(Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
DARLINGTON, S.C. — Tyler Reddick and his No. 45 23XI Racing team put execution issues aside and started the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on a positive note, bringing home a second-place finish Sunday at Darlington Raceway
“Days like this with a car like this we haven’t been able to get a second-place finish out of it so I’m really glad we’re able to do that,” Reddick said after the race. “This is the day that we needed to have. I’m really just thankful for the hard work from the pit crew, the team, everyone at the shop.”
After qualifying in third behind Christopher Bell and team co-owner Denny Hamlin, Reddick took the lead after the first set of green flag pit stops. Reddick led four different times for a total of 90 laps.
Hamlin went on to win Stage 1 after getting past Reddick before the second set of pit stops while the 27-year-old from Corning, California finished second.
Reddick finished fourth in Stage 2 and had gotten back out front with less than 60 laps to go after Hamlin reported to his team that he had a loose wheel from the lead. However, on Lap 310, Reddick ended up causing a caution that helped seal his fate for the night.
Kevin Harvick, who ran second at the time, got instructed to pit by crew chief Rodney Childers. Billy Scott (crew chief) and the No. 45 team wanted to pit at the same time to eliminate a tire disadvantage, so Reddick checked up to try and make pit road ahead of Harvick. However, Ryan Newman ran into the back of him and spun out, causing a caution.
(Photo: Dylan Nadwodny | The Podium Finish)
Harvick ended up committing to pit road as it closed for the yellow and the No. 4 team completed service, resulting in a penalty. Reddick completed his stop once pit road opened, but Kyle Larson got off first. Larson survived two restarts and held off Reddick for the win.
Reddick, meanwhile, had his hands full with Chris Buescher in his mirror, too.
“It was a tough balance. I wanted to keep pushing to try and get Kyle [Larson], but I was just getting so loose,” Reddick said. “I about wrecked in the middle of [Turns] 1 and 2 a few times. I don’t know. I was either going to catch Kyle or I was going to wreck in the middle of one and two and finish the last car out — 28th. It just didn’t make sense in my head, so we’ll take the second place. Hopefully one day in the future we come back and have another shot at the Southern 500.”
At 51 points, Reddick earned the second most points among all drivers on Sunday. It was his best points day of the year, recording a point more than when he won at Circuit of the Americas in March.
With two races remaining in the Round of 16, Reddick is third in points, 30 above the cutline.
“We’re sitting pretty good,” Reddick said. “It was a pretty good points day on top of that as well.”
