HOMESTEAD, Fla. — In one of the most dramatic 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs races — featuring three different leaders in the final three laps — 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick made a clutch pass out of Turn 4 on the last lap to claim his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday when it counted most.
Reddick passed his team owner, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin, with two laps to go and then moved high up against the wall to pass Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in the final corner to claim the Straight Talk Wireless 400 trophy and secure a position in the Championship 4, scheduled in two weeks at Phoenix Raceway.
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NBA Legend Michael Jordan, his team owner, raised his arms and cheered loudly from pit lane as Reddick celebrated on the frontstretch after the race.
“Little kid [Reddick] drove his ass off, and I’m proud of him,” exclaimed Jordan. “He didn’t let go. He just went for it, and we needed it. We needed it.”
After getting a huge hug from Jordan, Reddick — the Regular Season Champion — was all smiles, proud of his move and his 23XI Racing No. 45 Toyota team, which put him out front for a race-best 97 of the 267 laps — and ultimately handed him the chance at the win after a late-race caution flag forced a restart with only seven laps remaining. It marks his eighth career Cup win and third of the season.
“I don’t know, we were backed in a corner and had no other choice. I knew we were on a tire deficit, and here at Homestead, that’s a death sentence, but I didn’t care,” Reddick said of moving back into the lead after being passed in a four-wide move on the restart only to work his way back to the point in the final six laps.
SHOP: Race winner gear
Because he had just pitted for tires four laps before that final caution flag, Reddick was positioned on the front row for that restart — the only driver who stayed out during that final pit cycle because he had just collected fresh tires four laps earlier. He restarted on the front row alongside Blaney but was fourth a lap later in the frenzied final run.
“We did what it took to win this race, and we’re fighting for a championship,” said the 28-year-old Californian, who became only the second driver in 22 years to win at Homestead from the pole position.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he added of the pass. “I just knew I needed to get even with him on his right side door, and he raced me clean, and I appreciate it. I’m just really, really excited having a shot at the championship.”
While the win vaulted Reddick to an automatic playoff berth, it left Blaney and Hamlin in must-win positions heading into next week’s race at Martinsville Speedway. Team Penske’s Joey Logano claimed the first Championship 4 entry last week at Las Vegas, and with Reddick’s victory Sunday, only two positions are still available for the race for the 2024 title.
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Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, who finished fourth Sunday, leads the points standings and holds a 29-point edge on the playoff elimination line. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron, who finished sixth, is in that fourth and final transfer position in the standings with a seven-point cushion over Hendrick Motorsports’ teammate Kyle Larson.
JGR’s Hamlin is now sixth, 18 points back. The reigning series champion Blaney is seventh, 38 points behind Byron and Hendrick’s Chase Elliott, who finished fifth at Homestead, is ranked eighth, 43 points below the cutoff line.
“Obviously, it’s a disappointment — had a great shot to win and didn’t have a very good last lap,” Blaney said. “Man, I thought I got into [Turn] 3 hard, and the 45 [Reddick] just blitzed up in there, and it stuck for him, which is very impressive.
“Hate to give one away like that, although I don’t know if we gave it away. Got the lead back after losing it on the restart and [the] last lap just didn’t play out for us. Just really stinks. I appreciate everyone on the 12-team for bringing a really fast race car. We had a really fast race car and I had a really great shot to go to Phoenix and still have one more chance.”
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Byron placed sixth Sunday, followed by his Hendrick teammate Alex Bowman. Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger was eighth, with Spire Motorsports rookie Carson Hocevar and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece rounding out the top 10.
The Round of 8 will conclude next Sunday at Martinsville Speedway (2 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App).
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