(Jonathan Moore/NASCAR photo)
LAS VEGAS – Tyler Reddick broke a year-long winless drought and proved Saturday night at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that he hasn’t lost his touch, despite not being a part of this year’s inaugural NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chase playoffs.
Reddick beat Brad Keselowski Racing teammate Daniel Hemric off pit road under the race’s final caution at lap 96 and never looked back from there, leading 50 of the final 51 laps en route to the win in the DC Solar 350.
His only challenge came in the form of a brief charge by Cole Custer, who led lap 102 before falling back out of contention, and the Corning, California native ultimately beat Hemric to the checkered flag by 1.404 seconds.
Saturday was Reddick’s third career series win and first since Dover last May, erasing a season of frustration that has transpired since his runner-up finish in points last year.
But the win was not only big for the 20-year-old hotshoe; it was big for BKR as well, marking the organization’s first-career victory on a mile-and-a-half track in Truck Series competition.
“It’s an incredible accomplishment, not just for our team but our whole organization,” said Reddick, who led 70 of the 146 laps in total. “This has been something that I know I and everybody on this team have wanted to do … is win on a mile-and-a-half race track. I know it’s a really big deal for everybody part of this team.”
“I had to get aggressive and make some moves I probably shouldn’t have, even on my teammate. I know he’s probably not the happiest with me for getting on his door real bad … but I knew we had to do that move there to be able to hold him off up front, because I couldn’t get around him in a (long) run like that. I’m just kind of breathless and speechless with this one and I’m really happy to be a pilot and bring one home here for those guys.”
Timothy Peters started from the pole and led the first 13 laps before Ben Kennedy took command out front, but once Reddick took the lead for the first time at the 34th round, it was clear the night would be all about the two Keselowski-owned Ford F-150s.
Combined, Reddick and Hemric led the way for all but five of the final 113 laps, which saw just three cautions slow the pace all the way to the finish.
The caution clock triggered a slowdown at lap 38, which was followed by a lap 50 caution that came out when Wayne Edwards hit the wall in turn four.
From there, a 39-lap green flag run broke out once the race resumed on lap 56, seeing Reddick briefly take command off the restart before Hemric powered past two laps later to take the top spot away.
The former short track ace held serve out front all the way till the caution clock hit zero for the final time with 52 laps to go, paving the way for the pit sequence that gave Reddick track position – and ultimately the win.
