Tyler Reddick made history on Sunday by becoming the first driver in NASCAR Cup Series' 78-year history to win the opening three races of a season. The California native secured his third consecutive victory at the DuraMax Texas Grand Prix held at Circuit of the Americas road course in Austin, Texas.
Key Takeaways
Tyler Reddick made NASCAR history by winning three consecutive races to start the season, including the DuraMax Texas Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas. He held off Shane van Gisbergen in a thrilling final lap dash.
- Tyler Reddick becomes first driver in 78-year Cup Series history to win opening three races
- Van Gisbergen finished second after pressuring Reddick throughout the race
- Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Michael McDowell completed top five
- Jordan's 23XI Racing team celebrates significant legal victory and racing success
The 30-year-old Reddick led a race-high 58 laps and won by 3.944 seconds over Shane van Gisbergen, who pressured Reddick's No. 45 Toyota on the final restart but couldn't close the gap in his No. 97 Chevrolet.
'It means the world,' said Reddick. 'To be able to outlast him there and hold on for the win is just incredible.' Van Gisbergen, who won five times on road courses last year, recorded his first top-five finish in Texas but acknowledged Reddick's superior performance.
Christopher Bell, Ty Gibbs, and Michael McDowell rounded out the top five. The race featured several notable moments, including a crash involving rookie Connor Zilisch who was clipped by Daniel Suarez and spun entering Turn 1.
Reddick drove for 23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan, who celebrated with Reddick's pit crew as he crossed the finish line. The team has been on a winning streak since securing a major legal victory in December through a federal antitrust lawsuit settlement against NASCAR.
Jordan praised co-owner Denny Hamlin for building a successful racing team and expressed pride in their achievements. He also plans to attend the next race in Phoenix to support Reddick's potential fourth consecutive win, which would extend his commanding 70-point lead in the drivers' championship.
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