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23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick heaped praises on NASCAR veteran Ryan Newman, who is currently on a part-time schedule driving the Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing.
Newman made his fourth start in the Cup Series this season in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway taking the wheel of the #51 Ford Mustang. Although he wasn't a contender for a top finish, he did make life difficult for the front runners including Reddick.
The #45 Toyota driver was stuck behind the #51 Ford for a long period of time in the latter part of the race. Tyler Reddick was unable to lap Ryan Newman, who kept Reddick at bay lap after lap. Despite being frustrated during the stint, he surprisingly spoke about Newman in high regard as he said (via Noah Lewis):
"There are not many people on planet earth can do what he [Ryan Newman] does in a racecar. I wish I could do what he does in traffic, holding somebody off."
Reddick further added that Newman outdrove the Rick Ware Racing machinery, extracting more pace from it than any other driver could have done.
"You know that Rick Ware Racing is definitely going in the right direction with its program but when you look at how that car ran and the people he was able to hold off, like myself and others. I mean he's just driving the daylights out of it."
He added:
"He appreciated it when I really dove it in there, we made contact door to door, it was frustrating but looking back on it, it was fun. I mean you don't really get to race that hard anymore on these big tracks and we were going after it."
After spending plenty of time looking at the #51 Ford Mustang rear bumper, Reddick eventually cleared it and went on to finish second in the playoff opener.
Meanwhile, Ryan Newman, who was recently crowned the 2023 SRX champion, registered a 27th-place finish for #51 Ford in the Southern 500.
Kevin Harvick's crew chief blasts Tyler Reddick for ruining the #4 team's weekend
The #4 Stewart Haas Racing driver was having a stellar weekend at Darlington Raceway until a caution inflicted by Tyler Reddick ruined his race. In the final stage of the race, Reddick and Kevin Harvick were running 1-2 when the #4 team decided to pit.
As Harvick peeled off the track and was committing to pit, Reddick who was in the lead changed his mind and slowed down suddenly. His move took out Ryan Newman which brought out the caution. The pitlane closed just before Harvick was about to enter, hence earning him a penalty.
The #4 Crew Chief Rodney Childers blamed Tyler Reddick for the penalty which ruined Harvick's result.
"It all happened because the #45 (Tyler Reddick) tried to do something it shouldn't have,"he said to Frontstretch" That part's the more disappointing thing. I also see the reasoning and I also see why he did it and all that. It's part of racing. Hate that it happened, we had a strong car and could've should've."
Harvick wound up finishing 19th in the Southern 500 and is currently 14th and 2 points below the cut-off line.
