Reddick triumphs after a last-lap crash at Talladega
Tyler Reddick stole a victory at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway when frontrunner Michael McDowell,
swerving up and down the track trying to block Brad Keselowski, wound up crashing with the finish line in sight Sunday.
It was a typical Talladega finish — and set off a raucous celebration on pit road with Reddick’s team owner, Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan.
“This is like an NBA playoff game,” Jordan said in victory lane. “I’m so ecstatic.”
McDowell, the pole-sitter, was in position to give Ford its much-needed first victory of the year, but his topsy-turvy efforts to block Keselowski — another Ford driver — cost them both.
McDowell spun out, Keselowski had to check up and Reddick sped by to win by 0.166 seconds.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the three-time defending champion, won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday starting from pole, his fourth victory in five races this season and his 23rd in the last 27 extending through last season. Lando Norris of McLaren was about 14 seconds behind Verstappen in second and Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third.
Nineteen-year-old rookie Jesse Love won the first NASCAR Xfinity Series of his career in a crash-marred, double-overtime finish at Talladega on Saturday.