E-Paper
What happened to Tyler Reddick at today's NASCAR cup race at Somona? Details of steering issues
Tyler Reddick overcame an early steering failure at NASCAR's Sonoma race after losing multiple laps in the pits, fighting back despite the setback.
Tyler Reddick's day at the NASCAR Cup Series' Toyota/Save Mart 350 race at the Sonoma Raceway in California on Sunday started with a disaster. Though the star racer did a good job of coming back into the race, he eventually finished 36th, with four laps down.
Even before he could complete half of the 352 km race, he was hit with a steering failure that resulted in the loss of several crucial minutes.
The 30-year-old driver suffered steering failure in Stage 2 of the race. The No. 45 Toyota driver found himself on the pit road as technicians attended to his vehicle. It cost Reddick multiple laps.
What Happened To Tyler Reddick's Car?
However, the issue was not a one-off pitstop. Tyler Reddick initially reported the issue before Stage 2 of the race and also made a brief technical stop to resolve it. However, as he rejoined the race, he told his team on the radio that the steering feels different now, but the issue has not been fully resolved. He then rejoined the race but again reported persisting issues with the steering.
As of now, Tyler Reddick is four laps behind due to the pit stops. The Tennessean reports that Reddick's team has entered a damage control mode. It said that Reddick will ride out the rest of Stage 2 and then the team will decide whether to make repairs before the fastest lap for point.
As of now, the exact issue that is affecting the power steering of Tyler Reddick's Toyota has not been revealed. However, his team's chief, Billy Scott seemed to acknowledge that it has caused irreversible damage as far as Reddick's prospects in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 race is concerned. “It is what it is,” Scott was heard saying on the radio.
Also read: What happened to Jesse Love before San Diego race? NASCAR hits driver with multiple penalties
Reddick's Lead Stripped Off By Denny Hamlin
The disaster at Somona today meant that Tyler Reddick lost his NASCAR lead to Denny Hamlin, who finished at the pole position on Sunday. The California native entered the Toyota/Save Mart 350 with an eight-point advantage over Hamlin.
Thanks to his wins at the Daytona 500 and the Watkins Glen International, he was poised to win the regular season Championship as long as he maintained podium finishes. But that took a hit after the 36th-place finish on Monday.
