Tyler Reddick takes on new challenge, expects to ‘look like a complete amateur’

As a racing enthusiast who has followed this sport for decades, I must say that I am truly impressed by the unique and exciting events that Toyota and Mobil 1 have been organizing lately. The Legend vs. Leaderboard Rival Events are a testament to their dedication to both motorsports and fans alike, bringing together legends of the racing world with rising stars like Tyler Reddick.

23XI Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick secured his spot as one of five professional racers to compete in the Legend vs. Leaderboard Rival Events, an initiative launched during the summer as part of Mobil 1’s extended partnership with Forza Motorsport.

Reddick is poised to join the ranks of Jamie Chadwick, Tony Stewart, Jenson Button, Juan Pablo Montoya, and others who have taken part in this exciting competition. Previously, gamers and enthusiasts had a chance to go head-to-head with these drivers on the speed leaderboard within Forza Motorsport at Maple Valley Raceway, but now they’ll get to measure their skills against Reddick too!

However, securing that opportunity for the driver of the No. 45 Toyota wasn’t a given. Instead, he needed to outperform some of his fellow racers from the Toyota Cup Series in order to grab the position.

According to Reddick’s account, he, Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, and John Hunter Nemechek participated in a friendly competition using a simulator. We took turns trying to set the quickest lap time, but ultimately, we raced against each other to determine who would achieve the fastest speed. Each of us had one attempt at it.

As a gamer, let me tell you, I recall that moment a few months back when everything started falling into place. Frankly, I couldn’t contain my excitement, mainly because in Illinois, where I moved, most of my buddies were Xbox enthusiasts. When I had some spare time, they’d be there, gaming away on their Xboxes. So, I found myself transitioning from PlayStation to Xbox and learning the ropes.

One of the early racing games I encountered on Xbox was Forza. I dabbled with Motorsport 3 and Motorsport 4, and around that time, Forza Horizon also emerged. As a kid, I spent a considerable amount of leisure time playing Forza.

In simpler terms, I’ve dabbled in various motorsports, but I’ve spent quite a bit of time on the Forza Horizon series, every single installment. So, I felt it was necessary to take a break. I grew weary of being defeated frequently when playing multiplayer games such as Call of Duty and similar titles online.

Reddick said he wasn’t expecting this particular challenge to be so intense: he had to ditch the controller for a sim rig.

As a gaming enthusiast, I always find it refreshing to kick back with some Forza. What took me by surprise during our recording session was the realization that we weren’t going to be using controllers, something I hadn’t expected. Over the years, I’ve honed my skills on Forza exclusively with a controller. When we arrived on set that day, ready to capture our footage, I found myself thrown off guard as I was handed a rig instead. At first, I was utterly confused and out of sorts.

It’s not surprising at all that the Toyota driver who was the sole Championship 4 participant from the previous season adapted swiftly, right?

He went on to say, “It eventually became clear to me and I managed to figure out a solution.” Since I’ve been using Forza on Xbox with a controller, it’s my only familiarity. So, there was a learning process involved when I had to adapt to something new.

Reddick has previously used a simulator rig, with his most notable experience coming in 2020 when many Cup Series competitors participated in the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series during an unexpected 10-week suspension. Given that iRacing is a unique challenge, the Forza competition became even more difficult for him when he discovered he wouldn’t be using a controller.

He mentioned that while it seems possible some people might use controllers for iRacing, from what he understands, the deal is for a full-scale simulator rig. Previously, he had experimented with iRacing a bit to hone skills beneficial for road course racing.

As someone who has spent countless hours immersed in the world of video games over the years, I must admit that there’s a certain allure to the simple pleasure of firing up my Xbox and settling into my favorite chair with a controller in hand. The joy I find in playing Forza is unlike any other experience I’ve had. You see, it’s not just about winning races or earning credits; it’s about stepping into a dream world where I can own the car of my dreams without having to worry about the high cost of maintenance or insurance.

In his virtual 1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex, Reddick was able to beat out his teammates with a lap time of 54.305. But it didn’t come easily.

He acknowledged that it was quite tight (close). Generally speaking, he considers himself average with Forza Motorsport, nothing extraordinary. However, he’s felt competent when he’s invested time in it. As for Forza Horizon, he feels he excelled at it.

