Tyler Reddick won his first Daytona 500 on Sunday, pulling off a dramatic last-lap pass to deliver 23XI Racing — co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin — its first victory in NASCAR’s biggest event.
Reddick led just once all afternoon — the final lap.
The 30-year-old surged past Chase Elliott exiting Turn 4 at Daytona International Speedway after chaos erupted ahead of him. Early on the last lap, Carson Hocevar was spun into the outside wall, scrambling the front of the field. Elliott briefly took control and appeared poised for his first Daytona 500 win, but Reddick received a decisive push from teammate Riley Herbst, slipped past, and charged to the checkered flag as Elliott crashed behind him.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished second, followed by Joey Logano, Elliott and Brad Keselowski. The win marked the fourth time in race history a driver has won the Daytona 500 despite only leading the final lap.
“I didn’t know if I’d ever win this race, it’s surreal, honestly,” Reddick said. “Last year was really hard for all of us, hard for me… 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… Just speechless.”
For Jordan, who turns 63 this week, the victory capped an emotional stretch for his organization. Just months ago, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports reached a major settlement with NASCAR after a contentious legal battle over the sport’s charter system. On Sunday, NASCAR chairman Jim France congratulated Jordan in Victory Lane, signaling a united front after the dispute. “I can’t even believe it. so gratifying,” Jordan said. “Look, I’m ecstatic. I don’t even know what to say. It feels like I won the championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know.”
The race itself was packed with wrecks. A 20-car pileup in Stage 2 eliminated several contenders, including Justin Allgaier and Hamlin, a three-time Daytona 500 winner attempting to claim a fourth. A late caution with nine laps remaining — triggered after contact involving Christopher Bell — set up a four-lap sprint to the finish.
Michael McDowell briefly inherited the lead by stretching his fuel window but was swept up in the final-lap incident. William Byron, who entered the weekend seeking a third straight Daytona 500 victory, was also sidelined after earlier damage left him unable to contend late.
For Reddick, a two-time Xfinity Series champion with nine Cup Series wins entering the day, the triumph adds the sport’s most prestigious trophy to his résumé. It also continues a recent trend at Daytona, where winners often survive rather than dominate.
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