Tyler Reddick secured his inaugural Daytona 500 win in a dramatic finish on Monday, bringing the first victory of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season to the No. 45 23XI Racing team. Achieving the milestone at Daytona International Speedway, Reddick’s triumph also marks the first time co-owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin celebrate a win in the sport’s premier event, fulfilling a major goal for their organization.
Multiple-Car Accident Reshapes Final Lap
The outcome was determined by a series of incidents on the race’s final circuit, as Carson Hocevar, who was leading at the time, spun entering Turn 1 after making contact with Erik Jones. This crash set off a chain reaction that also saw Michael McDowell—Hocevar’s teammate at Spire Motorsports—get caught in the wreck and eliminated from contention.
The Field Battles Through for the Finish
Following the mayhem, a small group remained in the hunt for victory, including three-time champion Joey Logano, 2020 Cup champion Chase Elliott, 2023 Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Zane Smith. Elliott held the top spot exiting Turn 4, but both Reddick and Riley Herbst managed to surge past Elliott and Smith on the outside lane. In the last meters before the checkered flag, Elliott, Logano, Smith, Herbst, and Brad Keselowski crashed, which allowed Reddick to complete his run unopposed and claim the coveted Daytona 500 win.
Top Finishers and Notable Performances
The unofficial results placed Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Logano, Elliott, and Keselowski rounding out the top five. Positions six through ten went to Smith, Chris Buescher, Herbst, Josh Berry, and Bubba Wallace. William Byron, despite vying for a third consecutive win at Daytona, finished 12th after joining the frontrunners on a late restart with four laps to go.
Next on the NASCAR Cup Series Schedule
The NASCAR Cup Series continues as teams head to EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta for the Autotrader 400 next Sunday. With the competitive energy high after Reddick’s Daytona 500 victory, the event will be broadcast at 3 p.m. ET across FOX, HBO Max, PRN Radio, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Tyler Reddick’s Daytona 500 win establishes momentum for both himself and 23XI Racing, signaling potential shifts in the competitive landscape as the new season unfolds. The dramatic events at Daytona set high expectations for the races to follow.
