Tyler Reddick looked unstoppable early in 2026, winning five of the first nine NASCAR Cup Series races and matching a feat last achieved by Dale Earnhardt in 1987. But after conquering Kansas in April, the No. 45 Toyota suddenly stopped finding Victory Lane. Race after race passed without another win, turning a historic start into a frustrating wait for 23XI Racing. Six months later, Reddick arrived at Phoenix with a feeling that something could finally change. And when the decisive moment came, he seized his chance in spectacular fashion.

“That’s way too long. But, man, the way that we worked there…I mean, just thinking of Phoenix, we wanted to be a lot better when we came back here, and I think we checked that box. But I mean, for us, this group never lost the motivation, never lost the drive to keep searching and keep trying to find ways to make ourselves better and just be an all-around better team,” said a jubilant Tyler Reddick after winning the Freeway Insurance 500.

Reddick finally returned to Victory Lane on Sunday, holding off Ryan Blaney by 0.801 seconds to claim a hard-fought NASCAR Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway. The result ended a six-month drought that had followed an extraordinary opening stretch to his 2026 campaign. Although the 23XI Racing driver led just 18 of the race’s 312 laps, he was out front when it mattered most, turning a late opportunity into his sixth victory of the season.

The afternoon had not started with Reddick dominating the field. He finished ninth in Stage 1 and improved slightly to seventh in Stage 2, keeping himself within striking distance without looking like the obvious favorite to win. The No. 45 Toyota remained competitive, but Reddick needed the right combination of strategy, track position and execution to turn that solid run into something more.

That opportunity arrived with fewer than 30 laps remaining. On Lap 283, Kyle Larson hit the wall in Turns 1 and 2 while running 17th, bringing out a caution that changed the complexion of the race. Most of the lead-lap cars headed to pit road, including the leaders, while Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott and Ty Gibbs stayed out. Reddick’s team opted for two tires (like the majority of other drivers). However, the distinguishing factor came in the form of the quick work from the crew that sent him off pit road first, ahead of Logano, Blaney, and others.

The restart on Lap 294 immediately created a battle for control. Briscoe launched from the inside and cleared Elliott to take the lead, while contact between Elliott and Gibbs opened a gap behind them. Reddick spotted the opportunity and threaded his way between the two drivers, climbing into second place. Blaney also made progress, clearing Gibbs and Elliott to move into third.

One lap later, Reddick made his decisive move. He drove to the inside of Briscoe through Turns 3 and 4, taking the lead as the field continued to sort itself out. It was a bold move at a critical point in the race, and it put the No. 45 Toyota in position to control the closing laps.

Briscoe and Blaney still had opportunities to challenge, but neither could find a way past Reddick. Blaney emerged as the strongest threat in the closing stretch, keeping the pressure on as the laps wound down. Reddick, however, held his line and managed the gap, refusing to give the No. 12 Ford the opening it needed.

When the checkered flag fell on Lap 312, Reddick crossed the line ahead of all the others. The victory was more than a long-awaited return to form. It also moved Reddick to within 56 points of championship leader Larson, giving his Chase campaign a valuable boost.

After six months without a win, Reddick had finally found his way back to Victory Lane. The drought was over, and his late-race execution showed that the No. 45 team had continued to improve even when the results did not arrive.