NASCAR’s stern approach to laid-back restarts at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway had a profound impact on several drivers. Most notably, Chase Elliott. Denny Hamlin, a vocal advocate for NASCAR’s stricter enforcement, welcomed these changes. And now, Tyler Reddick, the driver of co-owner Hamlin’s 23XI Racing team, echoed his boss’s sentiments on the penalties.

In the opening race of the Round of 8, NASCAR made a clear statement by penalizing drivers who were laid back during restarts. Drivers like AJ Allmendinger and Chase Elliott felt the impact of this strict enforcement. For the Hendrick Motorsports driver, it was a particularly harsh blow, given his involvement in the playoffs for the owner’s championship.

Tyler Reddick shares the perspective of his boss Denny Hamlin over NASCAR’s strict penalties

Denny Hamlin, a veteran of the sport, has been advocating for stricter penalties for some time now. During a recent episode of his podcast show Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin offered insights into the evolution of NASCAR’s approach to rule violations. He applauded NASCAR’s more stringent stance on enforcing these penalties.

Chase Elliott’s penalty, handed out during the final restart, had far-reaching consequences. It pushed him down the field, finishing a lap down in 31st place. The penalty was triggered by a “point of emphasis” situation, where there was a gap between Elliott’s car and the one ahead of him. As he crossed the start-finish line, he moved to the outside in an attempt to make a pass. The move to the outside likely led to the penalty, illustrating how NASCAR won’t take this violation lightly anymore.

Tyler Reddick resonated with his boss’s stance on NASCAR’s stringent penalties for laid-back restarts. In a conversation with a NASCAR Insider Bob Pockrass, Reddick expressed his views on the penalties handed out to drivers like Elliott and Allmendinger.

“It’s something that they’ve been reminding us of a lot this year,” Reddick explained. “I was one of those that were actually at this race a year ago, and I was livid about how much people were able to lay back, and they weren’t calling it. So from this point last year to now, they’ve been a lot more strict on it.”

Reddick highlighted that while laid-back restarts might offer advantages, they could also backfire and create challenges for both drivers involved. “You know, it’s just one of those deals where it’s an advantage for the car behind. But if it doesn’t necessarily work out, you kinda both screw each other over,” he added. “Though it’s something that I’ve been burned by quite a bit. But no, they’ve been doing a better job of seeing people who try to take advantage of certain situations. And it’s just kinda forcing everybody to, I guess, play a little bit more straight up.”

While Reddick seems to be happy about this decision from NASCAR, he won’t be too happy with another penalty that NASCAR rescinded after the fact.

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Ryan Blaney’s rescinded penalty adds complexity to Reddick’s championship hopes

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The situation took an unexpected turn when NASCAR rescinded Ryan Blaney‘s disqualification from the race in Las Vegas. The Team Penske driver, who began the Round of 8 with a 56-point deficit behind the cutline, initially lost all the points he had gained in the race due to disqualification. The disqualification was the result of a post-race technical inspection that found a violation in the car’s left front shock length.

NASCAR later admitted that a problem with the inspection template had led to the disqualification. Consequently, Blaney’s stage and race-finishing positions were restored, lifting him from the last position among title-eligible drivers to seventh.

This reversal presents a new challenge for Tyler Reddick, who is currently 16 points behind the cutline, just one point ahead of Blaney. Reddick shared his perspective on the evolving situation, stating, “Yeah, I mean, it does change a little bit. I mean, ultimately, we gotta score points. Considering the speed I feel like we lack compared to like the #24, the #11, the #19. You know, to still outscore them on the day was ideal. But yeah, you know, we’re kinda in that spot where we need to excel in all of these 3 races, you know.”

He emphasized that they must focus on scoring points, as their competition is fierce, with drivers like Blaney now in the mix. “It’s just one more car that is in the mix, right? Ryan has always seemed to run really good at Homestead, over the years. I feel like he’s always been in the mix there. So he’s definitely a driver when you look at all the drivers that are in this round of 8. He’s just one more guy that could run really strong. That could get those points, so it is what it is.”

As the playoffs unfold, the dynamic between Tyler Reddick, Ryan Blaney, and other drivers in the Round of 8 continues to evolve, setting the stage for a thrilling and unpredictable championship showdown at Phoenix.

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