Tyler Reddick shocked fans by seizing his first-ever Daytona 500 win with a dramatic last-lap overtake at Daytona International Speedway on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The Tyler Reddick Daytona 500 win marked a stunning finish, as he surged to the front moments before the finish line, making racing history for himself and for 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan.
How Reddick Achieved Victory in a Wild Finish
Reddick, a 30-year-old California native and two-time Xfinity Series champion, carved his name into NASCAR lore in just his second career attempt to win the iconic race. Despite entering the final moments running behind Chase Elliott—NASCAR’s most popular driver since 2018—he executed a daring maneuver to overtake Elliott, crossing the finish line as a massive accident unfolded behind him. This elusive Daytona 500 win comes after Reddick previously finished in second place in 2024, further elevating his profile in the Cup Series, where he now boasts nine career victories, 93 top-ten finishes, and 11 pole starts.
As Reddick surged ahead, the closing seconds saw chaos erupt, with Chase Elliott and several drivers entangled in a pileup. This gave Reddick the distinction of being only the fourth driver in history to win the Daytona 500 after leading just the final lap. The victory delivered Michael Jordan, legendary Basketball Hall of Famer and 23XI Racing co-owner, his first ever Daytona 500 triumph as a team owner.
The Race Unfolds: Major Crashes and Historic Attempts
The 2026 Daytona 500 was marked by high drama throughout, most notably a multi-car incident midway through the event. The massive 20-car wreck eliminated then-leader Justin Allgaier along with renowned drivers like Denny Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner and co-owner at 23XI Racing. Hamlin sought to join an elite club as only the third driver to win the prestigious event four times, having already claimed victories in 2016, 2019, and 2020.
The crash also sidelined former champion Michael McDowell, Alex Bowman, Shane van Gisbergen, Ross Chastain, Erik Jones, and John Hunter Nemechek, dramatically reshuffling the field and creating openings for others to challenge for the win.
In the final standings, Reddick was joined on the podium by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in second place and Joey Logano in third. Chase Elliott managed fourth place despite being caught up in the late mayhem, and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top five. The close and unpredictable finish left drivers and fans alike astonished at the turn of events that paved the way for Reddick’s milestone achievement.
A Victory with Lasting Significance
Tyler Reddick’s Daytona 500 win stands as a career-defining moment for the driver and places him in elite company in NASCAR’s storied history. It also signals a breakthrough for Michael Jordan as a Cup Series team owner, underscoring 23XI Racing’s emergence as a force in the sport. For Reddick, this long-awaited triumph at Daytona—after multiple near-misses—cements his status among the top talents in the Cup Series and points to even bigger successes ahead.
