Michael Jordan was overjoyed after Tyler Reddick's historic NASCAR victory, celebrating as Reddick secured his spot in the season finale at Phoenix for the first time in the NASCAR Cup Series. This achievement comes as Denny Hamlin, Reddick's boss, is still working to reach the Final 4. Tyler Reddick secured a thrilling victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday, clinching his spot in the Championship 4 alongside Joey Logano. The 23XI Racing driver, with team owner Michael Jordan present, made a dramatic pass on Ryan Blaney in the final corner to take the win.
Following an emotional embrace with Jordan during a pit road interview, Reddick shared the sentiments exchanged between them. He recalled, “He was just really proud, the fight that we had, never giving up, fighting through the adversity. Just really, really proud of the effort we put forth. Like I said, he believes in me. He believes in this team… He was really proud of the whole team for the effort we put forth.”
Reddick, who started from pole position, dominated the race at Homestead, leading a race-high 97 laps. Although he fell to fourth by the end of Stage 2, he made a strategic move in the final lap, taking the lead by overtaking Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin to secure the win. This victory was particularly significant for Reddick, as he had entered the race 30 points below the playoff cutline.
A timely caution caused by Kyle Larson's spin allowed Reddick to close the gap on the leaders, setting the stage for his decisive move.
Reddick expressed gratitude for the support of team owners Jordan and Hamlin, saying, “He’s [Jordan] dedicated a lot of his time, his efforts, his money into elevating 23XI to where it is right now… To be able to reward him with the days like we had today, it’s a true honor. It was really cool to see how happy he was… The people, him, Denny, everybody else, has put together to create what 23XI is.”
Reflecting on Reddick's performance, Jordan praised him, stating, “The little kid drove his a** off. […] I’m proud of him. … He just let go and he just went for it. I’m glad. I’m glad. We needed it.” With Reddick’s victory, Jordan has a new opportunity for glory in Phoenix, reminiscent of his own championship win there in 1993.
Here are the top finishers from the race:
1. Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) - 267 laps
2. Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) - +0.241 seconds
3. Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) - +0.568 seconds
4. Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) - +1.499 seconds
5. Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) - +1.637 seconds
6. William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) - +2.346 seconds
7. Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) - +2.763 seconds
8. A.J. Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing) - +2.983 seconds
9. Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports) - +3.247 seconds
10. Ryan Preece (Stewart-Haas Racing) - +4.282 seconds
