Alex Bowman’s late-race error hands Tyler Reddick a pivotal top-10 finish

Alex Bowman’s late-race blunder hands Tyler Reddick a top-10 finish at Nashville

On Lap 187 of Sunday’s 2026 Nashville NASCAR Cup Series race, Alex Bowman’s unforced error gifted Tyler Reddick a top-10 spot he wouldn’t have earned otherwise.

The moment came on Restart 10 with 13 laps left. Bowman, running third, drifted into the inside lane too soon and clipped the wall in Turn 2. The contact forced him to the back of the pack, while Reddick inherited third and held on to finish ninth.

What happened on Lap 187

Bowman had been running second behind race winner Kyle Larson. With 13 laps remaining, NASCAR called for a restart on the 1.5-mile Nashville Superspeedway.

Bowman chose the inside lane but misjudged his entry speed. The No. 48 Chevrolet drifted wide, tagged the Turn 2 wall, and lost momentum. The impact sent him to the tail end of the field, while Reddick’s No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet moved into third.

Reddick kept the spot through the final laps and crossed the line ninth, his best finish since Las Vegas in March.

Why it matters for Alex Bowman

The Nashville result drops Bowman to 11th in points, 144 behind series leader Chase Elliott. His No. 48 team now faces a 10-race stretch with three road-course events where consistency is critical.

Bowman’s crew chief Greg Ives admitted post-race that the team needs to tighten up restarts. “We can’t afford another mistake like that,” Ives said. “We had the car to win, and we gave it away.”

What comes next for Bowman and Reddick

Bowman returns to Atlanta Motor Speedway on July 27 for the Quaker State 400. Reddick chases another top-five at Pocono on August 3, where he’s finished inside the top 10 in three of the last four visits.

For Bowman, the focus shifts to damage control. A strong Atlanta run could cut his points deficit to under 100. For Reddick, the ninth-place finish at Nashville keeps his playoff hopes alive with 11 races left in the regular season.