If you look up ‘unpredictable’ in the dictionary, you will find the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Just when it looks like one driver is out of contention for the title, they somehow pull off a comeback. This time, it was Tyler Reddick who stunned Miami after he triumphed at the Straight Talk Wireless 400. The win comes barely a week after a massive scare for the #45 driver. Reddick was toast at Vegas last week thanks to contact with Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott. During that wreck, his 23XI Racing Toyota slid into the infield, dug into the grass, and barrel-rolled.

Heading into Homestead-Miami, Reddick was definitely under threat, but he dug deep and pushed his Toyota past its limits all the way to Phoenix. Recently, he looked back on how his fortunes changed within just a week. Who would have guessed that the driver who ended up on his roof in Vegas would be fighting for the title? On one hand, it seems like something out of a Hollywood script, but it has happened.

Tyler Reddick praised the improvements in car safety

Tyler Reddick spinning out in Vegas was a shock to everyone watching. It happened when Reddick attempted to take the wall line against Chase Elliott and the latter did not see him coming. Elliott made contact with him, causing him to spin out, and Brad Keselowski got involved as collateral damage. Reddick spun onto the grass, where he flipped multiple times before driving it to pit road. The damage was not severe, and Reddick heaped praise on Gen 7 cars for the same.

Reddick told Bob Pockrass, “Can’t think about it at all. I’m thankful that cars are as safe as they are, when it comes to rolling them over. They made big improvements with that, from Gen 6 to Gen 7. Certainly, I didn’t think the crash was as big as it was, but it was an interesting process understanding that. Again, I was just glad that the car, for the most part, I stayed in the seat, nothing collapsed, nothing crazy happened. I don’t know we’re kind of crazy to some degree.”

“My first lap in the car after flipping it, I drive off into Turn 3 and 4 in practice, right on the wall, like nothing had ever happened. That’s just how you have to be, if you want to compete on this level. You’ve got to be able to remember the important things, remember the lessons. There’s certain things you just got to completely block out and forget, and go into the next day, next week, completely ready to go like nothing ever happened.”

He was not too concerned about the sudden change from crashing last weekend to winning this time around. Instead, he noted that the Gen 7 cars are much safer than their predecessors. Reddick also confessed that the severity of his barrel roll was being blown is little out of proportion. In his eyes, the car was still in one piece and somewhat drivable, at least until he could reach pit road.

Tyler Reddick‘s ‘on to the next’ mentality is what has got him into Phoenix. Imagine your car flipping over just a week ago, and the next week, you go full tilt on the top side at Homestead to overtake on the last turn. That takes serious guts and Tyler Reddick seems to have it. Car safety surely plays a role, but the sheer courage to attempt such a maneuver is commendable. There is one driver who can learn from Reddick’s aggression but definitely disagrees with him on Next-Gen cars.

Kyle Larson is on the other side of the fence with Next-Gen cars

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Kyle Larson and Joey Logano are the only drivers in the 2024 playoffs to have multiple wins. Yet one of them is relaxing and waiting for Phoenix while the other finds himself in the elimination zone. This gives more insight into his frustration, as he knows how important a win is in these circumstances. When it was needed most, Logano got it done while Larson seemed to be spinning out and blaming his car.

The Hendrick Motorsports #5 had a day to forget in Miami, despite almost pulling off an incredible comeback. Larson found himself in 35th place in the race after his right rear tire went flat after contact with the wall. He was furious at the situation and went all in on the Next-Gen cars while speaking to his team radio. “These f***ing cars are stupid. How can you get a flat tire and be done … or you get a flat tire and wear out a little bit of your diffuser, and your race is killed. Stupid.” said the raging Larson.

Larson miraculously drove his way up to the 5th spot with 20-odd laps to go and was making a real push for the top. However, a failed three-wide attempt, which caused him to spin out, cut short his ambitions. He did not lose any track position during the incident, but his slow pit stop caused him to fall down in the standings. The #5 settled with a P13 finish which sees him -7 below the cutline going into Martinsville. Do you think Larson makes the Championship 4?