(Photo by Sarah Crabill/Getty Images)
When you have only started 15 races in your career, you’re not expected to go out and win. Tyler Reddick apparently didn’t get that memo. After starting 5th in the VisityMyrtleBeach.com 300 at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night, Reddick ran consistently in the top 5 for the first two stages.
Stewart-Haas driver Cole Custer would score the win in both of last nights stages, he would edge Reddick in both leaving the Chip-Gannasi Racing driver choping for more, and more he gave them. Reddick would lead 66 laps in route to his first Xfinity series victory.
Brennan Poole, Reddicks teammate came home second and was the first playoff driver in the run down. Reddick said it was nice to have the 1-2 finish for Chip-Ganassi Racing. There was no lack of effort by this team, both here and back at the shop in preperation for the first race in the playoffs. Even thought it looked like a smooth race Reddick said they had plenty of opportunities to throw this race away.
Several of those opportunities he mentioned came on restarts. I just took it easy, didn’t want to get to aggressive like the “Double zero” of Cole Custer who went three wide on several occasions throughout the race. The car went through a little bit of a transition as we went through the night, but overall it was really pretty consistent. Reddick said the team did a really good job keeping up with the track. Mike (Shiplett-Crew Chief) made some good calls on pit road.
Shiplett said following the race that Reddick really learned how to pass in his first race here. He just used the low line and that is what we worked on in practice since the groove really hadn’t widened out yet. He didn’t try to pass cars on the high side, and didn’t really need too.
“We just needed a little track position, that one position and we cruised to the house-Tyler Reddick”
At the end of the night, Reddick would cruise home to a 14.540 second margin of victory. That margin of victory is a record for Kentucky Speedway.
Reddick did have one close call, and it came after the checkered flag. Once he finished up with his victory burnouts, he jumped from the car and ran to the flagstand. Reddick grabbed the checkered flag and headed back to his car, but sat the flag on top of the car and in his excitement to head to victory lane, he forgot it. Car went forwards, flag went backwards. Chip Gannasi Racing Xfitiy team manager, Nick Harvey said in the media center, when you win, you have for things like that. It got a chuckle from Reddick as well as the media center. Reddick said it would be a funny story to tell had they not brought it back. “What happened to the flag from your first win? Well, the track has it because I didn’t think about picking it up.”
Luckily Reddick was able to celebrate in victory lane with his team, trophy and his first Xfinity series checkered flag.
Following last nights first playoff race for the Xfinity Series , Justin Allgaier and Cole Custer are tied atop the points standings. Followed by Elliot Sadler, Daniel Hemric and William Byron.
Right now the four that are outside of the top 8 and needing to pick up their performance next week heading to the Monster Mile at Dover. Brendan Gaughan, Blake Koch, Michael Annett and Jeremy Clements.
The only issue in post race inspection was the No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet from RCR of Ben Kennedy failed rear height measurments, the rest of inspection was clear and NASCAR will not take anyone back to the R&D center.
