Surviving a late-race restart with three laps remaining, NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick powered his way to victory in Sunday’s 68th running of the Daytona 500. And, he did it in dramatic fashion by dicing his was forward to lead just one lap – the last one.
Reddick started 26th in his No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota and never led one of the 200 laps until the checkered flag was waving over Daytona International Speedway.
The race team is owned by NBA Hall of Famer Micheal Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. Adding even more joy to the victory is it took place on Jordan’s birthday.
Following the first-time Daytona 500 champion of Reddick was prior race winners Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Joey Logano, series champion Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski to round out the top-five finishers.
NASCAR Driver Tyler Reddick Wins Daytona 500 in Dramatic Style
When the Stage 1 ended on lap 65, Reddick was in 20th place, for Stage 2 he was scored eighth. As the field coursed the final laps after a lap 197 restart, it was Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace showing the way in his No. 45 Toyota.
Then, it was Carson Hocevar up front in his No. 77 Chevrolet before being spun running down into the backstretch infield. A yellow flag was not displayed leaving the field to race for glory.
As they came to the finish, Reddick jumped up front as his 22XI Racing teammate Riley Herbst got into Chase Elliott. That collected other front runners as Reddick kept the lead he had out of Turn 4 to win The Great American Race.
“The pack we were in kept going back and forth there,” an elated Reddick said. “We kept getting hung up there a little bit. It was my teammate of Riley Herbst who really gave me a great push there.
“It was incredible how it all played out. It truly was Daytona madness. It’s going to be a long night celebrating, for sure.”
Micheal Jordan Now a Daytona 500 and NBA Champion
Prior to the race, Jordan said he had four drivers out there hoping they would all work together during the 500-mile race. He was referring to Hamlin, Reddick, Wallace and rookie Corey Heim making his first Daytona 500 start.
“This is really gratifying; we had four guys that were really fighting and helping each other out,” a teary-eyed Jordan said. “You never know how these races are going to end, you just try to survive.
“Riley did an unbelievable job pushing there at the end. That shows what teamwork can really do. He doesn’t get enough credit, and he won’t get enough credit. But we feel the love, we understand exactly what he did.
“We hung in there all day, great strategy by the team and gave ourselves a chance at the end. I’m ecstatic, I don’t really know what to say. I feel like we won a championship, but until I get a ring I won’t really know.”
Jordan said he wears a size 13 ring, of which he has six for NBA titles.
Denny Hamlin Share Differences in Winning as Driver and Owner
Denny Hamlin has three Daytona 500 wins driving the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He finished 31st, two laps down in Sunday’s event. This is his first Great American Race victory in the ownership capacity.
“This is great for all of our partners, it really helps with momentum to start the year,” Hamlin said. “You’re not chasing anything because corporations already see what you’re capable of doing on the track.
“The tough part for me as a driver is, when this team wins it means I lost as a driver. There’s that competitor in me that still tries to separate the two. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy how this day ended.
“When I was stopped on the track and done for the day, I looked up at the scoring pylon to see how many guys I still had in the race.”
Late Race Caution for Joe Gibbs Racing Teammates Set Up Finale
Ironically, Hamlin was involved in a caution on lap 192 that helped set up the race winning results.
Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and the No. 11 of teammate Hamlin made contact in Turns 3 & 4. After the right-front tire on Bell’s car went down, he came to rest along the outside wall at the exit of Turn 4.
This brought out the caution setting up a restart with three laps remaining. On the final lap, cars started wrecking behind Reddick as they came to the checkered flag.
Zane Smith Takes First Daytona 500 Stage
Only one caution slowed the pace of the race taking place on Lap 5, for all 65 circuits of Stage 1. After green-flag pit stops from Lap 56 to 59, it was Zane Smith in the No. 38 Ford winning the first stage.
Following him for valuable stage points was Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Carson Hocevar, Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher, Micheal McDowell, Ryan Preece, Alex Bowman outside pole sitter Chase Briscoe
Bubba Wallace Won Stage 2
Still under caution from a lap 123 wreck, Stage 2 ended on lap 130 with Bubba Wallace in the No. 23 Toyota of 23XI Racing. He was followed by Ryan Blaney, Kyle Busch, John Hunter Nemechek and Riley Herbst.
NASCAR Driver Tyler Reddick Leads One Lap to Win Daytona 500