You’ve gotta feel for Tyler Reddick.
During NASCAR’s dirt race at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sunday, the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driver led a race-high of 99 laps — 99 of the final 100 laps to be exact — and looked poised to grab his first career Cup Series win.
But wins don’t come easy, and Reddick will have to wait for his first checkered flag.
Reddick would have had a lot of reasons to be furious with Chase Briscoe after the pair made contact on the last lap, costing both of them a shot at the win. But instead of throwing punches, the two shared a perfect moment of sportsmanship, including an apology from Briscoe.
On the final lap of Sunday’s Food City Dirt Race, Reddick was out front on the .533-mile Tennessee short track, which was temporarily converted to dirt. Briscoe in the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was right behind him, looking for the perfect opportunity to make a move with Kyle Busch in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota running third.
Going into the final pair of turns before the finish line, Briscoe went to the inside of Reddick to try and make the pass for the win. But the back of the No. 14 car slid up the track and made contact with Reddick, forcing both cars farther up before eventually spinning out.
Wow. Retweet to congratulate Kyle Busch on his win at Bristol! pic.twitter.com/1P4CkhNkYR
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 18, 2022
Although Reddick was able to regain control and get back on the track, Busch flew by him to take the checkered flag, edging out Reddick by 0.330 seconds.
So, again, it’s hard not to feel bad for Reddick, who was oh-so-close to his first victory. He told FOX Sports afterward:
“I shouldn’t have let him get that close. He ran me back down, worked really hard to do that. I mean, you’re racing on dirt, going for the move on the final corner. It’s everything that, as a driver, you hope to battle for in his situation and made it really exciting for the fans.
“So it does suck, but we were able to finish second still. And I’m being honest: I should have done a better job and pulled away so he wasn’t in range to try to make that move. That’s how I look at it.”
. @BubbaWallace stops to talk with @TylerReddick as he exits the car. pic.twitter.com/8HdVFtH0KU
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) April 18, 2022
Chase Briscoe as he walked up pit road as he wanted to talk to Tyler Reddick: “If he punches me, he punches me. I get it.” … And as you can see, no punches. pic.twitter.com/6oydwwEcXv
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 18, 2022
Briscoe was among those feeling badly about the situation and said: “That was my fault, 100 percent. I hate it for Tyler. He’s a good friend of mine.”
So after the race, as Reddick finished up his interview with FOX Sports, Briscoe apologized. They exchanged some nice words, shook hands and smiled.
Tyler Reddick reacts to the final lap … and Chase Briscoe apologizes. pic.twitter.com/8s9xMzrIY3
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 18, 2022
Briscoe: I was going to spin out, I think, either way. I was like, ‘Oh, please don’t hit him with the right rear! Please don’t hit with the right rear.’ And I saw it. But I’m sorry. I just wanted to let you know.
Reddick: You did a hell of a job running me down.
Briscoe: I kept trying. I was driving it so hard. I couldn’t run it any harder.
Reddick: It’s all good.
Briscoe: I’m sorry. I wish you would have won.
Reddick: I needed to drive away. I let you get close, so that’s on me.
Briscoe: That’s all right. I just wanted to apologize.
Reddick: It’s all good.
Briscoe: Anyway, that was fun though.
Reddick: Until next time.
Until next time, indeed.
AND THEY'RE ̶T̶H̶R̶O̶W̶I̶N̶G̶ SHAKING HANDS pic.twitter.com/xAd5bHBis4
— nascarcasm (@nascarcasm) April 18, 2022
