Tyler Reddick rolled into Richmond Raceway Saturday night with one thing on his mind. Locking himself into the playoffs. The math was simple but nerve-wracking: 30 points if a repeat winner showed up, 54 if a fresh face below him in the standings pulled off the upset. And, of course, the cleanest way to wipe away all the scenarios? Just win the whole thing.

The 23XI Racing driver had the speed, the momentum, and the hunger to get it done under the lights. But as is often the case in NASCAR, what looks straightforward on paper rarely plays out the same way on track. And by the end of the night, Reddick’s hopes were tangled in a mess he never saw coming.

Tyler Reddick’s hot start turns into heartbreak

Tyler Reddick rolled into Richmond Raceway looking every bit like a driver ready to lo

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