It’s never good to have two teammates purposefully collide with each other, especially during a crucial playoff race. But that is exactly what happened between Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson during the exit of the final pit stop at Kansas.
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During the post-race press conference, race winner Tyler Reddick was asked to describe the last pit stop, which involved him crossing the pit exit four-wide with the #9, #5, and #6 cars. He was also asked about the contact that occurred between the two HMS drivers during the pit stop after the #9 car turned into the #5 car.
Tyler Reddick talks about the Hendrick teammates’ tangle
Reddick responded to the reporter by acknowledging that he was aware of some commotion during the pit stop. However, he was focused on running his lights and trying to get ahead of the other cars.
The 23XI driver also noted that it was interesting how things worked out, considering that had the two HMS cars not collided, he would have been a few spots back and would not have been in a position to win the race.
“Just crazy how little the margins are on pit road on the racetrack, how much it can come down to the difference between having a shot to win and looking at finishing fifth.”
“I think they lost a little bit of momentum. The replay and what you guys see is probably better than what I saw, but certainly, I could tell something was going on there, and I think it definitely allowed me to kind of sneak in between them and come off pit road where I did.”
Reddick takes home the checkered at Kansas Speedway
The confrontation between Elliott and Larson may have come as a blessing for the 23XI Racing driver since he was able to close the gap following the final pit stop. Thereafter, it seemed like Reddick on fresher tires was cutting through the competition up front.
Finally, Reddick managed to take the inside lane and go three wide before eventually claiming the race lead and then the subsequent win. Following this result, Reddick has solidified himself in the top four amongst the playoff contenders.
In the end, it was sheer luck and excellent strategy that came full circle for Reddick, while his team’s co-owner could only muster a second-place finish, despite a rather impressive run.
