Chicagoland Speedway is back on the NASCAR Cup Series calendar for the first time since 2019, and Chase Briscoe made the return count. Tyler Reddick, meanwhile, found another nightmare.
Briscoe held off Christopher Bell by 0.276 seconds to win Sunday's eero 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, earning the sixth Cup Series victory of his career and jumping from 11th to 8th in the points standings. It was an impressive run from start to finish. Briscoe was fast all weekend, managed the race cleanly, and had enough in reserve when Bell made his late charge.
But the regular-season points story was not just about the winner. It was about what happened to Tyler Reddick.
Race Snapshot
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Race | eero 400 at Chicagoland Speedway |
| Winner | Chase Briscoe |
| Runner-up | Christopher Bell |
| Margin | 0.276 seconds |
| Pole winner | Denny Hamlin |
| Hamlin finish | 3rd |
| Reddick finish | 30+ laps down, radiator damage |
| Points lead | Hamlin by 44 over Reddick |
Reddick's Season Is Unraveling
Six weeks ago, Tyler Reddick had a 129-point lead in the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season standings. He looked like a man running away with the top spot.
On Sunday at Chicagoland, debris punched through Reddick's radiator. He went 30-plus laps down while repairs were made, and whatever points he came away with were a fraction of what he needed.
This is now the third catastrophic result for Reddick in recent weeks: Coronado, Sonoma, and now Chicagoland. At Coronado, he finished last after contact with Corey Heim. At Sonoma, a power steering failure ended his day early. Now debris at Chicagoland. Three races, three disasters, and a 129-point lead has become a 44-point deficit.
Denny Hamlin finished third on Sunday. He did not need to win. He just needed to stay on the lead lap and collect points while Reddick fell apart. That is exactly what happened. Hamlin now leads the regular-season standings, and the gap is growing.
Hamlin Won the Pole, Too
It is worth noting that Denny Hamlin won pole position at Chicagoland. On a weekend where Reddick's car was destroyed by debris, Hamlin was fast enough to start up front and composed enough to finish third. That is a points-leader performance, and it speaks to where his team is right now compared to where it was two months ago.
Briscoe Makes His Move
Lost somewhat in the points drama was a genuinely impressive win by Chase Briscoe. His Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was strong all weekend, and he executed a clean race before holding off Bell in the closing laps. The margin of 0.276 seconds does not tell the whole story. Briscoe was in control.
The win vaults him inside the top 10 in the standings and into a stronger playoff position heading into the second half of the regular season. He is a driver to watch.
Full Results
| Pos | Driver |
|---|---|
| 1 | Chase Briscoe |
| 2 | Christopher Bell |
| 3 | Denny Hamlin |
| 4 | William Byron |
| 5 | Alex Bowman |
The Championship Picture
| Driver | Points Position |
|---|---|
| Denny Hamlin | 1st |
| Tyler Reddick | 2nd, -44 |
| Chase Briscoe | 8th (+3) |
The regular-season points race is becoming one of the more remarkable swings of the NASCAR season. Reddick has not done anything wrong from a strategy standpoint. His equipment has simply failed him at the worst possible moments. But points are not handed out based on what should have happened, and right now Hamlin is making the most of every opportunity Reddick gives him.
With seven races left in the regular season, Reddick needs to stop the bleeding and fast.
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