Tyler Reddick Steals The WIN In A Thrilling, Last‑Lap Daytona 500 Upset
The Great American Race has broken hearts for decades, but on this unforgettable Sunday, it delivered Tyler Reddick the moment of his life. In a finish that felt ripped from a Hollywood script, Reddick stormed past Chase Elliott coming off Turn 4 and snatched his first Daytona 500 victory in a blur of sparks, smoke, and disbelief.
Daytona has produced chaos before, but rarely with this level of electricity. For Reddick, the win was more than a trophy. It was a statement. Driving for 23XI Racing, the team co‑owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, he has long been viewed as a driver with elite talent waiting for a defining moment. Daytona provided it. Surviving this race requires patience, nerve, and a little bit of madness, and Reddick showed all three when it mattered most.
A Finish Built on Chaos and Opportunity
When the white flag waved, the race looked like Carson Hocevar’s to lose. The rookie controlled the pack with the poise of a veteran, but Daytona doesn’t care about poise. It cares about timing and luck.
Down the backstretch for the final time, Hocevar’s dream evaporated in a violent hit against the outside wall. The crash detonated the field behind him, sending cars scattering and the running order into total disarray. Reddick, who began the lap in fourth, suddenly found daylight where there should have been none.
Ahead of him, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Chase Elliott battled for control. Elliott appeared to have the winning hand thanks to a massive shove from Zane Smith. The No. 9 had the lane, the help, and the momentum. Then everything flipped. Riley Herbst locked onto Reddick’s bumper and delivered a push so fierce it rattled the grandstands.
The tandem shot the No. 45 past Smith and into Elliott’s draft. Entering the tri‑oval, with cars wrecking behind them and Herbst taking a brutal hit, Reddick never lifted. He surged ahead of Elliott by mere yards, leading the only lap that mattered.“I didn’t know if I’d ever win this race. It’s surreal,” Reddick said in victory lane, still shaking from the adrenaline.
Heartbreak for Byron and the Field
While Reddick celebrated, the garage was filled with frustration and what‑ifs. William Byron entered the day chasing history, hoping to become the first driver to win three straight Daytona 500s. That dream ended early when B.J. McLeod’s mechanical failure triggered a crash that collected the defending champion. Byron’s team patched the car together, but the damage was too severe to overcome.
He was swept into the final‑lap chaos, ending his streak. Chase Elliott’s heartbreak was equally brutal. To lead off Turn 4 in the Daytona 500 and lose in the tri‑oval is a wound that doesn’t heal quickly. Elliott executed perfectly, but perfection rarely guarantees anything at Daytona.
What This Means for 23XI Racing
This win is a watershed moment for 23XI Racing. Since joining the sport, the team has been chasing the established giants: Hendrick, Gibbs, Penske. Winning the Daytona 500 changes everything. It validates the organization’s growth, its investment, and its belief in Reddick.
For Michael Jordan, a man defined by championships, this victory carries a different kind of weight. It proves his team can win the sport’s biggest crown jewel. It signals to the garage that the No. 45 isn’t just a playoff threat. It’s a contender for every major race on the schedule.
For Reddick, the win cements him as a superspeedway force. Critics have questioned his aggression and decision‑making in big moments. On Sunday, he showed patience, precision, and the killer instinct needed to finish the job.
What’s Next
The 2026 Daytona 500 will be remembered as one of the wildest in recent memory — a race where the winner led only the final lap, continuing a bizarre trend in modern superspeedway racing. Survival was the only strategy that mattered, and Reddick executed it flawlessly.
As the confetti settles and the haulers roll out of Daytona, Tyler Reddick leaves with the Harley J. Earl trophy and a career‑defining victory. The season is young, but the message is loud and clear: Reddick has arrived, and he’s carrying the biggest prize in the sport to prove it.
