Tyler Reddick is the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Spoiler with a Win at Texas Motor Speedway in the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday.

FORT WORTH, Texas _ They say everything is “bigger” in Texas and certainly NASCAR’s Round of 12 Playoff opener at Texas Motor Speedway lived up to the billing. From Playoff consequences to a red flag delay to bumper-banging aggression, tire fall-off, and record statistical marks, there was no shortage of competitive drama in Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.

Tyler Reddick is the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Spoiler with a Win at Texas

Ultimately Richard Childress Racing’s Tyler Reddick prevailed as race winner – taking the green flag by 1.190-seconds over Penske Racing’s Joey Logano in a final 24-lap green flag run to the checkered flag. It was the 26-year-old Californian’s third career victory and first win on an oval after claiming trophies on two road courses earlier this season.

“We had a lot of issues today, I’m not going to lie,’’ Reddick said with a smile, listing a number of setbacks from pit road mishaps, vibrations in his No. 8 RCR Chevrolet to holding off a hard-charging Logano, who has now taken the NASCAR Cup Series championship lead by 12 points over Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain.

“Every time we’ve had a strong car we’ve been bit by something,’’ said Reddick, who announced earlier this season he is leaving the RCR team to go to 23XI Racing in 2024.

“This is a tough race, 500 miles here is not an easy feat and I know it wasn’t easy on you,’’ Reddick said motioning toward the grandstands. “So great to win here in a Cup car, been close here a couple times.’’

With the victory, Reddick becomes the fourth consecutive “non-Playoff” driver to win a race in four Playoff races of the 2022 season. Yet, there was still plenty of drama among the Playoff 12.

Denny Hamlin versus William Byron

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron, who finished seventh, and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, who finished tenth had a literal ‘run-in’ late in the race. Byron said he felt Hamlin ran him up on track causing his No. 24 Hendrick Chevrolet to hit the second turn wall and damage his car. And in retaliation, he bumped Hamlin’s No. 11 JGR Toyota during a caution that ended up sending Hamlin spinning into the infield.

“It was really hard contact,’’ the 24-year-old Byron said of the incident that put his car in the wall, adding, “I didn’t mean to spin him out over there but obviously I’m pissed off and not going to get run like that. We’ve always raced together so well so I don’t know what it was all about.

“I went to go show my displeasure. Didn’t mean to hit him and spin him out. … I’m just not going to get run like that. There’s really no reason. We were running second and third at the time, I think.’’

Hamlin, 41, took exception to the hit and tapped his Toyota into Byron’s Chevy multiple times after his infield spin. He still appeared miffed after the race. 

“I don’t think we touched but obviously he sent us through the infield under caution,’’ Hamlin said.

“I keep hearing these guys and I’ll just add it to the list, guys that when I get a chance, they’re going to get it. It just works itself out. We’ll be racing each other at some point. He’ll lose a lot of spots because he’s racing me. 

“This is hard racing obviously.  I’m fine with hard racing. But wrecking me under caution is not what we bargained for. I’m thankful to my FedEx Toyota team for bouncing back.’’

No Shortage of Action at Texas

It was an action-packed racing afternoon on all levels. There were a record 36 lead changes and a record 16 caution periods – including a 56-minute red flag period for rain just after Ryan Blaney claimed the Stage 2 victory.

When the race resumed, the resulting drop in temperatures – factoring in a light rain shower and nightfall – seemed to reinvigorate the racing on track—side-by-side racing and passes throughout the field and multiple tire issues at the front of the pack.

Martin Truex Jr., along with Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott all had tire issues while leading the race. 

The 32nd place finish dropped the 2021 series champion from the points lead coming into Texas to seventh in points – 26 points behind new championship leader Logano now – only four points above the cut-off line heading to Race 2 of this three-race championship round at the always unpredictable Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway next weekend.

“Something came apart, I could hear it flapping on the right rear, so if it wasn’t down, it was certainly coming apart,’’ Elliott said.

“It’s not a great position to be in for sure, but it is what it is now. I hate it for our No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet team. We were actually decent here for once, and that was nice while it lasted. We’ll go to Talladega and try to survive over there, get a win next week, and go on down the road.”

The NASCAR Cup Series Point Standings

Elliott was one of a handful of Playoff drivers who had ‘challenging’ days in Fort Worth. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, who came into the race ranked sixth after turning in the best Round 1 Playoff showing of any of the 12 championship-eligible drivers. He suffered tire issues that ultimately eliminated him from the competition as well.

As significant, the incident dropped him to 11th place n the Playoff standings, 39 points behind eighth-place Daniel Suarez with eight drivers advancing to the next round of the Playoffs. 

“Very disappointing weekend and I was feeling optimistic when they dropped the green flag,’’ Bell said, adding, “It makes our decision easy on how to play Talladega. We were hoping to come out of here good and be able to ride around and just survive Talladega. We are going to have to race and get some stage points and be up front all day.’’

The Best of the Rest

Justin Haley finished third on the day with Playoff drivers Ryan Blaney (Penske Racing) and Chase Briscoe (Stewart-Haas Racing ) rounding out the top five. Erik Jones, Byron, Sunday’s race polesitter Brad Keselowski, reigning series champion Kyle Larson and Hamlin rounded out the top ten.

