Tyler Reddick’s Daytona 500 triumph wasn’t just the end of his winless drought. It was a massive team victory from top to bottom. After a frustrating, winless 2025 season, Reddick finally broke through in the biggest race of them all, but he didn’t do it alone. From 23XI Racing’s leadership to the pit crew to the spotter keeping him alive in the chaos, everyone played a part in the No. 45’s charge to the front. And as you know, the NASCAR win wasn’t easy, especially with the heart-stopping final lap that had even his crew chief bracing for a caution that never came.

A final lap of complete mayhem

“We were in front, and it was like, ‘Oh, when’s it going to come,’ and then it never did, and kudos to NASCAR for letting that play out.” That moment, recalled by Billy Scott, crew chief of Tyler Reddick, the winner of the Daytona 500 race, perfectly captures just how chaotic and uncertain the closing seconds of the 2026 Daytona 500 truly were.

Tyler Reddick won the 2026 Daytona 500 NASCAR race after leading only the final lap of the 200-lap race. And that last lap? Absolute madness. Five different drivers held the lead at some point in those few frantic seconds, producing one of the wildest Daytona finishes in recent memory.

Carson Hocevar took the white flag out front, but his hopes evaporated instantly when he spun in Turn 1 after contact with Erik Jones, collecting Michael McDowell and several others in the mess. That chaos opened the door for the final showdown. Coming into the last turn, Riley Herbst delivered a massive, perfectly-timed push to his 23XI Racing teammate, sending Reddick surging forward. With that momentum, Reddick swung to the outside and powered past Chase Elliott.

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Behind them, things only got wilder in the NASCAR race. Herbst tried to throw a late block on Brad Keselowski, triggering a multi-car pileup across the tri-oval. Sparks, smoke, cars sliding everywhere. It was exactly the kind of finish that usually brings out caution. But it never came. Reddick reached the line cleanly, winning by 0.308 seconds over Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who slapped the outside wall as he clawed his way to second, and Logano finished third in a similar fashion.

In the end, it was the perfect blend of luck, teamwork, and sheer survival. The finish this year was worthy of the Daytona 500’s unpredictable legacy.

Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick shares a lighthearted moment

Tyler Reddick may have just captured the biggest win of his career, but even Daytona 500 champions aren’t safe from being lovingly roasted at home. After the emotional chaos of winning the Great American Race, Reddick shared a humorous (and very human) moment involving his wife, Alexa, and their young son, who has been battling illness.

As Reddick recounted, he had been feeling sentimental while reflecting on the significance of having his son at the NASCAR race. “My wife corrected me. My son has been to a few races before he got sick, and one or two after he got sick, and I was like, ‘It’s his first race after he got sick.’ And she was like, ‘No, you idiot. He’s been to a couple of races.’ I was trying to make it up in my head.”

The moment left Reddick laughing at himself, admitting that in the whirlwind of emotions, travel, and racing stress, he genuinely lost track. For Reddick, the Daytona 500 didn’t just represent a long-awaited win. In fact, it was a deeply personal moment for his family.

After months of uncertainty surrounding his son’s health, simply having him trackside again felt monumental, even if his memory wasn’t exactly accurate. Alexa’s playful jab showed the balance that grounds Reddick: a reminder that no matter the trophies or headlines, life at home remains blissfully normal.

And in many ways, that grounding is what made this victory even sweeter.