Tyler Reddick put it all on the line at the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway, knowing that a season’s worth of hard work led him to this very moment. With drivers like Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron pushing at the top, Reddick and his 23XI Racing team had their work cut out for them. It was a relentless battle, as Reddick fought his way through the pack, and he broke into the top five, showing a glimmer of hope. But despite every effort to close the gap, he ultimately found himself just shy of the Championship Four, settling for a hard-earned sixth-place finish.

After the race, Reddick opened up about the challenging day, sharing that while he felt a brief spark of hope mid-race, it faded as they struggled with speed and consistency on restarts. He admitted that doubt crept in during the race. With 2025 on the horizon, Reddick’s focus is now on taking these hard-won lessons and coming back stronger next season. But what was it that made him doubt himself during the race? Let’s take a look.

Why Tyler Reddick was not confident about winning the finals once the race started?

As the green flag waved on race day, Tyler Reddick’s mind was on one goal: bringing home his first NASCAR championship. He woke up ready, fully aware of the stakes but also the weight of what he was up against. From the start, though, the reality hit hard—his car wasn’t performing up to par with the other championship contenders. It was like seeing a mountain rise in front of him, and he knew it’d be a steep, uphill climb to catch up.

In the post-race press conference, Tyler Reddick revealed how he had almost given up on Phoenix halfway through the race. However, early on, even as the gap between him and the leaders grew, Reddick stayed focused on what he could control. “I knew we were going to get stage cautions,” he shared, his optimism unwavering. “We were going to have an opportunity to fight as hard as we can, which is what we know.”

Early on in the race, he recognized that his car needed adjustments, and every pit stop became a chance to improve. Bit by bit, he and his team made progress. Each lap brought a glimmer of hope as he edged closer to the front, slowly chipping away at the difference. It was grueling, and as the hours wore on, the battle felt more draining. But Reddick refused to let himself or his team give up.

“We worked way too hard all year long to get in this position and give up,” he said, reflecting on the long season. Despite the odds, they fought until the final lap, determined to leave it all on the track. In the end, while the championship remained just out of reach, Reddick walked away knowing they’d given it everything—no regrets, only fuel for the next chase. While Reddick was dealing with his own problems with his car, it was clear who had the most dominant cars at Phoenix. Let’s dive into why Tyler Reddick couldn’t win the race with everything on the line.

Team Penske’s dominance threw Tyler Reddick off his game

Tyler Reddick came into the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway with high hopes, but the reality of battling against Team Penske quickly set in. The race started with Reddick in 10th, but he fought his way forward, determined to stay in the hunt for his first title. By Stage 2, it seemed like he was right in the mix, hanging just behind William Byron, Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney.

However, as the laps wore on, it became clear that Team Penske’s dominance was a force Reddick couldn’t overcome. Despite improving his car throughout the race, he never quite had the speed to keep up, eventually finishing sixth—well behind Joey Logano, who took the win and his third championship.

Reddick kept his focus, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap to the Penske duo. As the laps ticked away, he found himself just a spectator in a two-horse race between Logano and Blaney. “We were close, just not good enough,” Reddick admitted after the race. Despite putting up a solid fight and making adjustments where he could, Reddick struggled with restarts and short-run speed, two key areas where Penske seemed to excel.

His final position was a frustrating fourth among the Championship 4 contenders, watching from a distance as the Penske steamroller claimed the title. Do you think that Tyler Reddick will have such a chance again next year? Share your thoughts in the comments below.