Tyler Reddick Wins Daytona 500

Tyler Reddick clinched the Daytona 500 victory in a car owned by Michael Jordan after Chase Elliott crashed while competing with Reddick for the win.

Driving a Toyota for 23XI Racing, Reddick led only one lap on Sunday: the final one, securing the win for the team owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

“It's just incredible how everything unfolded. Truly Daytona madness,” Reddick remarked. “I’ve already lost my voice from all the shouting. I never imagined I’d be a Daytona 500 champion.”

Jordan also joined Reddick in victory lane for a bear hug, and together they lifted the Harley J. Earl trophy. As Jordan approaches his 63rd birthday on Tuesday, he will receive a Daytona 500 ring and mentioned in victory lane that his ring size is 13.

“It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know,” Jordan remarked.

The celebration featured several NASCAR stars, as Reddick's teammate Bubba Wallace, who led a significant portion of the race, finished 10th and went to victory lane in tears.

Jordan embraced Wallace from behind and offered a few words of encouragement directly into his ear.

“I don’t want my emotions to overshadow the monumental day they just achieved. Happy birthday, MJ. That’s a huge birthday gift,” Wallace said. “I thought this was our week, the best 500 I’ve ever had, and coming up short, sucks.

“Led a lot of laps, lap leader, I believe. It was a good day for us, but damn. Try again next year.”

Hamlin was also in victory lane after finishing 31st and falling short in his bid to become the third four-time Daytona 500 winner.

Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, was involved in the final caution when he and teammate Christopher Bell collided with nine laps remaining. It set up the final push to the finish over the final four laps.

Elliott had control on the final lap after leader Carson Hocevar was spun off the track and it appeared the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott would finally win his first Daytona 500.

Instead, Reddick made a huge surge, hit Elliott to cause Elliott to crash and sailed past to take Jordan to the Daytona International Speedway victory lane.

Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of trial. The settlement changed the revenue-sharing model in the United States’ top motorsports series.