As a gaming enthusiast, I truly appreciate the open-world feel that allows me a certain level of autonomy in my virtual adventures. It’s like being the captain of my own ship, where each decision I make steers my journey differently. If a racetrack is laid out before me, I savor the anticipation of choosing the perfect vehicle for the challenge ahead – whether it’s a swift car for the long straightaways or a nimble one to navigate tight corners with precision.

In simpler terms, “Although there are some similarities with racing, Christopher and John Hunter performed exceptionally well during our practice round. It was incredibly tight between them, but I managed to put together a strong lap. To be honest, I hadn’t done something like that before, but in this instance, I pulled off a great lap. However, the victory was very close.

Despite the intense rivalry and pressure in a high-stakes virtual race, Reddick managed to excel and achieve the crucial lap he required in a gaming series he’s been fond of for years.

Driving cars and navigating racetracks or roaming freely in the vast landscapes of Forza Horizon has been an activity I’ve found great pleasure in since day one,” he expressed.

My enthusiasm for racing stems from my deep-rooted affection for automobiles. As a child, both of my parents worked at a dealership that was owned by my grandfather, and I spent almost every day there surrounded by cars, from infancy until I began kindergarten. This prolonged exposure to vehicles nurtured an immense passion and love within me for cars.

“For me, being able to jump in and tune and upgrade whatever car I want, make it look what I want, being able to do all those things on Forza is something that is one of the big reasons why I’ve always really, really enjoyed it. Being able to take something factory, run it factory if you want, but then be able to have this array of modifications, customization that you can do to it, and then take it all and go see how it is on the track or on the road. I’ve always really enjoyed that part of Forza.”

However, Reddick isn’t confident that his greatest effort will be enough to match the skills of some of the world’s elite sim racers once the competition begins on Thursday, November 28.

From then until Wednesday, December 11, he joked that he expects to be made to look like “a complete amateur”.

Looking back, I believe my final lap was exceptional, yet I acknowledge John Hunter might have deserved it more. Frankly, I nailed a flawless lap – one that felt perfect to me. To clarify, I consider it a near-perfect lap for me, but I’m well aware that the top racers in Rival Events can easily make me seem like an amateur. I’ve got this uneasy feeling about it… let’s see how things unfold.

Originating from Corning, California at age 28, this individual expressed only praise towards Toyota for setting up a friendly internal contest to determine the fifth team member for the upcoming event.

He spoke only praises towards Mobil 1, expressing admiration for their creativity in arranging such an exciting event outside of the traditional race track, not just for the drivers but also for the spectators, as a unique way to mark their 50th anniversary.

Upon learning about the golden ticket sweepstakes, we gathered at the GR Garage in Mooresville with other drivers who had Mobil 1 liveries across various racing disciplines throughout the year. This included the GR Cup Series, sprint cars, midgets, and late model stocks,” he explained.

Gathering everyone was truly exciting! Some of us had history together, but it was enjoyable bringing all of us under one roof. The experiences we’ve shared since then have been quite entertaining. It’s not the usual dynamic I’m accustomed to witnessing, which adds a unique twist to our bond.

Working for a company such as Mobil 1, or any oil brand for that matter, brings an exciting aspect. It’s delightful to witness these companies going above and beyond what I’ve seen other brands accomplish in the past.

He admitted he felt honored to join other legends of motor racing who have taken part in the Legend vs. Leaderboard Rival Events.

He mentioned all the racers I’ve competed against,” he shared. “Last year, Jenson raced at COTA, with whom I had a chance to interact. Given his background, transitioning to this level of racing took him aback. However, Tony and I have a history – we both come from dirt racing, our paths crossing over time.

This past season, Reddick had the opportunity to team up with Montoya at Watkins Glen International. This was Montoya’s first Cup Series race in ten years, being a two-time winner of the Indy 500.

Juan was someone I never interacted with during my time in Truck or Xfinity races. However, when he joined Watkins Glen, I immediately recognized his unique insights about cars and racing. Our conversations revealed that his grasp of what a race car should perform is significantly beyond my current level.” (Reddick)

“So that was motivating for me. To spend time with him throughout the race weekend was something that was really, really fun. It was for fun for me as the little kid in me, getting to race against somebody I grew up watching, who has done so much, but then also it was just cool to get to know him on the human side of things and spend time with him and his son over the weekend.”

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2024-11-28 15:02