"We're definitely not in the clear": Tyler Reddick shares health update on his son Rookie's battle and looming surgery

Tyler Reddick enters Sunday’s elimination race at Charlotte Roval with more on his mind than just the championship fight. The 23XI Racing driver gave an update on his 4-month-old son, Rookie, who remains in the hospital ahead of an expected kidney surgery.

Reddick's wife, Alexa, had shared more details earlier in the week, explaining that Rookie had a tumor “choking” the renal vein and artery, causing his heart to enlarge as it fought to keep blood flowing. Doctors plan to remove his right kidney, which is no longer functioning, but the procedure was on hold until his heart stabilizes. She noted that his heart was expected to make a full recovery, calling it “an innocent bystander.”

"Healthier is probably not the right word, but I’ve never seen him happier. His color looks good. He’s gained weight. A lot of things are going well. All that being said, some of the tougher moments are definitely ahead. We’re definitely not in the clear. There are some things we need to get through first," Reddick told NBC.

Tyler Reddick with his wife, Alexa, and son Beau at Michigan International Speedway. Source: Getty

Despite the brief relief, Tyler Reddick added that his son’s recovery is far from over.

"I’m really happy and it makes me feel great that he’s doing much better right now, but certainly we have some hurdles we have to get through first before we’re even thinking about leaving the hospital or thinking about what comes next," he said.

The NASCAR community has shown its support for the Reddick family with an outpouring of wishes, and the 23XI Racing driver expressed his gratitude.

Tyler Reddick’s pole at the Roval as family remains the priority: "The racing world is taking a back seat"

Tyler Reddick won the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series Bank of America ROVAL 400. Source: Getty

Leaving Kansas last weekend, Tyler Reddick admitted that all he wanted was to get back on a plane and return to Charlotte. His seventh-place run did little to help his playoff push, as he sits 29 points below the cutline with four drivers set to be eliminated this weekend. However, the real relief came when he reunited with his wife and son at the hospital.

Now at the Roval, Reddick has found some speed. On Saturday, he claimed pole position with a lap of 85.939 seconds, edging Shane van Gisbergen’s 85.971. It marks Reddick’s third consecutive front-row start at Charlotte’s hybrid oval-road course, where he holds an average finish of 7.8.

Still, Reddick's priorities were clear.

"For me, this weekend where we’re at in points, it just is what it is. I’m going to go out there and give it my best effort while I’m here certainly. For me, this week, the elimination, everything that is happening in the racing world is taking a back seat as it should," Reddick said, via the aforementioned source.

The pole sets up a heavyweight battle, as Tyler Reddick will line up alongside SVG, who has swept four road course races so far in 2025. The No. 45 team faces a must-win, and Reddick has proven himself a tidy road racer. With his family still navigating his son's health, the bigger picture extends far beyond Sunday’s checkered flag.