NASCAR Cup Series: Shane van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick Open Up After Costly Moment

NASCAR Cup Series: Shane van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick Open Up After Costly Moment
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TALLADEGA, ALABAMA - APRIL 25: Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 Rockstar Energy Drink Toyota, speaks to the media during a press conference after winning the pole award due to a weather canceled qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Jack Link's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 25, 2026 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Ryan Blaney claimed a dominant victory in the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway after leading a race-high 171 laps in a rain-delayed race that ended in overtime. While Blaney celebrated his 19th Cup Series win, Shane van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick were left discussing a key moment that affected their chances late in the race.

A video shared by Frontstretch showed both drivers explaining their post-race conversation after van Gisbergen finished seventh and Reddick crossed the line in eighth. Both made it clear the discussion was not about an argument.

Instead, they reviewed the final overtime restart and how they could improve their execution in future NASCAR Cup Series races at EchoPark Speedway.


Shane van Gisbergen Explains Costly Restart at EchoPark Speedway

Shane van Gisbergen said he was satisfied with a seventh-place finish but admitted he kept thinking about the closing laps.

“I’m still replaying it in my head, but we’ll take a seventh. We needed a great points day, and it was excellent. We were up there most of the day. Didn’t get many stage points, but got some. We’ll take that. It was pretty fun.”

The Trackhouse Racing driver explained that the conversation with Tyler Reddick focused on the final restart.

“I just didn’t do a good enough job getting attached to him and sort of dropped off. Then the No. 3 wasn’t there to help me, and I just could have managed that better. I needed to be attached to him, and the 12 and the 23 were on the inside. They just took off. They did a good job. He just gave me a couple of pointers, and I need to be better at the restart still.”

The seventh-place result added another solid oval finish for van Gisbergen as he continued his first full NASCAR Cup Series season.


Tyler Reddick Clears Up Post-Race Conversation

Tyler Reddick confirmed that the discussion focused solely on the overtime restart and how both drivers could improve in similar situations.

“We were just talking about how important that launch is for all of us. He didn’t lose much ground, I lost a lot, but we were just trying to give ourselves a shot at winning there. That’s all.”

Reddick said he simply shared what he noticed during the restart.

“Just anything like, ‘Hey man, this is what I saw. This is what would have helped.’ That’s all it is.”

He also rejected any suggestion that manufacturer alliances influenced the conversation.

“As we get racing there, the Chevys are going to stick with each other. That’s not what it was about. It’s just super crucial to be tied together on an overtime restart, and he told me he just missed a little bit. So that was it, just a conversation about that.”


Ryan Blaney Wins as Both Drivers Look Ahead

Ryan Blaney controlled the NASCAR Cup Series race by leading 171 laps before holding off Christopher Bell in overtime. Bell finished second, while Carson Hocevar completed the top three. Van Gisbergen came home seventh, and Reddick finished eighth after collecting valuable stage points.

Reddick believed his finishing position did not reflect his team’s speed throughout the event.

“We didn’t get the finish, but we got good stage points. I just wish we could have gotten the finish there. It was a solid day, just didn’t end it where we ran most of it.”

The late caution caused by Kyle Larson’s spin created a tense finish, with van Gisbergen making quick moves to avoid Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota as the field tightened before the restart. After the race, both drivers focused on learning from that moment rather than placing blame, using the conversation to prepare for future NASCAR Cup Series battles at EchoPark Speedway.

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NASCAR Cup Series: Shane van Gisbergen and Tyler Reddick Open Up After Costly Moment

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