Byron holds onto the third Playoff spot, 13 points behind leader Logano. Larson is fourth (-14), followed by Blaney (-15) and Hamlin (-22).  Elliott and Sunday’s 12th-place finisher Daniel Suarez are seventh and eighth in the Playoff standings, both 26 points behind Logano.

Briscoe, Austin Cindric, Bell, and Alex Bowman (who finished 29^th)  round out the top 12 with Bowman 56 points behind leader Logano and 30 points out of the eighth-place position that would advance to the Round of 8.

Up Next for the NASCAR Cup Series

The second race of this Round of 12 comes next Sunday at the iconic Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in the YellaWood 500 (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).  Bubba Wallace is the defending race winner. Chastain won at Talladega this April.

                1. (4)  Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 334.

                2. (2)  Joey Logano (P), Ford, 334.

                3. (31)  Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 334.

                4. (14)  Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 334.

                5. (30)  Chase Briscoe (P), Ford, 334.

                6. (27)  Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 334.

                7. (3)  William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 334.

                8. (1)  Brad Keselowski, Ford, 334.

                9. (9)  Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 334.

                10. (8)  Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 334.

                11. (5)  Michael McDowell, Ford, 334.

                12. (10)  Daniel Suarez (P), Chevrolet, 334.

                13. (12)  Ross Chastain (P), Chevrolet, 334.

                14. (29)  Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 334.

                15. (11)  Austin Cindric # (P), Ford, 334.

                16. (32)  Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 334.

                17. (7)  Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 334.

                18. (20)  Harrison Burton #, Ford, 334.

                19. (23)  Kevin Harvick, Ford, 334.

                20. (16)  Ty Gibbs(i), Toyota, 334.

                21. (26)  Noah Gragson(i), Chevrolet, 334.

                22. (35)  Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 334.

                23. (33)  Garrett Smithley(i), Ford, 334.

                24. (25)  Aric Almirola, Ford, 334.

                25. (19)  Bubba Wallace (P), Toyota, 334.

                26. (34)  BJ McLeod(i), Ford, 333.

                27. (21)  Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 333.

                28. (28)  Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 333.

                29. (17)  Alex Bowman (P), Chevrolet, 329.

                30. (13)  Chris Buescher, Ford, Accident, 270.

                31. (15)  Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Accident, 267.

                32. (6)  Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, Accident, 184.

                33. (36)  Cody Ware, Ford, Accident, 166.

                34. (22)  Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, DVP, 136.

                35. (24)  Cole Custer, Ford, Accident, 77.

                36. (18)  Kyle Busch, Toyota, Accident, 48.

The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500 Stats

Average Speed of Race Winner:  114.784 mph.

Time of Race:  Four Hrs, 21 Mins, 53 Secs. The Margin of Victory:  1.190 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  16 for 91 laps.

Lead Changes:  36 among 19 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   B. Keselowski 0; J. Logano (P) 1; B. Keselowski 2-32; J. Logano (P) 33-41; W. Byron (P) 42-43; J. Logano (P) 44-45; W. Byron (P) 46-53; J. Logano (P) 54; W. Byron (P) 55-59; J. Logano (P) 60; W. Byron (P) 61-86; D. Hamlin (P) 87-88; K. Larson (P) 89-107; R. Stenhouse Jr. 108-122; H. Burton # 123-137; C. Elliott (P) 138; B. McLeod(i) 139; C. Elliott (P) 140; R. Chastain (P) 141; C. Elliott (P) 142-183; R. Blaney (P) 184-190; D. Suarez (P) 191; R. Blaney (P) 192-213; M. McDowell 214-223; E. Jones 224; M. McDowell 225-226; T. Reddick 227-243; K. Harvick 244-252; M. Truex Jr. 253-267; A. Dillon 268-270; W. Byron (P) 271; R. Stenhouse Jr. 272-276; T. Gilliland # 277; R. Stenhouse Jr. 278-280; T. Reddick 281-309; J. Logano (P) 310; T. Reddick 311-334.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Tyler Reddick three times for 70 laps; Chase Elliott (P) three times for 44 laps; William Byron (P) five times for 42 laps; Brad Keselowski one time for 31 laps; Ryan Blaney (P) two times for 29 laps; Ricky Stenhouse Jr. three times for 23 laps; Kyle Larson (P) one time for 19 laps; Martin Truex Jr. one time for 15 laps; Harrison Burton # one time for 15 laps; Joey Logano (P) 6 times for 15 laps; Michael McDowell 2 times for 12 laps; Kevin Harvick one time for nine laps; Austin Dillon one time for three laps; Denny Hamlin (P) one time for two laps; Ross Chastain (P) one time for one lap; Erik Jones one time for one lap; Todd Gilliland # one time for one lap; BJ McLeod(i) one time for one lap; Daniel Suarez (P) one time for one lap.

Stage 1 Top Ten: 5,11,22,99,1,24,47,6,2,34

Stage 2 Top Ten: 12,1,24,6,99,3,2,22,19,34