Despite a few extra laps on his tires, Tyler Reddick charged forward to pass both Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney on the final lap to win his way into the Championship 4 for the very first time in his career.
Reddick was able to blow past Blaney around on the outside in the final corner just seconds from the line in one of the more dramatic runs to the checkered flag we've seen all year.
His victory ensures that 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Hamlin, will be part of the 2024 title-decider at Phoenix.
"Little kid drove his ass off," said Jordan in his immediate reaction to the race win, happily marching down pit road to join his driver in celebration.
"We were backed into a corner man," said Reddick. "We had no other choice. I know we were on a tire deficit and here ay Homestead, that's a death sentence. But I don't care. We did what it took to win this race. We're fighting for a championship," he said as Jordan arrived, embracing him on the frontstretch.
Blaney finished second and Hamlin third -- both facing a likely must-win situation now. Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five. Playoff drivers finished 1-6 in the results with William Byron right behind Elliott. Alex Bowman, AJ Allmendinger, Carson Hocevar, and Ryan Preece rounded out the top-ten.
The finish was initially setting up to be a showdown between Blaney and Kyle Larson, who had rebounded from an early cut tire to challenge for the win. Reddick pitted from the lead with 15 to go after running long while hoping for a caution that didn't work out.
Well, as the leaders were navigating slower traffic with 13 laps to go, Larson pulled alongside Blaney and the two drivers made contact. Larson spun sideways and the caution flag flew, setting up the final sprint to the checkered flag.
On the ensuing restart with eight laps to go, Blaney aggressively blocked Elliott which allowed Hamlin to take the lead from fourth. Blaney fought back and dove under Hamlin, clearing him as the field raced towards the white flag.
But Reddick was lurking right behind them. He threw the car to the bottom into Turn 1, clearing his boss in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Blaney chose the middle of the track entering Turn 3 but this time, Reddick went high, rocketing paste the defending Cup Series champion and crossing the line two tenths ahead.
Reddick joins Joey Logano as the only two drivers locked into the Championship 4. Christopher Bell is +29 and William Byron is +7. Larson, Hamlin, Blaney and Elliott are all in the elimination zone now.
| Cla | Driver | # | Manufacturer | Laps | Time | Interval | Pits | Points | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | T. Reddick23XI Racing | 45 | Toyota | 267 |
3:05'43.926 |
9 | 57 | ||
| 2 | R. BlaneyTeam Penske | 12 | Ford | 267 |
+0.241 3:05'44.167 |
0.241 | 11 | 48 | |
| 3 | D. HamlinJoe Gibbs Racing | 11 | Toyota | 267 |
+0.568 3:05'44.494 |
0.327 | 11 | 48 | |
| 4 | C. BellJoe Gibbs Racing | 20 | Toyota | 267 |
+1.499 3:05'45.425 |
0.931 | 11 | 46 | |
| 5 | C. ElliottHendrick Motorsports | 9 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+1.637 3:05'45.563 |
0.138 | 11 | 49 | |
| 6 | W. ByronHendrick Motorsports | 24 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+2.346 3:05'46.272 |
0.709 | 11 | 39 | |
