Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - Tyler Reddick Interview After Winning at Kansas | VICTORY LAP

Episode Date: April 20, 2026

Tyler Reddick breaks down his fifth NASCAR Cup Series win of the season after his win at Kansas Speedway, dives into his dominant 2026 NASCAR campaign, discusses racing for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, and shares emotional moments celebrating victories with his son Beau. On this episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, Mamba Smith sits down with NASCAR Cup Series star Tyler Reddick to analyze the Kansas race, explore what’s fueling his winning momentum, unpack driving for a championship-caliber team, and reveal the personal side of life in this Victory Lap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've just been doing a really good job of getting the wins when they've been out there for the taking. Those two, man, they love going at each other. You know, their competitive nature between the two of them is just inspiring. California's Kevin Harvick does it. Welcome back to Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour podcast, your boy, Mama Smith, back in the hot seat for this week's Victory Lab. We've talked to this guy like so many times. I'm getting tired of talking to him. Tyler Reddick five time this year, bud.

Yeah, I know. That is pretty crazy. The fashion in which we've won a few of these races has been pretty mind-blowing and that trend just seems to be continuing. Can we, I do want to talk to you about the Kansas win. I felt like watching it live, we're all watching you hunt down the 11 make the pass. What happened over in three and four that made it to where you gave up the lead and then how are you able to refocus and do what you had to do to get the win? Yeah, honestly, just made a mistake. You know, we had the fuel issue or the issue with the pump down the front stretch, half a lap before that. And that's essentially what happened there. But yeah, you know, on this restart here, just, man, proximity to 11 and the 20, get tight, get put three wide. And then, you know, unfortunately, Denny comes up into me.

I smoke C Bell and we all come together. And in this moment, I'm thinking, man, we just, we just, we just. let Hendricks sneak out of here with another win on overtime. It got off four really good, and Larson really didn't. So, I mean, I just thought I was too far back to do anything with this move. But he just is tight. And, you know, I was able to get alongside of him here. And then from here, we were just figuring out how we were going to enter the corner.

He was trying to side draft, and I was trying to do the same. And, you know, again, just knowing how tight he was and one and two, gave me some confidence that it was going to stick down in three and four. Yeah, when you look at your season at large, and you think about, you know, what you were doing last year, your routine and what you're doing this year, it seems like you've really just locked into what you need to do and what the team needs to do week in and week out.

Yeah, certainly. You know, we kind of, well, not really kind of. We have most certainly taken a look at everything, talked about everything, had a good offseason. and had a good reset on how we're going to approach 2026. And so, yeah, you know, we've been really doing a good job of capitalizing, bringing fast-oid of cameras to the racetrack as well. So, yeah, man, I mean, we've just been doing a really good job of getting the wins

when they've been out there for the taking and bringing a lot of fast-to-ad cameras to the racetrack, too. So, yeah, I mean, I'd say we've been a little bit better at a lot, that most of the tracks we've been to this year. You know, Bristol is one that comes to mind where we were a lot better than we were last year. But the rest of them, it feels like we've just been chipping away at it, making little gains and those little bit here and there

in the different areas is coming up big in moments in these races. You talk about bringing fast race cars to the track. Obviously, Billy Scott, your crew chief, is the main source of that. What has it been like growing with Billy? because I feel like when you're able to evolve with somebody together, that really solidifies what you guys can do as a group. Yeah, we've been learning a lot over the years.

You know, it was unfortunate that 2025 was as difficult as it was. But it really helped bring us together better than we've ever been before, in my opinion. So, you know, I think the first step in all this was getting past the part of we need to get back to how we were in 2024. It was not about that. It's finding out where we need to go in the future and where are we going to go from here, not looking back, but looking forward. And so, yeah, I think just collectively the whole team did a really good job of that this past off season. We came into the year with a really strong mindset of how we're going to go about doing things. And yeah, I think just the routine that we have, our preparation, our mindset, how we handle the adversity through the races,

has really put us in a good spot to be able to grind it out. And, you know, for sure, when, you know, you got points on your mind, I feel like that is something that's helped me as well. I know typically I'm known for being an aggressive driver, taking risks and doing a number of things. And yeah, for me, I enjoy thinking about the big picture, you know, the long-term goals. You know, it really helps me kind of pull it back just a little bit and turn, you know, days where I'm running for third and crash out. into fourth and fifths and getting out of there.

Have you noticed social media as far as you're starting to transcend? I know you've noticed what people are saying. They think you guys are cheap. We don't need to talk about that because I think it's the most ridiculous conversation out there. Like they're like, well, how can you explain them winning one race or whatever last year and being so good this year? I'm like, well, in retrospect, you know, a couple of them are drafting tracks. So it takes a lot of help in a lot of situations.

