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The 2026 Daytona 500 proved once again that it’s the last lap that counts.
Tyler Reddick, who drives for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, was in first place when he crossed the line at Daytona International Speedway and won the Daytona 500 for the first time in his career. He didn’t lead a single lap until the very end.
Reddick was behind Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar when the final lap started. Hocevar was trying to hold off the pack, but Erik Jones got into the back of him going into Turn 1. McDowell was caught up in the wreck and the drivers fell off the pace.
But no caution flag was flying. Reddick had to avoid the carnage in front of him even as William Byron bounced off him. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had the lead for a split second, but Chase Elliott took over down the backstretch.
Elliott was vying with Zane Smith as they entered the final turns. Reddick was behind them and Riley Herbst was in fourth place. Reddick went high and got around Smith. He then knifed his way to the bottom to get around Elliott.
As the group got to the finish line, Herbst ran into Brad Keselowski causing both of them to crash. Elliott and Joey Logano were both caught up in the wreck and it was Reddick who came away unscathed.
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It’s a great way to start the season for Reddick. He finished ninth in the Cup Series standings last season and making the Championship Four in 2024.
The crash-filled final lap was far from the only action.
A caution came out on Lap 192 when Denny Hamlin got poked in the back, hit Christopher Bell and then slammed into the wall. Bell suffered right front tire damage and it cost him the rest of his race.
A massive wreck late in Stage 2 took out a handful of drivers. Hamlin and Justin Allgaier made contact on the frontstretch leading to more than a dozen cars spinning and sliding out of control. Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and William Byron were among those involved.
It was the second major wreck of the stage.
Earlier, Chase Briscoe and NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch were involved in a big wreck on Lap 85. Zilisch got loose in Turn 4 and caused a chain reaction. Cody Ware, Ty Gibbs and Austin Dillon were caught up in the accident.
Bubba Wallace was in first place at the end of Stage 2 and Zane Smith was the leader at the end of Stage 1.
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Reddick, Stenhouse, Logano, Elliott and Keselowski rounded out the top five. Smith, Chris Buescher, Herbst, Josh Berry and Wallace finished in the top 10. Larson, the reigning champion, was 16th.
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