“We’ll never know” if last-lap move would have worked

Reddick’s No. 45 23XI Racing team decided to stay out during the break between Stages 1 and 2 and make their pit stop between Stages 2 and 3.

After Reddick won Stage 2, the call to pit left him 12th to restart the final stage while Christopher Bell stayed out and drove off with the lead.

Reddick methodically made his way forward, moving into second on Lap 223 after making brief contact with Chase Briscoe.

From there, Reddick inched closer and closer to Bell and looked ready to try a desperation pass on the final lap but Bell’s win was secured when NASCAR was forced to display the caution – the 14th of the race – for the stopped car of Ross Chastain in Turn 4.

“It was a lot of fun honestly and really intense. Towards the end there, definitely felt like I had a little bit more on the edge and there in the closing laps I thought I found it,” Reddick said. “Just hate it for everybody on this (team).

“Just needed to be a little bit closer than I was. Maybe with two (laps) to go I could have made that move work. Obviously, coming into (Turns) 3 and 4 on the white flag lap we were going to see, but we’ll never know if it would have worked.

“Still a good rebound for us. We thought the track was going to take a different direction than it did as the race unfolded. As it worked out, our strategy wasn’t the best, but that was on me.”

It was the second consecutive season Reddick has had to suffer through a tough ending to this race.

Reddick appeared to be in prime position to take the checkered flag in last year’s race but on the final lap Chase Briscoe charged into Turn 4, hit Reddick and both cars slid up the track, which allowed Kyle Busch to claim the win.

“I didn’t do a good job on the restart at the beginning of Stage 3 and got behind (Busch) and Austin (Dillon) and those guys. I think it was the difference of being able to get to Christopher and be able to do something,” Reddick said.

“Just wish I would have had those last 20 laps back, but this is the second year in a row I’ve said that.”