Southern Illinois Roots Fuel Tyler Reddick’s Historic NASCAR Start
Last Updated on March 5, 2026 by WWTR
Photo Credit: Logan Riely/Getty Images
- 23XI Racing driver became the first in NASCAR history to win the first three races in a season.
- Reddick returns home Sept. 11-13 for the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR weekend at WWT Raceway.
MADISON, Ill. (March 5, 2026) – Tyler Reddick has launched the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season in historic fashion, winning the first three races of the year for 23XI Racing and quickly establishing himself as the sport’s early championship frontrunner.
While the streak has captured national attention across NASCAR, the foundation for Reddick’s success was built years earlier on the dirt tracks of southern Illinois.
Reddick spent several years of his childhood living in Du Quoin, Ill., just 90 minutes south of World Wide Technology Raceway. Growing up in southern Illinois placed him within reach of some of the Midwest’s most prominent dirt tracks, including I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park in Pevely, Missouri, along with numerous short tracks throughout the region.
Those early years on dirt continue to shape the way Reddick approaches racing today. He credits his dirt racing background with developing the adaptability that has become one of his greatest strengths.
“I think just as a dirt racer growing up, you just always have to be prepared for things to go in a direction you’re not expecting,” Reddick said during the Daytona 500 post-race winner’s press conference. “That can happen in asphalt racing and stock car racing.”
On dirt, changing track conditions, shifting grooves and limited grip demand constant adjustments. That unpredictability forces drivers to quickly adapt to anything that is thrown their way: a skill set that translates directly to his success in the NASCAR Cup Series.
“I think just the adaptability of a dirt racer really comes in handy a lot of places we go,” Reddick said.
Reddick’s racing background runs deep, and his adaptability has translated into success across the NASCAR Cup Series, where he has earned 11 wins at 10 different tracks. However, long before wins, those around him recognized his potential.
“I knew he had a lot of talent, and he was going to go far with the right opportunities,” said former NASCAR star and Missouri native Ken Schrader, who had four Cup Series wins and 23 poles in his career. “You could see it. It was obvious.”
Reddick made his national series debut in 2013 in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Rockingham Speedway with Ken Schrader Racing. From there, his NASCAR career gained momentum when he signed full time in the Truck Series with Brad Keselowski Racing in 2015. He finished championship runner-up in that rookie season and then went on to win consecutive NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series titles in 2018 and ‘19.
Reddick is now in his seventh full NASCAR Cup Series season and fourth with 23XI Racing, which is owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin. He opened the season with a victory in the prestigious Daytona 500 and followed with wins at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway and Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, respectively. He chases a fourth consecutive victory Sunday at Phoenix Raceway.
Reddick already has positioned himself as a championship contender and returns home for the second Chase playoff race Sept. 11-13 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill. Tickets to see Reddick’s return to southern Illinois at the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series Chase race at World Wide Technology Raceway are available at wwtraceway.com or by calling the ticket office at (618) 215-8888 ext. 1.
MEDIA CONTACT: Payton Buschhorn | WWTR Public Relations & Media Manager | 314.517.5125 | pbuschhorn@wwtraceway.com
