Tyler Reddick wins dramatic NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Homestead

It was one of the season’s most intense Playoff finish as 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick clinched his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Homestead-Miami Speedway in a thrilling last-lap pass, cementing his spot in the Championship Four for the Phoenix Raceway finale in two weeks.

Reddick surged ahead after passing teammate and team owner Denny Hamlin with two laps remaining, then overtook Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney in the final corner to claim victory in the Straight Talk Wireless 400.

NBA legend and team owner Michael Jordan celebrated enthusiastically from pit lane as Reddick took his No. 45 Toyota to the win.

“He drove his heart out, and I couldn’t be prouder,” said Jordan, adding that Reddick’s determination and focus were exactly what the team needed.

“We were cornered with no other choice,” Reddick said about the final moves. “We were on a tire deficit, which is tough here at Homestead, but I just pushed through.” The late-race caution had positioned Reddick favorably on the front row for the restart, making him the only driver who had recently taken fresh tires.

While initially dropping back, Reddick regained the lead with a clean pass on Blaney.

Reddick, the regular-season champion, led 97 of the 267 laps, taking advantage of a late-race caution that triggered a restart with only seven laps remaining.

Positioned with fresher tires and restarting from the front row, Reddick was able to power through the final laps, ultimately capturing his third victory of the season and the eighth of his career.

“We fought hard for this, and now we’re in the championship race,” said the 28-year-old Californian, who became only the second driver in 22 years to win from pole position at Homestead. “I’m excited about our shot at the title.”

The win guarantees Reddick a spot in the Championship Four, putting both Blaney and Hamlin in must-win situations for the upcoming race at Martinsville Speedway.

Team Penske’s Joey Logano secured his Championship Four berth last week at Las Vegas, and with Reddick’s win, only two positions remain open for the title-deciding race in Phoenix.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell, who finished fourth, currently leads the standings with a 27-point margin over the cutoff line. William Byron, who finished sixth, holds the fourth and final transfer position, seven points ahead of his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kyle Larson. Hamlin and Blaney now find themselves in sixth and seventh place, respectively, with Chase Elliott rounding out the top eight, 43 points below the cutoff.

Blaney expressed his frustration after the race, noting the missed opportunity: “I thought I was in good position, but Reddick just charged up and stuck it. It’s tough to lose one like that.”

The final opportunity to secure a Championship Four position will be next Sunday at the Xfinity 500 in Martinsville (2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Blaney is the defending champion of this race, and Byron also won there earlier this season. Notably, Elliott, Blaney, and Bell all have past wins at Martinsville to boost their chances of advancing to Phoenix.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Straight Talk Wireless 400

Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead, Florida
Sunday, October 27, 2024

1. (1) Tyler Reddick (P), Toyota, 267.
2. (20) Ryan Blaney (P), Ford, 267.
3. (4) Denny Hamlin (P), Toyota, 267.
4. (3) Christopher Bell (P), Toyota, 267.
5. (7) Chase Elliott (P), Chevrolet, 267.
6. (25) William Byron (P), Chevrolet, 267.
7. (11) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 267.
8. (32) AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 267.
9. (15) Carson Hocevar #, Chevrolet, 267.
10. (35) Ryan Preece, Ford, 267.
11. (12) Josh Berry #, Ford, 267.
12. (13) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 267.
13. (2) Kyle Larson (P), Chevrolet, 267.
14. (24) Michael McDowell, Ford, 267.
15. (21) Chris Buescher, Ford, 267.
16. (23) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 267.
17. (18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 267.
18. (8) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 267.
19. (16) Noah Gragson, Ford, 267.
20. (31) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 267.
21. (5) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 267.
22. (28) Erik Jones, Toyota, 267.
23. (6) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 267.
24. (34) Harrison Burton, Ford, 267.
25. (30) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 267.
26. (29) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 267.
27. (36) Austin Cindric, Ford, 267.
28. (26) Joey Logano (P), Ford, 267.
29. (9) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 267.
30. (19) Zane Smith #, Chevrolet, 267.
31. (17) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, 267.
32. (27) Kaz Grala #, Ford, 267.
33. (22) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 267.
34. (10) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 266.
35. (33) Corey LaJoie, Ford, 266.
36. (14) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 261.
37. (38) Chad Finchum(i), Ford, 258.
38. (37) JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 223.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 129.379 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 44 Secs.
Margin of Victory: 0.241 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 6 for 30 laps.
Lead Changes: 33 among 11 drivers.