The 2024 NASCAR playoffs head into the final race of the Round of Eight this weekend with two drivers already confirmed for the Championship Race.
Tyler Reddick claimed victory at the Straight Talk Wireless 400 in Homestead-Miami with a final lap pass on Ryan Blaney on the top lane at turn three.
The result secures the No. 45 23XI Racing driver his third win of the 2024 NASCAR season and his first in the playoffs.
Reddick’s win also secures him automatic qualification into the Championship Four, which will be contested at Phoenix Raceway next weekend.
Tyler Reddick says he should not have been able to pass Ryan Blaney on the top lane at Homestead-Miami
The top six at Homestead-Miami were all playoff drivers fighting for their place in the final round, with Reddick narrowly beating Blaney and Denny Hamlin, who finished third.
READ MORE: Kyle Larson claims he didn’t do ‘anything wrong’ with costly Homestead-Miami spin in NASCAR playoffs
Points leader Christopher Bell came home fourth to register his third consecutive top five finish. Bell is looking to be aggressive with rival Kyle Larson in his bid to beat the Hendrick Motorsports driver to the Cup Series title.
Chase Elliott and William Byron locked out the top six but neither were close to challenging the front three. Speaking with Kevin Harvick on his Happy Hour Podcast, Reddick was left stunned by the fact he was allowed to pass his rival around the outside for the win, as according to him, drivers are ‘not supposed to be able’ to do that.
“I thought my mind was playing a trick on me, honestly. I was like ‘what?’
“But when that opportunity opened up like I said, I didn’t think about overdriving the corner. I didn’t think about anything, I just drove it in as hard as I could and I knew that if I wanted to have a shot at battling with him [Blaney] off the corner, if he slid up or whatever it was, my best opportunity to defend that was being as far ahead of him as possible.
“Yeah, it’s crazy man. I mean, you’re not supposed to be able to do that at Homestead.”
What does the NASCAR playoffs look like heading into Martinsville?
With his victory at Homestead-Miami, Reddick has secured his place in the final four alongside Joey Logano, who won at Las Vegas.
Bell has a 22-point lead over Byron in second in the standings, giving him a somewhat comfortable margin to hold and secure his place in the Championship Race.
READ MORE: Christopher Bell shares what is ‘so intense’ about the NASCAR playoffs after Homestead-Miami race
Despite having double the number of wins than the next highest-winning driver, Larson is at risk of elimination from the playoffs as he finished down in 13th at Homestead after a costly spin.
The No. 5 driver is seven points behind Byron in third, who acts as the cut-off point with Logano and Reddick already qualified. With Martinsville presenting a tough test for the drivers, it is anticipated to be a chaotic finish to the Round of Eight.