After years of trying, Tyler Reddick finally broke through and clinched a career-defining win at the Daytona 500. But while Reddick was celebrating the biggest win of his life, a hilarious family moment stole part of the spotlight. All thanks to his wife, Alexa.
A hilarious reality check for the Daytona 500 winner
Apart from the historic win, it was a full-on family moment for Tyler Reddick at Daytona. His wife, Alexa, and their boys, Beau and Rookie, were all at the track, soaking in every second of the biggest day of his racing life. And in true family fashion, the celebration came with a bit of good-natured roasting.
Reddick laughed as he recalled the moment: “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.”
That honesty (and humor) comes after a terrifying stretch for the Reddick family. Last year, Rookie suffered life-threatening health complications when doctors discovered a tumor in his chest pressing against his renal vein and artery, forcing his heart to work overtime. Alexa shared the frightening details on social media, explaining that the tumor caused an enlarged heart and that Rookie had to undergo surgery to remove a failing kidney.
View this post on Instagram
Fast forward four months, and the little fighter is bouncing back stronger than ever. Now approaching nine months, Rookie is ready to crawl, explore, and, according to Tyler, zoom around the house. “He’s been like a speedster,” Reddick said proudly in another post-race interview.
And now? He’s also the son of a Daytona 500 champion. With Rookie’s recovery, Alexa’s steady support, and Beau cheering on dad, Tyler’s victory lane moment wasn’t just about winning a race. It was about a family finally catching its breath and celebrating something truly special.
God bless the Reddick family!
“Something felt different today”: Reddick
After the race, Tyler Reddick tried to pinpoint what was running through his mind before the green flag dropped. All he could settle on was instinct. “I don’t know what it is, but something about today feels a little bit different than the past seven years that I have done this race. Something felt different today.”
Turns out, that feeling was dead on.
His path to victory, though, was anything but smooth. Reddick led just one lap. But it was the only one that mattered. The final one! Thus, he became the 25th different driver to lead during this year’s Daytona 500, a brand-new record. It also marked just the fourth time in race history that the winner didn’t take over the lead until the very last possible moment. Talk about clutch.
And the win becomes even more impressive when you look at Reddick’s Daytona résumé. Outside of his runner-up finish in 2025, the track had not been kind to him. He often ended up outside the top 20, and despite flashes of speed (like winning a Duel race in 2024 and finishing second in the 2022 summer event), his overall average finish was among the lowest in the field.
As for leading laps? That list was short, too. Before Sunday, Reddick had led just 15 total laps at Daytona in points races: one in August 2020 before crashing out, and thirteen in August 2022, when he came home second again. But this time, everything aligned.
And with one final, perfect lap, Tyler Reddick rewrote his Daytona story forever.
Related Newsletters
