Sunday’s Cup Series race in Las Vegas proved to be a stroke of luck for Joey Logano. But it wasn’t favorable for Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Tyler Reddick. During Lap 89 of Stage 2, a crash unfolded at Turn 4 following a restart. It entangled the three drivers and relegated them to finishes outside the top 30.
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The melee began with Reddick attempting to overtake Elliott just as Martin Truex Jr. too made an upward move. Truex Jr. was possibly unaware of Reddick’s maneuver and they set the stage for a three-wide scramble with Elliott sandwiched in the middle. An untimely contact initiated a chain reaction and Elliott’s car collided with Reddick’s, which then swept Blaney into the fray.
Both Elliott and Blaney managed to continue their races with frequent pit stops to mend the damage. However, Reddick and Brad Keselowski’s races concluded prematurely. When questioned about the incident in the aftermath, Elliott exonerated Truex and suggested that there was no intentional wrongdoing from the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver.
He said, “The 45 was coming up a big run up top, and I don’t think Martin knew that. He was kind of running as if we were too wide, and once I recognized there wouldn’t be enough room, I tried to bail. There was just nowhere to bail; it was too late.”
Chase Elliott to FOX Sports on the wreck and challenges ahead. Elliott: “I certainly understand but there was not a lot of room … in the corner. At that point in the race, it was a big gamble for him to bank on me recognizing and Martin recognizing that he had a big run up top.” pic.twitter.com/L7CifqaAN7
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 20, 2024
Delving deeper into the audacious maneuver by Reddick, Elliott commented, “I certainly understand but there was not a lot of room … in the corner. At that point in the race, it was a big gamble for him to bank on me recognizing and Martin recognizing that he had a big run-up top.”
Why Reddick is in slight contradiction with Elliott’s remarks
Reddick entered the South Point 400 hovering just 10 points above the elimination line. He appeared intent on seizing every opportunity and displayed assertiveness at race restarts. An understandable approach considering his want to capitalize early in this critical stage of the playoffs.
Reddick explained his strategy of attempting the risky move and said, “You have to be aggressive on the restart. It is hard to pass after a while. Being myself on a mile and a half, being aggressive — by the time I realized I was in trouble, the #19 started sliding and the #9 was coming up, and I was pretty much already on their outside at that point, with nowhere to really go.”
He continued, “I needed to make the decision earlier when I saw them sliding to be more conservative to avoid an incident — just not who I am, but it is unfortunate.” Reddick now looks forward to the trip to Homestead-Miami, a track where he has found success in the past.
