Tyler Reddick delivered a strong performance in the recent Southern 500 race at Darlington but ultimately settled for second place after battling closely with Chase Briscoe. Reflecting on his Tyler Reddick Southern 500 Performance, Reddick acknowledged that while his Pinnacle Financial Partners Camry excelled during long runs, Briscoe’s better restart speed played a decisive role in the outcome.
“The one time we got ahead of him there, we were just a little too tight. He was able to get back by us, so… yeah, I think for our Pinnacle Financial Partners Camry, we were better than he was on long runs. He could fire off a whole lot better. I think that was the difference tonight,”
Reddick explained, emphasizing the subtle balance issues that emerged late in the race.
Challenges and Lessons from the Race
Reddick recounted some early difficulties, including a contact with Barry on the opening lap and problems during the first pit stop that cost valuable time. Despite these setbacks, the car’s handling improved as the race progressed, allowing Reddick to remain competitive. However, damage sustained to the left side of the car likely affected performance in critical moments.
“It’s a long race when you’re in the Southern 500. I had pretty much forgotten that me and Barry got together on the first lap. We had all sorts of issues we had to correct on the first pit stop. Lost some time there. Pretty much from that point forward, our car was much more manageable,”
he said.
“Looking at it, I know it’s got a hole in the left side on the rocker panel. Probably losing performance there. Maybe some of our fire-off speed.”
Reddick Remains Determined for a Future Victory
Though missing out on the win was frustrating, Reddick remains positive about his progress in the NASCAR Playoffs and confident that his continued efforts will pay off at Darlington. He referenced prior experiences at the track and demonstrated a cautious approach in his racing tactics.
“Yeah, I wish I could have been just a little bit closer. When I dove off in there, I was already sideways. I learned from last spring that that doesn’t work. Yeah, a good solid day, but hopefully one day we’ll win here at Darlington,”
Reddick stated, illustrating his reflective mindset after narrowly missing victory.
He also noted the value of earning strong stage points and the resilience needed to compete in a challenging race, highlighting the team’s ability to overcome early obstacles and nearly secure a Southern 500 win.
“This race could have been disastrous on lap one. We survived that. We scored a lot of stage points, almost won the Southern 500. We’ll turn these second-place finishes into a victory one day,”
Reddick concluded, looking ahead to future opportunities at Darlington and beyond.
