Tyler Reddick displayed excellent opportunism at the Talladega race.
The NASCAR Cup Series event at Talladega was relatively clean in the first two stages, but chaos ensued during the final stage. Talladega is notorious for intense wrecks on the last lap, and the GEICO 500 was no exception. A battle between the pole sitter and another driver resulted in a major collision.
During the final lap, as they approached the checkered flag, Brad Keselowski, who had been pushing McDowell to the front throughout the race, attempted to take the lead. However, the driver from Front Raw Motorsports defended his position with a double block. Unfortunately, the No. 34 Ford driver made a poor choice while defending against Keselowski, as he was not clear of the No. 6 Ford returning to the inside lane.
Tyler Reddick skillfully avoided the chaos in the tri-oval and emerged as the winner at Talladega! #GEICO500
As a result of the incident, Keselowski spun out and had to slow down. This allowed 23XI Racing’s driver, who was in third place, to seize the opportunity and take the lead as they approached the checkered flag. McDowell ended up collecting most of the field in the collision, while the No. 45 Toyota crossed the finish line. Reddick was ecstatic after securing the victory.
The No. 45 Camry’s triumph was made possible by the impressive support from Reddick’s Toyota teammates from JGR. Both drivers played a crucial role in helping him maintain pace on the outside lane and secure the lead.
Similar to last season, Reddick has secured 23XI’s first win of the season and a spot in the playoffs. He also dashed Ford’s hopes of regaining momentum with this victory, adding an intriguing element to the upcoming races.