Getty Tyler Reddick prepares for a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2021.
The driver of the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Camaro is expanding his list of partners. Tyler Reddick has landed a new sponsor for the late-season push. Realtree, the manufacturer of hunting clothing and gear, will partner with Reddick for six of the remaining NASCAR Cup Series races in 2021.
The company announced the news on Tuesday, July 20, without providing too many details. Realtree confirmed that the company will support Reddick and the No. 8 Chevrolet for the YellaWood 500 playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 3. Realtree will also sponsor Reddick for other unnamed races in 2021.
NEWS: Realtree to serve as primary sponsor of @TylerReddick at Talladega and associate sponsor of 5 other races in 2021 @RCRracing.
This six-race schedule will not be the first time that Reddick and Realtree work together. The company sponsored him for a previous race at Talladega Superspeedway. The then-rookie showed up to the Alabama track on June 22, 2020, with a camouflage paint scheme on the No. 8 Chevrolet and then proceeded to finish 20th.
The news of the sponsorship surfaces as Reddick pushes to make the first playoff appearance of his Cup Series career. The second-year driver is currently holding on to the final spot above the cut line, but he only has a five-point advantage over teammate Austin Dillon.
Realtree Previously Sponsored RCR Drivers
GettyAustin Dillon prepares for the 2014 Daytona 500.
Realtree has a long-running partnership with RCR that originally began in the mid-1990s. The company started as an associate sponsor of the No. 3 and the No. 29 Cup cars in 1997 and then took over as the primary sponsor for races at Talladega Superspeedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
This partnership included Kevin Harvick, who drove the No. 29 for RCR until he joined Stewart-Haas ahead of the 2014 season. Harvick and Realtree worked together for several years, starting in 1999 and lasting through the 2014 season. Additionally, the company worked with Austin Dillon during two special trips to Daytona International Speedway.
According to the Professional Outdoor Media Association, one example is the 2014 season opener when the then-rookie drove the stock car to the pole position for the Daytona 500. Realtree was on the car as an associate sponsor for the moment. The outing also coincided with team owner Richard Childress deciding to reintroduce the No. 3 previously driven by the late Dale Earnhardt, who died in a crash in the 2001 Daytona 500.
Four years after winning the pole, Dillon partnered with Realtree for a historic moment. He won the 2018 Daytona 500 and captured one of the four Crown Jewel races. He did so 20 years after Earnhardt won the 1998 Daytona 500.
Reddick Has Four Races Remaining To Lock Up a Playoff Spot
While he currently has a spot in the playoffs, Reddick still has considerable work to do in order to pursue a Cup Series Championship. He will have to first hold off his teammate over the final four remaining regular-season races and maintain his advantage in the points. He will also have to hope that no other new winners knock him out of the picture.
Prior to the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 18, Reddick had a sizable points cushion over the other bubble drivers. However, Aric Almirola captured his first win of the year and jumped from 27th in the points to above the cut line, majorly shaking up the playoff picture and putting Reddick in a precarious position.
Despite the lack of points, the driver of the No. 8 is on a streak of consistency that keeps him in a position to reach the playoffs. He has not finished outside the top 20 since the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 21, 2021. He has also cracked the top 10 a total of 10 times during this stretch, including sixth in the return to AMS on July 11.
Reddick will now try to keep his momentum after a two-week break due to NBC Sports covering the Olympics. He has four races remaining in the regular season — Watkins Glen, Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, Michigan International Speedway, and Daytona International Speedway — in which he can build up a cushion in the standings and prepare to showcase Realtree during a playoff run.
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