So you guys are putting yourself in the right situation. Have you noticed social media, you're starting to transcend sports media? Like, RG3s of the world and other Fox sports entities are really starting to talk about your season. Have you noticed that at all? Is that kind of too far out for you? No, I try to keep up with social media. And it is really cool to see that the attention, the, you know, how what we're accomplishing here in our world of NASCAR is getting, is growing. outside of the world that we know and getting into other areas and other eyes outside of our

sport are picking up on it and paying attention to what's happening here. I think it's great for the sport as a whole, you know, in this day and age of what these cars are and how close the competition is, you know, for us to do what we've done is really, really crazy. And I'm definitely not taking that for granted. I'm using it, if anything, to just continue to motivate myself to win the next one. Funny enough, I, day like yesterday was a prime example of, you know, how much the little things matter,

the little choices, the split second decisions, you know, just the margins are so small. And you're able to overcome little things by just making the right choice at the right time. And that was kind of how that race played out for us. I mean, we were, you know, into the 20 and no momentum down the bottom. back, dang your back to fifth place down the back stretch and just made the right,

right decision in three and four, back to second, and then able to, you know, battle the five for the win. Yeah, absolutely. I got to, I got to tell you, I'm really proud of you because I'm wearing my 45 hat. I picked you on the show last week to put in Victory Lane. You made me look real smart. And whenever I can really just rib Kevin about it, it just really makes my whole week sat out right. So I appreciate that. You're very welcome. I'm glad I can help. brother i feel like you're you've gone from star but now you're a rock star how about that you like that the picture that you put on social of you back in the day when the rock star hat i mean i think a lot of our fans don't remember tyler reddick with the long hair because you're kind

of your dirt persona but uh congratulations on the new partnership yeah thank you it's it's uh it's great that it's out there. I think Kelly help me help me here. I think there's some more things coming out about it here in the coming days, if not today. We'll see. That's all I'm getting out. We'll see. Yeah, you know, there's even more cool stuff coming on that.

And yeah, you know, for me, it's really cool. You know, you mentioning the dirt days. And I remember when they were, you know, if you will, like, one of the sponsors, partners that Luke Soil Late Model Dirt series way back when and when I was running those cars. And yeah, you know, they were giving out just cases and cases of Rockstar, the hats, all the, all the merchandise and stuff. And, you know, when it's back run the dirt stuff, I mean, yeah, 14, 15 years old, just

cases of energy drinks are underway. Why not? So, yeah. Yeah, my dad, my dad came in clutch on this one. He had that photo safe somewhere. he's got all the photos from all the things that we got to do growing up. And yeah, yeah, that hat just throws it back to that era for sure. Yeah, it's so funny, man.

I do want to ask you about Bo. So last year, I felt like Bo was, he just, he didn't get to go to Victory Lane much. He's not used to that. His whole life he's been going to Victory Lane. At all. He didn't go at all. Right. So how's Bo doing this?

Is he okay? Is he expecting this every week? Like, we're five in. So he must be doing okay now. Yeah. Yeah, funny enough, me and Alex got to talk about it a little bit on the way home. You know, I got out of the car and I don't know. I didn't want him to get covered in Rockstar.

So I told him, he may want to watch out. It's a little chilly, you know, so you don't get soaked. And he, I don't know, he got mad at me. I guess he wouldn't be right there in the middle of it. So we got to talk about it, working all out. But it's fun having him put the sticker on the seapost of the car. You know, honestly, our whole family was really down, not feeling good. I was really off Friday on.

I'm doing better today, but both the kids, man, were really sick on Saturday. Rookie was really sick in the morning. Bo was sick to the early hours of the night on Saturday. So me and my wife, just funny enough, I get out of the car, I look at her. The look on her face tells me everything. She's exhausted. I'm exhausted. Yeah, being parents, you know, we're in Victory Lane.

we're both looking each other like, oh man, we're so tired. But it's just funny. It all worked out and we won. I know, I know thankfully rookie and Bo are feeling better today. But it was funny how things work. It was a very long weekend. And on one hand, I was so happy we won. On the other hand, I was really ready to get things moving and get on home and take a good

nice rest. Yeah, I guarantee it. I mean, Bo's wide open. Just wait until rookie's like really moving around. I think you guys are going to be, you might need a buck call. He already is. You know, he needs to back up. Yeah, he is, man.

The whole plane ride home, he was crawling up and down the aisle of the plane, just like catching people by surprise. Just full of energy. He's, um, when he got his last bottle before we were about to land, you know, he was tired. And he's sitting there laying on Alexa's chest. And he's not crying and fussing. He's just like, ah, like just making, not upset, just making noise because he's just bored. Like he's tired half away, not crying, just making noise. And everyone's looking at me.

I'm like, it's just what rookie does, man. Like he doesn't cry much. He just loves making noise and being rowdy. That's just how he has been since, you know, he's bounced back from dealing with, you know, the heart failure and the kidney problems. So he's just, he's full of energy, man. We're in big trouble when it comes to the two boys. Absolutely love to hear it.

Tyler, before I let you go, I got to ask you, did you see your two bosses in our interaction when they when micha was walking down per road and what can you explain like that relationship when you guys see that at the shop because you know last year at kansas then he kind of stole one from the shop and that this year you guys kind of stole one back i think that it's pretty awesome to watch yeah i mean those two man they they love um they love going at each other you know they love smack you know talking smack and just i mean they're um You know, their competitive nature between the two of them is, is just inspiring.

You know, we all talk about Michael and we've all seen it through his career and what he brings to the table here at 2311. And, you know, those in our racing world know how competitive Denny is too. So, you know, it's just, it's just funny. And some of the moments we got to share this weekend, you know, they just, it's funny to sit back and just watch those two go at it, just, you know, talk their smack and everything. So, you know, we were sitting.

there enjoying the weekend talking about the race and you know it was actually kind of nice i didn't have to talk any smack i let i let my i let michael do all of it and uh you know he was going to tow to denny about how the weekend was going to go so we were able to steal that one away from him on overtime i think that's just michael you know letting you know hey we got you this time so letting it all hang out well michael uh had everything he needed all the ammo you won practice you won qualifying, you won the race. Tyler Redick five-time winning in the Cup series this year. Congratulations, my guy.

Thank you. Thank you very much.