Chaos Reigns as Tyler Reddick Claims Daytona 500 Crown in Multi-Car Pileup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The 68th running of the Daytona 500 concluded under a cloud of controversy and carnage, as Tyler Reddick, driving for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, snatched victory on the final lap amidst a chaotic multi-car accident that saw the majority of the lead contenders sidelined. The dramatic finish, decided by a mere fraction of a second and a series of ill-timed maneuvers, etched Reddick’s name into NASCAR history but left many of his rivals nursing both physical and emotional wounds.

The pivotal moments unfolded in the closing stages of the iconic race, with Michael McDowell initially leading the field back to the green flag after a brief yellow. Carson Hocevar, a rising star in his rookie season, quickly asserted dominance, taking the lead and holding it as the white flag waved, signifying the final lap. However, Hocevar’s charge was abruptly halted when contact with Erik Jones sent him spinning across the track, collecting not only Jones but also the former champion McDowell in a significant melee.

Remarkably, the race did not immediately go to caution, allowing the remaining contenders to jockey for position in the aftermath. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a two-time Daytona 500 winner, found himself in a precarious three-wide situation, with Chase Elliott to his outside and Reddick to his inside. Meanwhile, William Byron, who had been seeking a historic third consecutive Daytona 500 victory, suffered damage that sent him backwards, inadvertently impacting Bubba Wallace.

The critical push then came from Zane Smith, who provided a strong shove to Chase Elliott, propelling him into the lead. Simultaneously, Riley Herbst, Reddick’s teammate at 23XI Racing, strategically positioned himself to provide a crucial push to Reddick, sending him surging forward into Turn 1. This move, however, initiated a chain reaction.

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As Elliott, Smith, Reddick, and Herbst navigated the corner single-file, Joey Logano seized an opportunity to push Brad Keselowski forward on the outside, inching towards the wall. It was at this juncture that Herbst, in a move that would prove decisive and highly debated, shaded right. This maneuver, intended perhaps to secure his own position or aid Reddick further, instead clipped Keselowski and Logano, initiating a violent wreck that engulfed a significant portion of the lead pack.

In the ensuing chaos, Herbst’s car, now with damage, bounced into Elliott’s No. 9 machine, effectively clearing the path for Reddick. With no other immediate contenders able to mount a challenge, Reddick was left to cross the finish line, securing his maiden Daytona 500 triumph. The finish was so close that it was unclear in the immediate aftermath whether Herbst’s initial push from Keselowski could have propelled him to victory had his subsequent maneuver been different.

The victory marked a significant achievement for Tyler Reddick and the 23XI Racing team, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin. Hamlin himself had been involved in an earlier incident during the race, highlighting the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing. While Reddick and his team celebrated in Victory Lane, the scene was starkly different for the majority of the top-five finishers, many of whom were evaluated in infield care following the final-lap incident.

Chase Elliott, who had led at various points and was in contention for the win, expressed his profound disappointment. "It’s disappointing," Elliott stated post-race. "I don’t know what to tell you. We were leading the Daytona 500 off Turn 4 coming to the checkered flag and didn’t win, so you tell me." Elliott explained his tactical decision-making, noting that a move to block Reddick might have resulted in a wreck for both of them. "I felt like the best play for me was to re-rack and get one last shove to the line," he added. "But that would have been (Herbst) and he wasn’t going to push me (laughs) so… He winds up crashing himself not pushing me which in turn crashed me anyway. Maybe I should have just turned left the first time."

Brad Keselowski, a seasoned competitor, was unsparing in his criticism of Herbst’s final lap actions. "The 35 just wrecked me out of nowhere for no reason," Keselowski fumed. "That was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen. He had no chance of blocking my run. I had a huge run. I don’t know if I could have gotten the (Reddick) or (Stenhouse) but I would have liked to found out because my run was coming fast and the 35 just wiped us and himself. Pretty stupid." Keselowski further elaborated on the perceived recklessness of Herbst’s maneuver, deeming it "very, very stupid" to attempt such a wide block that ultimately led to multiple cars crashing.

Riley Herbst, when speaking to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, described his final lap as a split-second decision made under immense pressure. "We got all spread out wide down the back straightaway, and obviously I chose to go with (Reddick), pushed him, and he made that move on (Elliott) to go side-by-side and I don’t know truly what happened," Herbst recounted.

From Reddick’s perspective, Herbst’s contribution was indispensable to his victory. "I don’t win that race without Riley Herbst," Reddick declared. "That’s a fact. He pushed me to (Smith). I got to (Smith). Now (Elliott) is in front of me, and I make my move. I love that he made the move that at the moment was right for him to win the Daytona 500, and I told him that: ‘Man, I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you in the way that you wanted it to,’ but he did — in my opinion, he did everything right on that last lap, as well, pushing me and then doing everything he could to win the race for himself."

Lost in the dramatic conclusion was the strong performance of Spire Motorsports, who had two cars running in the lead, effectively holding a 1-2 position before the final lap chaos. Carson Hocevar, one of the Spire drivers, reflected on his role. "I was just trying to get us going and it’s just obviously unfortunate," Hocevar said. "It’s unfortunate that a car in my mirror at the white flag won the race. I felt there was good execution, but it’s just the last lap at Daytona." Despite the outcome, Hocevar expressed pride in their team’s performance. "You want to be leading the Daytona 500 and have a shot. Everyone cars about this race more than anything and for us to be running 1-2, we’re really proud of this."

Zane Smith, the other Spire Motorsports contender, echoed Hocevar’s sentiments, acknowledging the frustration of being so close to a win. "Just a solid points day in general," Smith commented. "But honestly, it’s frustrating right now to have a shot at winning the Daytona 500 and it just not quite happening. I just felt like the run that I had on (Elliott) after pushing him through there, I don’t know if I needed to like back up sooner or what, but wasn’t quite sure like who all was behind me. Obviously, all I could see was kind of (Reddick) and my run on (Elliott) just wasn’t big enough to win and I just tried to do all I could but the help wasn’t there."

The 2024 Daytona 500 will undoubtedly be remembered for its thrilling, albeit destructive, conclusion, a testament to the high stakes and inherent unpredictability of NASCAR’s crown jewel event.

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