Tyler Reddick joins Sam Hunt Racing for limited Xfinity schedule

Kyle Busch and Tyler Reddick — among the key storylines this season — got their first days on track with their new teams this week. 

Busch, Reddick and Austin Cindric participated in a tire test Monday and Tuesday at Circuit of the Americas. The session marked Busch’s first official laps with his Richard Childress Racing team. It also was Reddick’s first laps with his 23XI Racing team.

Busch, a two-time Cup champion, joins RCR after having spent the past 15 seasons at Joe Gibbs Racing. Lack of sponsorship led to his move. 

He takes over the No. 8 Chevrolet that Reddick drove last year. Reddick had signed a contract to join 23XI Racing in 2024 but was allowed to leave a year early with Busch taking his spot at RCR.

Busch heads into this season having won at least one Cup race in each of the past 18 seasons, tying him with Richard Petty for the all-time Cup record.

Busch, who estimated he ran 200 laps during the two days at the 3.41-mile road course in Austin, Texas, was pleased with the session.

“Had a lot of fun,” he told NBC Sports. “Was able to work with the guys and really (have) good communication, give good feedback and have that opportunity to have dialogue of ‘Let’s do this. Let’s do this. Let’s try this. What do you think about this?’ 

“(Was) able to talk about the car in ways I’m used to and have them hear me describe things in certain ways, so they can get a better understanding where, as you go on, you can say less words and they get what you’re saying.”

Reddick said the session was helpful to get settled in the No. 45 Toyota.

The session also proved valuable for Toyota, which seeks to improve its performance on road courses. Reddick won at Road America and the Indianapolis road course last year and could provide key feedback for Toyota.

The manufacturer struggled in the first five road courses last season — twice failing to have a driver finish in the top 12. In the season’s final road course event, Toyota won the Charlotte Roval playoff race with Christopher Bell. 

Reddick told NBC Sports that a goal at the session was to “try and close the gap Toyota feels like they’ve had on the Chevys and some of the other competition last year on the road courses. I think we made some gains, but certainly, we’re going to work hard on that.”

Who else is counting down the days to @NASCARatCOTA ?? pic.twitter.com/WrKaQNS7S8

— Austin Sports Commission (@sportsaustin) January 17, 2023

2. More testing in January

A key organizational test takes place Tuesday and Wednesday at Phoenix Raceway.

Cars scheduled to test are those of Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski, Christopher Bell, Joey Logano, Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 

Elton Sawyer, recently promoted to senior vice president of competition for NASCAR, said Thursday on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the sanctioning body will be looking at several things, including changes that could help the racing at short tracks.

While the racing at intermediate…