Despite top-5 finish, Tyler Reddick left ‘disappointed’ after chaotic Atlanta race: “Just needed to be a little bit smarter” 

Tyler Reddick secured a solid top‑five result in Saturday night’s (June 28) chaotic Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway. However, the 23XI Racing driver admitted that he felt disappointed with himself after a key strategic misstep late in the race.

Reddick, who made his 200th Cup start last weekend in Atlanta, started the race from 23rd position. However, after a multi-car wreck and second stage win, he went on to collect his fourth top-5 finish of the 2025 season.

During a post-race interview, the 29-year-old pointed out that the 23XI No. 45 team made smart decisions on pit road most of the night but made the wrong move and lost track position that likely cost him a shot at the win.

"We were really solid. Just made the wrong move at the wrong time. Most of the night if I sat and waited, I’d get shuffled back. Just needed to be a little bit smarter with my move on (Brad Keselowski). It got us shuffled too far back to fight for the win," Tyler Reddick said (via NBC Sports). "Disappoiting for sure, but it was nice to get a playoff point. Score some points at a speedway. More and more new winners, so we’ve got to find a way to victory lane," he added.

The Quaker State 400 was marked by drama. A massive, 23‑car wreck during Stage 2 reshaped the competitive landscape. Reddick narrowly avoided chaos when Riley Herbst crashed and brought out a caution and recovered well after a pit road penalty. He took over the lead on lap 158 after trading spots with race winner Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman earlier.

Elliott was given the Stage 2 win by photo‑timing but after further review, NASCAR ruled Reddick in front by 0.001 seconds, which was the closest finish in history.

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Tyler Reddick 'continuing for wins' for playoff spot

Atlanta was Tyler Reddick's first top-5 finish since Darlington in April. He is now ranked sixth in the NASCAR Cup points standings, 128 points above the playoff cutoff line.

When asked about how it felt to finish this high, the Corning, California native said it was a relief but looked forward to a win.

"It's nice for sure, but yeah, as more and more people win, you know, points really are going to matter less than last year. So up 128 on the cut, but, you know, there's only four spots left. So, running good and continuing for wins will continue to be important," Tyler Reddick said (via Frontstretch).

The NASCAR Cup Series will head to the Chicago Street Course for its 19th race of the season. Reddick earned a runner-up finish at the Grant Park 165 last season.

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Edited by Luke Koshi