NASCAR Xfinity Champion Tyler Reddick to Attempt Cup Series Debut at Daytona 500

He'll seek to enter the 2019 season-opener in the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

By Amanda Vincent

Posted on Feb 3, 2019

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Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick hopes to make his Cup Series debut in the 2019 Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. He will attempt to qualify a No. 31 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

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The No. 31 Reddick hopes to drive in the official 2019 Cup Series season-opener doesn’t have a charter, so if more than 40 cars enter the race, Reddick will have to qualify his way into the race, either in front-row qualifying Feb. 10 or in a qualifying race Feb. 14.

Reddick kicks off 2018 in victory lane

Reddick kicks off 2018 in victory lane

, Tyler Reddick won the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race of 2018 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 17., Getty Images for NASCAR

Reddick was a driver for JR Motorsports during his Xfinity Series championship season of 2018. He bookended the year with a win at Daytona International Speedway last February and in the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last November. Those were his only two wins of the season.

Reddick made the move from JR Motorsports to Richard Childress Racing during the 2018-19 offseason. He’ll drive full-time in Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet Xfinity Series entry this season. When he announced his move to RCR ahead of 2019, he cited an opportunity to compete in the Cup Series as one of his reasons to change teams. JR Motorsports is co-owned by Cup Series stalwart Rick Hendrick, along with retired NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., but does not enter cars in the Cup Series.

Reddick is 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champ

Reddick is 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champ

, Tyler Reddick hoists the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion’s trophy at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 17, 2018., Getty Images for NASCAR

“Ultimately, my goal is to race on Sundays [in the Cup Series], and I feel that by joining RCR, I can continue to race up front in the Xfinity Series while also  learning from one of the top Cup programs in the garage.”

Austin Dillon and Daniel Hemric will race full-time for Richard Childress Racing in the Cup Series this season. Hemric also was an Xfinity Series championship contender last season. The No. 8 car Hemric will drive in the Cup Series this season used to be the No. 31 but has been renumbered for 2019; therefore, it will use the charter formerly held by RCR’s No. 31 team.