In all top-tier divisions of NASCAR, no driver is complete without the crew chief and spotter. They form the backbone of the team and their job includes pit crew coordination, driver communication, data analysis, and more. Many successful drivers have partnered with top crew chiefs for a fairly long time. From 2020 to 2022, when Tyler Reddick was with Richard Childress Racing, he linked up with Randall Burnett as his crew chief. He had teamed up with Burnett earlier as well in the Xfinity Series. However, when Reddick jumped ship to Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing for the 2023 season, Burnett stayed put. In the process, he linked up with the incoming Kyle Busch.

During their tenure together, Reddick and Burnett had a bit of a sluggish start. Right off the bat, the then-RCR driver showed off his talent. This was in spite of the fact that he did not reach victory lane until 2021. Now that Burnett has partnered with Busch, the #8 team has already racked up two wins. In addition to that, the team is churning out consistent performances as Busch and Burnett learn to work seamlessly.

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Burnett showers praise on Richard Childress Racing’s latest recruit Kyle Busch

Recently Burnett opened up about the vast difference in the personalities and attitudes of the two drivers. As reported by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Burnett said, “I would say Kyle is really down to business. When he’s spending time with us, he’s all business, which is great. It keeps everyone focused and in line and moving toward the same goal.

“Tyler was more, I’d say, one of the guys who would hang out way more. He was laid back and younger learning his way through the sport whereas Kyle is a veteran with different teams and has been doing this his whole life.”

In essence, Busch’s experience is really helping the team grow and be more competitive. However, in the process, the crew chief’s words were not as favorable towards Reddick. This could largely be attributed to the lack of experience, especially considering that 2020 was Reddick’s first full-time season. Nevertheless, he grew with the team and even delivered two Cup Series wins in the 2022 campaign.

What do Burnett’s duties at Richard Childress Racing entail?

According to the #8 crew chief, his job is very hectic and he has very few days to rest. He revealed that on the Mondays after the race, he is often in debriefs to review that weekend’s race. The debriefs include him having sessions with Kyle Busch, and the mechanics and engineers. From there, they usually review and break down what went right or wrong during the race.

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The next day, he meets with the team to prepare for the next race. This includes analyzing video footage to establish the best kind of strategy to employ. Meanwhile, the mechanics work on perfecting the setup for the duration of the week. Burnett works in tandem with the crew and also spends time with his driver in the simulator to assimilate the data.

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