"We needed it": Michael Jordan ecstatic after Tyler Reddick's aggressive win at Homestead-Miami
Retired NBA legend and co-owner of 23XI Racing Michael Jordan couldn't have been happier as Tyler Reddick wheeled his #45 machine to victory in Sunday's Cup Series race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. The win secured Reddick's spot in the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway.
On the final lap of Sunday's 267-lap race, Reddick made a daring move, driving up against the wall in turns three and four to pass leader Ryan Blaney and secure the victory. It was the 28-year-old's third win of the season and the eighth of his career.
In a post-race interview with NBC Sports, Jordan gave props to his driver and said that it was a much-needed victory.
"Little kid drove his ass off. I'm proud of him. He just let go [on the final lap]. He just went for it, and I'm glad. We needed it," the 61-year-old said.
It seemed that Sunday's race was slipping away from Reddick as he was forced to pit under green flag conditions. However, a late-race caution, triggered by Kyle Larson's spin with 13 laps remaining, turned the tide. This forced the leaders, including Blaney, to pit under caution, leaving Reddick out front and poised to capitalize.
Denny Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, took the lead on the race's final restart but was passed by Blaney with two laps to go. The next lap, Reddick drove past Hamlin for second and Blaney for first to secure the win. Reddick joins Joey Logano as the two drivers who have secured a spot in the Championship 4 race. Christopher Bell and William Byron are the two drivers who hold the remaining spots by virtue of points with one race remaining in the Round of 8 at the Martinsville Speedway.
Tyler Reddick seeking first championship in two weeks
This year will mark Tyler Reddick's first career Championship 4 appearance and could potentially lead to his first championship title. He clinched the regular season championship with a strong performance in the latter half of the season's first 26 races.
Reddick has three victories this season, the first coming at Talladega Superspeedway, the second at Michigan International Speedway, and the third being Sunday's race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Additionally, he has secured 12 top-five finishes.
A championship victory would not only be Reddick's first but also 23XI Racing's first since their 2021 debut. Additionally, it would mark Toyota's first NextGen era championship and their first since Kyle Busch's 2019 title.