 season and were separated by Chase Elliott at Road America and AJ Allmendinger at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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Tyler Reddick Can Influence the Playoff Picture
GettyThe No. 8 team celebrates a win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Winning a race would be massive for Reddick and Richard Childress Racing. The California native would add at least five more playoff points to his total, which would potentially move him up to the fourth seed entering the playoffs.
The win would also play a significant role in the playoff picture. There are multiple one-win drivers that are tentatively in the playoffs, but one of them sits in a fairly tenuous position with two races remaining.
If Reddick wins at Watkins Glen, he will help Kurt Busch secure his spot in the Cup Series playoffs. The 2004 Cup Series champion is the lowest in points among drivers with a win, and he has missed four consecutive races due to concussion-like symptoms. If there were more than 16 winners in the regular season, he would be the first one knocked out of the grid.
Busch has announced that he will miss the remainder of the regular season, which will open up opportunities for other drivers to try to knock him out of the playoff field. Reddick could eliminate this possibility by winning his third race of the year.
Reddick Will Debut a New Scheme at Watkins Glen
GettyTyler Reddick will showcase a new Cup Series scheme.
When Reddick heads to the New York road course to pursue his third win, he will showcase a new Cup Series scheme. He will climb into the No. 8 KC Motorgroup Ltd. Chevrolet Camaro, marking a reunion with the partner.
KCMG has a history with RCR. The two companies first joined forces in 2017, which led to a celebration in Victory Lane during the 2019 season. Reddick captured the win at Michigan International Speedway and finished ninth at Chicagoland Speedway en route to his second consecutive Xfinity Series championship.
“We’re certainly looking forward to our continued partnership with Richard Childress Racing and seeing KC Motorgroup’s colors on the No. 8 Chevrolet driven by Tyler Reddick this weekend at Watkins Glen International,” said Dr. Paul Ip, Founder of KC Motorgroup, in a press release. “Our partnership with Richard Childress Racing has proven successful on many fronts, and has been a key component of our U.S. Motorsports strategy.”
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