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NASCAR: Reddick wins AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at TMS

Posted by AR1 staff

RCR Chevy driver Tyler Reddick out dueled Team Penske driver Joey Logano to win the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway by 1.190s.

It was Reddick’s 3rd NASCAR Cup win of the year and his first on an oval. His two previous wins were at Road America and the Indy Road Course.

Once again a driver eliminated from the playoffs wins a race.

The outcome made it four straight wins for drivers without championship eligibility to open the postseason, denying the 12 remaining playoff drivers an automatic berth into the next round. Reddick had qualified for the 16-driver playoff field but was eliminated after last weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Reddick led a race-high 70 of the 334 laps.

Tyler Reddick, driver of the #8 Lenovo/ThinkEdge Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on September 25, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Justin Haley had his best finish of the year in third.

Ryan Blaney and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top-5.

A handful of playoff drivers had issues before the race’s first two stages were out, starting the tally on what would amount to a track-record 16 yellow flags. Among them was regular-season champ Chase Elliott, who led 44 laps but crashed out while heading the field. His No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet completed just 184 laps and finished 32nd in the 36-car field. Two other drivers crashed out while leading, as tire issues sidelined Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. in the final stage.

Alex Bowman, a teammate to Elliott, also found trouble as he also made contact with the Turn 4 wall. His No. 48 Chevy continued after the Lap 96 caution period, placing five laps down in 29th.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, the model of consistency in the opening round, was also an early exit after separate incidents before the halfway point. His No. 20 Toyota was too damaged to continue, and he wound up 34th.

Cody Ware was treated and released from the infield care center after a hard hit with his No. 51 Ford midway through the 500-miler. His Rick Ware Racing team released a statement saying the 26-year-old driver would return home after the race, and RWR representative Robby Benton said that X-rays at the track showed no fractures. Benton added that he had some discomfort in one of his ankles, and that he would follow up with a specialist at Ortho Carolina this week as a precaution.

The race was red-flagged for rain showers and lightning after 220 laps were complete, just before the start of the final stage. That 56-minute delay pushed the finish under the lights.

The Cup Series’ next race is the YellaWood 500, scheduled next Sunday, Oct. 2nd

Two races remain in the Round of 12.

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 LENOVO/THINKEDGE CAMARO ZL3

Finished: 1st

All this group has been through and yet here they are still winning races and still a team. How about the Texas race fans who stayed here through this long night of racing and Tyler Reddick brings it home to Victory Lane. With all the tire issues, how worried were you on the final run because you went so long on this set of Goodyears?

“I was extremely worried; I’m not going to lie. Unfortunately, just about every time we’ve had fast cars, we’ve had some tire problems. That last run, the right sides were vibrating really, really hard there.

I was just trying to maximize and use the gap that I built over Joey (Logano) just in case. I mean, every time we’ve had a strong car, we’ve been bit by something, man.

Just really proud to be able to get this Lenovo Chevy to Victory Lane. They were at Auto Club earlier this year. They deserve to go to get to Victory Lane. We got them there.”

How did this team stay together through all the adversity this year?

“Well, it was tough. I mean, two points. Every spot matters in this deal. We just had two tough races. We brought a really fast car at Darlington. We were leading at Kansas when we broke and fell out early. It’s tough.

This will make that, the pain of not making it through, a little bit easier. Even though, yes, it would have locked us into the Round of 8. We’re winning races. That’s what we’ll keep trying to do.”

How about the Texas race fans?

“It was a hot one. Thank you fans who came out. I really appreciate it. This is a tough race, 500 miles here. Not an easy feat. I know it wasn’t easy on you guys, as well.

So great to be able to win here in a Cup car. Been close a few times. Let’s go!”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO (Best car, worst Pit Crew)

Kyle, Your crew chief apologized for how the pit crew performed tonight and not giving you what you want. As a driver, how do you handle situations like that?

“You just shake it off and go out there the best that you can and put together some good runs. So, we were able to overcome all the spots that we lost on pit road, and I feel like I drove from the back to the top- five or six almost every run.

We had a really good car and I’m proud of the effort there at the shop and the piece that we brought here to Texas. It’s good that we are above the cutline; but if we are plus 16, I feel like we could have been plus 34 or something at least, so bummer there. We could have potentially won the race. We had the best car and the weather delay hurt for sure. We had the best car on the track when it was hot and when it got cooler, I got loose and everybody seemed to get faster. So, it was just harder to pass. Proud of the effort back at the shop.”

Race Results

# DENOTES ROOKIE
(i) NOT ELIGIBLE FOR POINTS
(*) REQUIRED TO QUALIFY ON TIME