“Just a lot more intense”. This is Tyler Reddick’s description of the difference between racing at the L. A Coliseum and Bowman Gray Stadium. The 23XI Racing driver did not have the best time at ‘The Madhouse’, despite starting in the front row after winning the heat race. Driving the 23XI Racing No.45, Tyler Reddick encountered a slew of difficulties in his first run at Bowman Gray.

Mechanical setbacks hindered his race, preventing him from capping off what seemed like a promising drive. While Reddick’s ability to push through adversity was evident in the second half, his car simply didn’t return to the peak performance it had earlier in the race, leaving him to reflect on the factors that contributed to his struggle.

Tyler Reddick looks back at what went wrong

The race started strong for Reddick, who was having a blast and felt confident in his ability to compete for the lead. The track, known for its narrow and tight racing conditions, was far more intense than what Reddick had experienced at his previous race in L.A. Reddick remarked. “There’s not as much room to really get physical with one another. You do that in L.A. though, but here just the amount of room you have is a lot less. So I feel like you try to really lobby, if you will, for position on the race track.” For Reddick, the tight quarters made every move critical as he fought to maintain position.

However, after the 100-lap caution, which was essentially a half-time of sorts, Tyler Reddick‘s car simply could not meet the speed he required. He said, “Second half, you know, I was feeling really good. Thought I could get the lead, or try to get the lead… I didn’t feel like I was being that aggressive, but I don’t know.” Unfortunately, his Camry experienced issues after a round of repairs, and it became clear that something wasn’t right.

“After we had all those repairs and we finally got going, my car just, Camry, was just not quite safe,” Reddick continued. “It just got really, really tight. So we had a bad spot there, just really slow… But once we got back going and I could get into rhythm, it was okay for a while, it just didn’t ever really recover back to where it was in the first half of the race.” A damning admission from Reddick, who still managed an 8th-place finish due to how tough it is to pass at Bowman Gray.

The feeling of being stuck in a bad spot left Reddick battling more than just the competition. His drive to get back into rhythm was evident, but the tight handling of his car, particularly when compared to competitors who adapted better to the track conditions, kept him from moving forward.

One of the most surprising elements of the race was the success of drivers utilizing the bottom line. Reddick, along with Denny Hamlin and others, had success running the top, but Ryan Blaney could “wrap the bottom” and that caught Reddick’s attention. Reddick added “They said he was running the bottom really good. In a place like this, the window is very narrow. I think if you can get it right, you can find a way to the front.” Blaney drove from 23rd to finish P2 in the race, which was arguably the best performance of the night.

While the race didn’t end in victory, Reddick’s performance demonstrated his tenacity and adaptability. Though his car’s handling issues ultimately kept him from claiming the lead, he still found moments of excitement and competition as the race unfolded. For Reddick, the lesson from Bowman Gray was clear—mechanical setbacks can make or break a race, but perseverance and adaptability are just as important.

Reddick’s teammate, Bubba Wallace had a better run but was marred in controversy

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The Bowman Gray Stadium is just the perfect stage to show off the difference between Tyler Reddick and his teammate Bubba Wallace’s driving style. While Chase Elliott dominated the event, Bubba Wallace, known for his fearless and often fiery driving style, showed no signs of getting pushed back during the Bowman Gray Clash. 

Wallace started in 14th and gave it everything he had, making several aggressive moves throughout the race and trying to establish himself on the very tight quarter-mile racetrack. A high-risk maneuver did occasionally spark some heated moments, but it also put him in a position to be able to contend with the front–runners.

However, it was his collision with Brad Keselowski that would dominate the conversation. After battling hard throughout the race, Wallace attempted to squeeze Keselowski into a tighter line, a move that resulted in Keselowski spinning out. “Yeah, I hate that I got into the No. 6,” Wallace admitted. “I didn’t want to get a top-5 finish that way. He was doing everything he was to get down and I got greedy and wanted to fill the hole. I didn’t really think I hit him that hard, but obviously I did. So I apologize for that.”

The wreck raised questions about Wallace‘s aggressive style, with some fans criticizing him for being too reckless, while others pointed out that Bowman Gray’s short-track nature often leads to this type of chaos. Yet, the incident still left Wallace with more to prove, as his aggressive play sometimes jeopardized his race, much like in his previous seasons, where inconsistency had been an issue.

At the end of it all, Wallace and Reddick proved that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to the race at Bowman Gray Stadium. While Wallace’s aggressive style will always be a part of his DNA, Reddick’s measured tactics demonstrate the importance of adaptability on short tracks. Both drivers are primed for an exciting 2025 season, with their contrasting styles only adding to the intrigue.