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Michael Jordan is watching history unfold in real time.
Tyler Reddick continued one of the most explosive starts to a NASCAR Cup Series season the sport has ever seen, holding off road course ace Shane van Gisbergen to win at Circuit of the Americas and secure his third consecutive victory to open 2026. With wins at Daytona, Atlanta, and now COTA, Reddick has done something no driver in NASCAR history has accomplished: win the first three races of a season.
For 23XI Racing — co-owned by Jordan and Denny Hamlin — the moment carries even more weight. The team becomes the first organization to sweep the opening three races of a Cup season since Petty Enterprises pulled it off in 1963. That’s not just a stat. That’s legacy territory.
Reddick crossed the line roughly four seconds ahead of van Gisbergen, who entered the weekend as the driver many believed would be the favorite on the Austin road course. Instead, it was Reddick who controlled the race when it mattered most.
“It means the world,” Reddick said after climbing from his No. 45 Toyota. “It’s so fitting. We got going at the end of the race, I’m leading and there’s SVG — the guy I’ve been trying to beat for a while now. To be able to outlast him there and hold on for the win is just incredible.”
Behind Reddick and van Gisbergen, Christopher Bell finished third, followed by Ty Gibbs and Michael McDowell. Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, AJ Allmendinger, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top ten in a race that featured strategy swings, spinning cars, and late-race tension.
Strategy Takes Shape Early
The opening stage began aggressively, with Chase Briscoe diving three-wide into Turn 1 alongside Reddick and Ross Chastain. Briscoe briefly controlled the early laps before Ryan Blaney’s long-run speed came alive. Blaney hunted him down and built a comfortable advantage.
Van Gisbergen, starting 13th, began slicing through the field with precision. By the time the stage approached its conclusion, he had surged into contention.
Several drivers elected to short-pit before the stage ended, sacrificing points for long-term positioning. That strategy handed the Stage 1 win to Chastain, followed by van Gisbergen and McDowell.
It was a calm opening act — but the chess match had only just begun.
Tire Games and Positioning
Blaney reclaimed the lead as pit cycles shuffled the order, while van Gisbergen restarted deeper in the field on slightly fresher tires. On the restart, chaos flickered mid-pack as Carson Zilisch and Noah Gragson both spun in separate incidents, though neither triggered a major caution.
Reddick reasserted himself at the front, leading until pitting late in the stage in a strategic move designed to prioritize the overall win rather than stage points. It was a calculated gamble.
Ty Gibbs ultimately captured the Stage 2 victory as pit strategies played out. Reddick remained firmly in the mix, positioned exactly where he needed to be for the final run.
Pressure, Cautions, and a Statement Finish
When the final stage began, Reddick held the advantage over Blaney, with van Gisbergen lurking within striking distance. The intensity ramped up quickly. Larson and Bell traded heavy contact in a heated battle deeper in the top ten, while mechanical issues ended Briscoe’s promising day.
Green-flag pit stops reshuffled the deck again before a loose wheel sent Chastain spinning off course, bringing out a critical caution. Some teams pitted for fresh tires, but Reddick, Blaney, van Gisbergen, and others chose to stay out, gambling on track position.
It set up the showdown fans were waiting for.
As the laps ticked down, van Gisbergen began to close the gap. The New Zealander, known for his road racing precision, applied steady pressure. But Reddick didn’t flinch. His car rotated cleanly through the technical sections and powered confidently onto the long straights.
The gap stabilized. Then it grew.
When the checkered flag waved, Reddick had not only beaten one of the best road course drivers in the world — he had cemented a historic three-race streak.
A Championship Pace Few Have Seen
Three races into the season, Reddick sits firmly atop the championship standings. The early momentum is undeniable. Winning Daytona requires drafting discipline. Winning Atlanta demands survival and timing. Winning COTA requires technical precision and tire management.
Reddick has mastered all three in succession.
For Michael Jordan and 23XI Racing, the moment represents validation. The team has invested heavily in talent and infrastructure, and now it stands alone in the modern era with a start comparable only to a dynasty from the 1960s.
The NASCAR Cup Series has not seen a beginning like this in generations. And if Reddick’s form continues, the conversation may soon shift from “historic start” to something even bigger.
Three races. Three wins. History already made.