There is a new champion of the Daytona 500. After finishing as the runner-up in the 2025 Daytona 500, Tyler Reddick won the race, and in the process of winning, accomplished a rare feat for NASCAR.
According to NASCAR insights, Reddick became just the fourth driver to win the Daytona 500 when leading only the final lap of the race. Meanwhile, he also joined Denny Hamlin as the only Toyota drivers to win the 500, and was one of three drivers on the 23XI team to finish in the top ten, for their best result ever as a team.
Reddick has not had a ton of success at Daytona, outside ofthe 2025 race. He finished second at the Daytona 500 in 2025, after starting 11th. Still, he often finished outside of the top 20 on this track. He did win one ofthe duals in February of 2024, while also finishing in second in the 2022 fall race on this track.
Reddick also has not led a ton of laps on this track. Overall, he has led just 15 laps on this track in point-scoring races. The first game in August of 202, when he led one lap before his race ended in an accident. He led 13 laps in the August 2022 race before finishing second. This is the first time he has led a lap at the Daytona 500, but it was the most important lap, the final one.
Overall, Reddick has now won ten races at the top stock car circuit, but did not take a win in the 2025 season. He has kicked off 2026 in a big way, winning the crown jewel of racing at Daytona. NASCAR has changed its points system for 2026, meaning this does not put him in the playoffs, as it would have in years past, but with the win, he is now in solid contention to make a run at the title.
Reddick and the rest of the drivers return to the track next week at the Autotrader 400 in Atlanta.
