AUSTIN, Texas — Tyler Reddick captured a groundbreaking victory on Sunday at Circuit of The Americas, driving the No. 45 Toyota co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin to win the DuraMax Texas Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne. This triumph marked Reddick’s third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series win of the season, making him the only driver in NASCAR history to achieve such a start, commonly referred to as a “three-peat.”
The feat follows Reddick’s earlier wins at EchoPark Speedway near Atlanta and a previous race, positioning him in a dominant lead early in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Intense Battle Against Shane van Gisbergen Defines the Race
Reddick’s 11th career win and second at the Texas road course did not come easily. He faced stiff competition from New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen, who was pursuing his sixth consecutive road-course victory. Leading for 58 of the 95 laps, Reddick managed to withstand van Gisbergen’s relentless challenge during the race’s final laps to secure the win by a margin of nearly four seconds.
Reflecting on the victory, Reddick stated,
“Yeah, it’s so fitting. We get going at the end there, and I’m leading and there’s SVG, the guy I’ve been trying to beat for a while now. Just to be able to outlast him there and hold on for the win is just incredible.”
Just really proud of this Chumba Casino Toyota Camry, everyone at 23XI. We worked really hard. We did not like getting beat like that at road courses. It’s one race, but it was so important, so fitting that we were able to get three in a row and make history.
Championship Standings After Reddick’s Triumphant Start
Following this historic victory, Tyler Reddick leads the Cup Series standings with a commanding 70-point advantage over his 23XI Racing teammate Bubba Wallace, who took 11th place in the Texas race. Chase Elliott trails in third, trailing Reddick by 72 points. The momentum gained from these three wins positions Reddick as a strong contender for the season championship.
Michael Jordan, co-owner of the No. 45 Toyota, expressed immense pride in the accomplishment.
He had a chance to win three in a row, and that’s the hardest one to win,
said Jordan, who also led the Chicago Bulls to multiple three-peat NBA titles.
He kept to his strategy, and, man, the guys put together a great car.
I think Billy (Scott, crew chief) did an unbelievable job in calling the game, calling the race, and Tyler did a good job. He beat some good competition. You see SVG coming back there, you get a little nervous, but I think he had him covered pretty much the whole day.
Race Dynamics and Key Moments During the Texas Grand Prix
The race saw a critical restart on Lap 79 after Ross Chastain’s Chevrolet shed a wheel, causing the third caution and only on-track incident of the event. At the restart, Reddick maintained the lead while van Gisbergen advanced to second, overtaking Ryan Blaney through the challenging esses. For eight of the remaining 16 laps, van Gisbergen mounted pressure, but Reddick’s car power and skill allowed him to gradually extend his lead uphill toward Turn 1.
Van Gisbergen acknowledged the difficulty in matching Reddick’s pace.
We lacked a little bit of turn and a little bit of drive,
he said.
Tyler was just amazing. The way he was driving was really good, and his car was good. We just didn’t quite have enough, but it was a great points day for this No. 97 Safety Culture Chevrolet team, which is what we need for getting into The Chase.
It was still an amazing result, but you’re always disappointed with second when the expectations are so high. But overall, it was a really good day.
Strong Performances from Other Top Competitors
Christopher Bell, who won last year’s race at COTA, finished third, followed by Ty Gibbs and Michael McDowell in fourth and fifth. Hendrick Motorsports teammates Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott secured sixth and seventh places respectively, continuing their steady form this season.
Ryan Blaney finished eighth after aggressively challenging Reddick early in the final stage, including a side-by-side moment in Turn 6A. However, Reddick’s experience prevailed as he held the lead before pit stops for fuel and tires on Lap 69. AJ Allmendinger and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top 10, although Allmendinger required medical attention post-race due to a failure in his cooling shirt amidst track temperatures reaching 109 degrees Fahrenheit at the race’s start.
Unexpected Challenges and New Drivers’ Debuts Mark the Race
Alex Bowman left his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after 70 laps because of illness, with Myatt Snider stepping in for his first NASCAR Cup Series race. Snider brings experience as a former winner in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Rookie driver Connor Zilisch of Trackhouse Racing started the final restart in fourth despite earlier setbacks, including spins and collisions in the race. Contact among Austin Cindric, Zane Smith, and Zilisch resulted in multiple spins, but Zilisch recovered to finish 14th. Smith, who had been striving for a third consecutive top-10 finish, ended up 33rd.
What Lies Ahead for NASCAR Following Reddick’s Milestone
The Cup Series now shifts its focus to Phoenix Raceway, with the next race scheduled for Sunday. As Tyler Reddick continues to build on his unprecedented three-win streak, the rest of the field will be looking to mount a challenge and thwart what could be a historic championship run. With team dynamics, rising talents, and seasoned competitors all set to collide, the upcoming races promise intense competition and unpredictable outcomes.
