For Tyler Reddick, 92nd one was the charm. The 26-year-old finally has his first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series after holding off Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson to win the KwikTrip 250 on Sunday in Wisconsin.
Reddick had two second-place finishes this season and also garnered a third and fifth-place finish in other events, but this time, he took the lead with 17 laps to go and never looked back for the first win of his Cup Series career.
TYLER REDDICK!
The @RCRracing driver gets by Chase Elliott as he searches for his first @NASCAR Cup Series win.
Less than 16 laps remaining on @USA_Network! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/lLJZL08gaL
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) July 3, 2022
Reddick joins Austin Cindric, Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, and Daniel Suarez on the list of first-time winners this season, tying the modern-era record for the most first-time winners in a Cup season (2001, 2002, and 2011).
“We had to. And what better place than Road America?” Reddick told NBC Sports. “I love the fans, I love this racetrack. Being here on Fourth of July weekend is just so special … We got it done. We won the race.”
Meanwhile, Elliott was left to wonder what could have been and lamented the ways he let Reddick get ahead of him and stay there.
“I didn’t do a very good job there,” Elliott told NBC Sports. “I just let him stay close enough to pressure me there while we had decent tires. … I was gaining a gap there a couple times and made a couple mistakes and let him get back close enough to get me out of sync. And then after that, just started struggling.
“Obviously it was super difficult to get to somebody to pass them. I mean, it was impressive that he was able to get up there and capitalize on my mistake. So happy for those guys, I appreciate the effort out of our team. Wish I could have done a better job there.”
The NASCAR world was pretty happy for Reddick and shared that sentiment across social media after the race on Sunday.
We've long talked about Tyler Reddick's potential. He's come close to winning multiple times. Today he finally puts it all together and earns his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory!
NASCAR now has five first-time race winners at the halfway point of the 2022 season.
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) July 3, 2022
Three years of trying…
Three years of frustration…Tyler Reddick has finished 1st in the Kwik Trip 250 at Road America. pic.twitter.com/dnwrITWnm1
— Where Did Tyler Reddick Finish? (@reddickresults8) July 3, 2022
This is what winning feels like in the #NASCAR Cup Series. @AustinCindric lifts @roadamerica winner @TylerReddick up in Victory Lane pic.twitter.com/Sf7WeuxSiY
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) July 3, 2022
Finally Finally FINALLY @TylerReddick is a winner!!!!!
— Ken Carman (@KenCarman) July 3, 2022
CHECKERED FLAG: REDDICK CONQUERS ROAD AMERICA!@TylerReddick captures his first career win in the NASCAR Cup Series! pic.twitter.com/GmWGz0MCYQ
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 3, 2022
Meet @TylerReddick, NASCAR Cup Series WINNER! ✔️ pic.twitter.com/yjItjVtHWB
— RCR (@RCRracing) July 3, 2022