| 7 | A. BowmanHendrick Motorsports | 48 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+2.763 3:05'46.689 |
0.417 | 11 | 32 | |
| 8 | A. AllmendingerKaulig Racing | 16 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+2.983 3:05'46.909 |
0.220 | 11 | ||
| 9 |
C. HocevarSpire Motorsports
|
77 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+3.247 3:05'47.173 |
0.264 | 11 | 37 | |
| 10 | R. PreeceStewart-Haas Racing | 41 | Ford | 267 |
+4.282 3:05'48.208 |
1.035 | 11 | 29 | |
| 11 | J. BerryStewart-Haas Racing | 4 | Ford | 267 |
+4.607 3:05'48.533 |
0.325 | 11 | 26 | |
| 12 | C. BriscoeStewart-Haas Racing | 14 | Ford | 267 |
+4.819 3:05'48.745 |
0.212 | 11 | 25 | |
| 13 | K. LarsonHendrick Motorsports | 5 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+4.964 3:05'48.890 |
0.145 | 13 | 24 | |
| 14 | M. McDowellFront Row Motorsports | 34 | Ford | 267 |
+5.209 3:05'49.135 |
0.245 | 11 | 23 | |
| 15 | C. BuescherRFK Racing | 17 | Ford | 267 |
+5.357 3:05'49.283 |
0.148 | 12 | 22 | |
| 16 | D. SuarezTrackHouse Racing | 99 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+5.515 3:05'49.441 |
0.158 | 11 | 21 | |
| 17 | B. KeselowskiRFK Racing | 6 | Ford | 267 |
+5.772 3:05'49.698 |
0.257 | 11 | 20 | |
| 18 | B. Wallace23XI Racing | 23 | Toyota | 267 |
+6.225 3:05'50.151 |
0.453 | 11 | 28 | |
| 19 | N. GragsonStewart-Haas Racing | 10 | Ford | 267 |
+6.305 3:05'50.231 |
0.080 | 11 | 18 | |
| 20 | T. GillilandFront Row Motorsports | 38 | Ford | 267 |
+6.474 3:05'50.400 |
0.169 | 10 | 17 | |
| 21 | R. Stenhouse JrJTG Daugherty Racing | 47 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+6.672 3:05'50.598 |
0.198 | 11 | 16 | |
| 22 | E. JonesLegacy Motor Club | 43 | Toyota | 267 |
+6.947 3:05'50.873 |
0.275 | 10 | 15 | |
| 23 | M. Truex JrJoe Gibbs Racing | 19 | Toyota | 267 |
+6.973 3:05'50.899 |
0.026 | 12 | 19 | |
| 24 | H. BurtonWood Brothers Racing | 21 | Ford | 267 |
+7.147 3:05'51.073 |
0.174 | 12 | 13 | |
| 25 | A. DillonRichard Childress Racing | 3 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+7.465 3:05'51.391 |
0.318 | 11 | 12 | |
| 26 | J. NemechekLegacy Motor Club | 42 | Toyota | 267 |
+7.522 3:05'51.448 |
0.057 | 11 | 11 | |
| 27 | A. CindricTeam Penske | 2 | Ford | 267 |
+14.511 3:05'58.437 |
6.989 | 9 | 10 | |
| 28 | J. LoganoTeam Penske | 22 | Ford | 267 |
+16.412 3:06'00.338 |
1.901 | 9 | 9 | |
| 29 | D. HemricKaulig Racing | 31 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+17.018 3:06'00.944 |
0.606 | 11 | 8 | |
| 30 |
Z. SmithSpire Motorsports
|
71 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+17.564 3:06'01.490 |
0.546 | 10 | 7 | |
| 31 | K. BuschRichard Childress Racing | 8 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+17.588 3:06'01.514 |
0.024 | 10 | 6 | |
| 32 | K. GralaRick Ware Racing | 15 | Ford | 267 |
+19.618 3:06'03.544 |
2.030 | 9 | 5 | |
| 33 | R. ChastainTrackHouse Racing | 1 | Chevrolet | 267 |
+19.620 3:06'03.546 |
0.002 | 10 | 4 | |
| 34 | J. HaleySpire Motorsports | 7 | Chevrolet | 266 |
+1 Lap 3:06'02.005 |
1 Lap | 10 | 3 | |
| 35 | C. LajoieRick Ware Racing | 51 | Ford | 266 |
+1 Lap 3:06'09.946 |
7.941 | 11 | 2 | |
| 36 |
T. GibbsJoe Gibbs Racing
|
54 | Toyota | 261 |
+6 Laps 3:05'58.297 |
5 Laps | 12 | 1 | |
| 37 | C. FinchumMBM | 66 | Ford | 258 |
+9 Laps 3:06'10.049 |
3 Laps | 10 | ||
| 38 | J. YeleyNY Racing Team | 44 | Chevrolet | 223 |
+44 Laps 2:38'36.658 |
35 Laps | 10 |
