Tyler Reddick will be experiencing mixed emotions at the Charlotte Roval. In many ways, the result can be considered a missed opportunity, especially because of the way the 23XI Racing driver started the weekend. On the other hand, there will be a sense of relief as he progresses into the Round of 8 and keeps his title hopes alive. Given the topsy-turvy nature of Reddick’s race, it’s no surprise that he was forced to give it everything he’s got at the 2.28-mile track for a late resurgence, which led to an 11th-place finish in the elimination fixture.

However, the race could have played out very differently for the California native, as an early incident with Denny Hamlin threatened to derail his championship hopes. However, a combination of luck, skill, and teamwork helped Reddick remain in contention, even if it came at the expense of Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, and Daniel Suarez.

Tyler Reddick credits the team for Roval’s comeback

The weekend couldn’t have begun on a better note for Tyler Reddick. The 28-year-old racing driver finished second in qualifying, just behind road course king Shane van Gisbergen, and seemed to be on course to secure his third victory of the season at the final Round of 12 race. The No. 45 Toyota driver won Stage 1 after the opening 25 laps, but that’s when the trouble began brewing. While driving around Turn 7 on Lap 31, Reddick slammed into Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, resulting in a flat rear tire and a damaged toe link. The 23XI Racing driver was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop, costing him some valuable track positions.

Sharing his views about the incident, Tyler Reddick told NBC Sports, “I think I was behind the #19 just trying to work the move into the inside and I got clear of him. I thought the #3 spun and everybody on the line came to a stop. Of course, when all of that happens, me and my boss get together. Feels like I’m going to do a front flip. I mean, this thing was absolutely destroyed. Hats off to everybody who sponsored the Camry. This thing couldn’t go within four seconds of what the pace was. We just kept working on it and we made it a lot better for Stage 3 so.”

Reddick, who finished regular series champion earlier this year, was at serious risk of being eliminated from the playoffs after the Stage 2 incident. However, his No. 45 Toyota showed the lightning-fast pace that we have witnessed all weekend to gain 15 spots in the final 30 laps and finish the race just outside the top ten. While the result was far below the expectations he had set for himself, particularly after his strong start, progressing into the Round of 8 would be all that matters to him at this point.

With four races remaining before the 2024 Cup Series season ends, Tyler Reddick is within touching distance of the championship. All he needs to do is show some consistency in the remaining three races to be in contention for the title at Phoenix Raceway. While his performances in the playoffs have fallen short of expectations, it’s not too late for the California native to turn his season around starting at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Denny Hamlin shares his views on the Reddick incident

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The stakes were higher than ever at the Charlotte Roval. Both Denny Hamlin and Tyler Reddick were fighting to keep their title hopes alive in the final Round of 12 race, and the last thing either driver wanted was an on-track incident with each other. However, that happened at the 2024 Bank of America ROVAL 400. The Lap 31 incident resulted in a bent rear-toe link for Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, forcing his team to adjust to continue the race.

Speaking to FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass about the incident, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran said, “It hurt the car and knocked something out of alignment in the rear. My steering wheel went from being straight to three o’clock. So, certainly had a detrimental outcome to my car but Chris [Gabehart] did a great job with his adjustments to compensate for the handling that the bent toe link did. Just a great job by the team, we survived and now we go race.”

Despite the incident, the 23XI Racing hierarchy was all smiles after the checkered flag was waved at the ‘Roval’. Reddick was seen getting congratulatory hugs from Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin after he exited the No. 45 Toyota, which looked battered and bruised after the events that transpired on the 2.28-mile hybrid course. Hamlin, who finished 14th, will be eight points below the cutline going into the opening Round of 8 race in Las Vegas, knowing nothing but a strong finish will suffice if he wants to keep his championship hopes alive.