Tyler Reddick has made a remarkable turnaround from a winless 2025 to historic success in 2026 by winning three consecutive races to start the NASCAR Cup Seriesseason. Driving for 23XI Racing, Reddick’s latest victory came Sunday at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA), making him the first driver ever to claim the first three races of a Cup Series season.
His win at COTA stood out, as this road course victory was earned through dominant control, unlike the drafting-track triumphs at Daytona and Atlanta that opened his streak. The focus keyword, Tyler Reddick three wins, aptly characterizes this unprecedented success early into the year.
Historic Success Follows Challenging Year and Strong 2024 Title
After securing the 2024 regular-season championship, Reddick’s 2025 winless season made his current form all the more impressive. Coming into 2026 with eight career wins, this streak was hard to foresee even for his most optimistic supporters. Sunday’s race saw Reddick outpace formidable road-course competitor Shane van Gisbergen, who had won five of six road-course races in the previous season but could not close the gap in the final stage.
Reddick led 58 of the race’s 95 laps, including the decisive last 20. He reflected on the streak, stating after the race,
Image of: Tyler Reddick
“We did not like getting beat like that at road courses,”
Tyler Reddick said in his television interview after the race.
“It’s one race, but it was so important, so fitting that we were able to get three in a row and make history.”
23XI Racing co-owner and former driver Denny Hamlin expressed marvel over the feat, remarking,
“I’m not going to see it again in my lifetime, someone to go out there and win three races in a row to start the season.”
Challenges for Trackhouse Racing on Road Courses
Trackhouse Racing had high expectations, fielding drivers known for their road racing skills, including Ross Chastain, Shane van Gisbergen, and Connor Zilisch. Despite van Gisbergen’s skill, he faded in the final laps and could not keep pace with Reddick. Van Gisbergen praised Reddick’s performance, saying,
“Just following Tyler, his driving was immaculate and his car was very good, too,”
and added,
“I tried but didn’t quite have enough.”
Zilisch showed promise early but was involved in incidents that hampered his race, including a late collision while he was running in the top five. Chastain, who held a position in the top ten for most of the race, suffered a wheel loss that resulted in a two-lap penalty and the suspension of two crew members for upcoming races.
Alex Bowman, representing Hendrick Motorsports, was feeling unwell and was near the back of the pack during the race. His team advised him to exit the car, anticipating a low finish. Bowman accepted, and part-time driver Myatt Snider took over. Snider, who usually works in NASCAR’s development series, was at the event on FOX Sports duty as a pit spotter, assisting the broadcast team with real-time information.
Points Standings Reveal Early Struggles for Several Drivers
After three races, Alex Bowman is positioned last among the 36 drivers in the points standings, facing a significant challenge to climb back. Although the 45-point deficit to the 16th spot might be manageable, Bowman will need to avoid letting fellow drivers far back in the standings gain momentum through wins. However, several drivers including Connor Zilisch, Cody Ware, Austin Dillon, and Erik Jones also trail by over 30 points, meaning their road to the playoffs is narrowing with little room for errors or missed opportunities.
Upcoming Race at Phoenix and Team Participation
The next Cup Series race will take place in Phoenix, marking the first time this season the drivers compete on a track less than 1.5 miles in length. The event weekend features INDYCAR racing on Saturday, followed by the Cup race on Sunday. In his 12 starts at Phoenix, Reddick has recorded two top-five finishes, signaling potential strong performance on this shorter oval.
23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan, who has witnessed all three opening wins in person, confirmed his attendance for the Phoenix race, stating,
