Reddick Captures Daytona 500 in Chaotic Finish, Delivering Landmark Victory for 23XI Racing

Daytona Beach, FL – In a dramatic and wreck-filled conclusion to the 68th annual Daytona 500, Tyler Reddick piloted his No. 45 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry to victory, crossing the finish line on the final lap to secure his maiden win in NASCAR’s most prestigious event. The triumph marks a significant milestone for 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin, coming just two days before Jordan’s 63rd birthday.

The race’s final lap was a testament to the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing, erupting into a scene of pure pandemonium. Carson Hocevar, who had held the lead as the white flag waved, was turned and lost control, sending the field into a desperate scramble for position. Chase Elliott, with a strong push from Zane Smith, surged to the front. However, Reddick, with crucial assistance from his teammate Riley Herbst, made a decisive move on the outside, passing Elliott exiting Turn 4. As the field fanned out four-wide in a final, desperate bid for glory, Herbst collided with Brad Keselowski, triggering a multi-car pileup that brought the race to its dramatic conclusion.

Reddick, who led only the final circuit, expressed his elation and relief in the winner’s circle. "Last year was really hard for all of us, hard for me," Reddick stated, reflecting on a winless 2025 season marked by personal challenges with his newborn child’s health. "When you’re a Cup driver and you get to this level and drive for Michael Jordan, it’s expected you win every single year." He added, "For us to go on that drought we did made us look hard in the mirror, and really proud of everyone on our Chumba Casino Toyota Camry. Worked really hard in the off-season, and there were many points in this race where we weren’t making decisions we wanted to, but we just reset, and every opportunity we got to reset we went back at it."

The victory is particularly poignant for 23XI Racing, a team that has steadily built its presence in the Cup Series since its inception. Co-owners Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin have invested significantly in the team’s infrastructure and driver talent, and this Daytona 500 win represents a significant return on that investment. For Jordan, the win holds personal significance as it arrives just before a milestone birthday.

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The chaotic finish saw Ricky Stenhouse Jr. secure second place, running along the outside wall, while Joey Logano finished a remarkable third, crossing the line backward. Chase Elliott finished fourth, and Brad Keselowski salvaged a fifth-place finish despite being involved in the final lap incident. Zane Smith, Chris Buescher, Riley Herbst, Josh Berry, and Bubba Wallace rounded out the top ten. Notably, all three full-time 23XI Racing entries finished within the top ten, underscoring the team’s strong performance.

Reddick described the final moments of the race as "true Daytona madness." He elaborated on the strategic nuances of the closing laps: "Yeah, we had the lead there when that caution came out, lined up next to McDowell, and we just kind of kept getting hung a couple times in the closing laps there. Yeah, just every time we’d kind of break up, there would be nowhere left to go but to push, and they pushed me, obviously." He credited his teammate, "My teammate Riley Herbst gave me a lot of pushes there and then tried to win the race for himself, as he should at the end there. Just incredible how it all played out."

"Just speechless. I didn’t know if I’d ever win this race. It’s surreal, honestly," Reddick continued, his voice hoarse from the post-race celebrations. "Honestly, the best part is my son asked before this race, ‘Are you finally going to win this race?’ Something about today just felt right."

Stages 1 and 2: A Race of Incidents and Strategic Plays

The early stages of the Daytona 500 were characterized by aggressive driving and a series of caution-inducing incidents, setting the tone for the race’s unpredictable trajectory. Kyle Busch, starting from pole position, maintained a strong presence early on, employing blocking tactics to defend his lead. However, John Hunter Nemechek soon moved to the front, only for the first caution of the race to be deployed.

The caution stemmed from an incident involving BJ McLeod’s No. 78, which suffered a mechanical failure and spun, collecting a significant portion of the field. Among those caught in the melee was William Byron, whose bid for a historic third consecutive Daytona 500 victory was severely hampered. Byron had expressed concerns about his car’s handling prior to the incident.

The majority of the field opted to pit under caution, with Kyle Busch remaining on track. As the stage progressed, Busch found himself in the middle of the pack and narrowly avoided a spin after contact with Brad Keselowski, with both veteran drivers managing to continue.

The strategic decision to pit or stay out played a crucial role in the conclusion of Stage 1. Zane Smith emerged as the stage winner, capitalizing on a group that managed to conserve fuel. He was followed by Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar, Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell, Ryan Preece, Alex Bowman, and Noah Gragson. However, Gragson ran out of fuel during the stage break and required assistance from Josh Berry to return to pit road.

Stage 2 continued to be a test of fuel strategy and driver precision. Rookie Connor Zilisch made an early appearance near the front but struggled with car stability. A subsequent push from Zilisch unsettled his teammate Ross Chastain, leading to contact with Cody Ware and initiating a multi-car incident. Zilisch, along with Ryan Blaney and Austin Dillon, sustained damage, with Dillon’s contact at pit entry effectively ending his team’s hopes.

Chevrolet drivers then took turns at the front before Justin Allgaier seized the lead in his JR Motorsports entry on Lap 124. A subsequent attempt by Denny Hamlin to move to Allgaier’s outside resulted in contact, as Allgaier, seemingly unaware of Hamlin’s presence, moved up the track. This incident contributed to a massive crash involving approximately 20 cars, sidelining prominent drivers such as Shane van Gisbergen, Allgaier, Bowman, and Gilliland.

Stage 2 concluded under caution, with Bubba Wallace leading the field.

Stage 3: Fuel Strategy and Final Lap Frenzy

The final stage saw a tightly bunched field of around 30 cars, often running three-wide and maintaining close proximity as they conserved fuel. Bubba Wallace and his fellow Toyota drivers led for a significant portion of the stage before pitting with just 19 laps remaining.

As the pit stop cycle concluded, a minor incident occurred on the frontstretch involving Denny Hamlin, Ryan Preece, and Christopher Bell, prompting NASCAR to reluctantly throw a caution flag as inclement weather approached the speedway. Michael McDowell, who had stayed out, inherited the lead due to his strategic decision to gamble on fuel mileage. Reddick was positioned second, followed by Hocevar, Byron, and Keselowski.

The race restarted with just four laps remaining, igniting a chaotic sprint to the finish. Carson Hocevar, who had led at the white flag, ultimately finished 19th as multiple wrecks unfolded on the final lap, paving the way for Tyler Reddick’s historic victory.

The dramatic conclusion to the Daytona 500 not only delivered a thrilling spectacle for fans but also etched a significant chapter in the history of 23XI Racing, marking a pivotal moment in their pursuit of NASCAR supremacy.

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