Tyler Reddick is preparing for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, intent on ending a winless streak that has reached 38 races, with his first shot coming at the Daytona 500 on February 15. After a difficult 2025 campaign with 23XI Racing, Reddick is looking to recapture the early momentum that once made him a dominant force in the series.
A Dramatic Shift After Early Career Success
Reddick surged into the 2025 season carrying momentum from a strong previous year—he clinched the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season championship and secured a spot in the Championship 4 by winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Coming from Corning, California, the driver looked poised for continued success. However, challenges emerged as 23XI Racing became entangled in legal disputes with NASCAR, impacting both the team and Reddick’s performance. Throughout the 2025 season, Reddick, a two-time O’Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, failed to win a single race and was knocked out of the playoffs during the round of 8. He finished the season with only 14 top-10 results, his lowest since joining 23XI, and matching his totals from his 2020 rookie campaign.
The Upcoming Daytona 500: Breaking the Streak?
Tyler Reddick enters 2026 with his winless stretch standing at 38 races. The Daytona 500 represents his earliest opportunity to end that run. While Reddick is not usually known for excelling on superspeedways, he demonstrated competitive form at last year’s event, finishing second behind William Byron in the 2025 edition of the “Great American Race.” With renewed focus and determination, Reddick hopes to deliver a breakthrough at Daytona and rewrite his recent narrative.
Best Opportunity to Return to Victory Lane
Although Reddick has the skills to compete for wins across much of the NASCAR calendar, some venues offer more promising prospects than others to halt his current drought. Circuit of the Americas (COTA) in Austin, Texas, stands out as a likely hotspot for Reddick to end his winless run, especially in the season’s early weeks. Since joining the circuit, he has consistently finished inside the top nine at this track. Notably, he triumphed in the 2023 COTA race, marking his first win with 23XI Racing. Should he manage to claim another victory in Austin during the March 1 race, Reddick would snap a 40-race streak without a win.
Looking to the Season Ahead
With the Daytona 500 fast approaching, all eyes are on Tyler Reddick as he seeks to put a challenging period behind him and return to form as a Cup Series contender. The California native’s determination, coupled with his strong track record at particular venues like COTA, keeps hope alive for breaking his winless streak. NASCAR fans and figures such as Mark Martin, also from Reddick’s region, will be watching to see if this season marks a turnaround for the No. 45 car.
