Homestead brought NASCAR fans a thriller as the quest for the Championship 4 narrowed down to 2 spots left. In a race that involved flat tires, cars spinning out, and a restart with just 7 laps to go, it was the final lap heartbreak that stole the show. The driver on the receiving end of the heartbreak was Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. The 2023 defending champ was on the verge of making it to yet another championship 4 before Michael Jordan’s driver clutched up.

23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick was third entering the final lap, and it looked like Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Tyler Reddick would be the final standings. However, the racing gods had their own ideas and blessed fans with an absolutely epic finish that will stand the test of time. The final lap left Blaney and Hamlin in disarray as Reddick pulled off a miracle.

Reddick’s overtake on Blaney was one for the ages

After the final restart of the race during Lap 261, Denny Hamlin, Tyler Reddick, and Ryan Blaney lined up for an epic showdown. In the most cinematic way possible, three playoff drivers, all below the cutline, were fighting for first place. The battle saw all three drivers take the lead at one point and Hamlin’s overtake on Reddick, Blaney, and Elliott out of Turn 2 in a four-wide maneuver really rolled back the years. Although five laps later the defending champ got his recent and took the lead in lap 266. It looked like Blaney had this race in the bag, leading 38 out of the final 78 laps in the final stage.

The final lap at Homestead, Miami was a unique sporting experience, which had everyone on the edge of their seat. Although Blaney was in the lead, Reddick was breathing down Blaney’s neck through the entire backstretch. In the last lap, with adrenaline pumping through his blood, Reddick made the daring move and went against the outside wall so that he could take the high line. Blaney settled for the middle line and that’s all Reddick needed. The #45 took off, and the rest is history as he saw the checkered flag being waved and Michael Jordan jumping in delight.

Reacting to this heartbreaking moment on track, Blaney said, “I missed the bottom and wanted to, I wish I could have sealed that bottom of, that’s how I got to the 11 the lap before and I kind of missed it, kind of gave 45 some air and it was a huge run, down the backstretch and I think the 11 was kinda gosh… Got my bumper right to me, like it was just perfect timing from him and it got worse and he got to be right as the corner started, So didn’t know if he was gonna pull a slider. I was like, it’s okay, I am gonna kinda send it in here. Two lanes off the top, kind of fast to just try to like protect and then try to get up”. Reddick had some moves on the track, especially when he managed to squeeze in and finally surpass Blaney with rocket high speed. Reacting to this move, Blaney said, “He entered three so fast at the wall. I don’t know how he did. It was pretty impressive. So yeah I thought I had a decent plan, but, obviously didn’t work out”. 

Ryan Blaney had led for 47 laps throughout the course of the race, which seemed to be mighty impressive. However, his runner-up finish did not do his title hopes any favors. Blaney now sits -38 below the cutline and would definitely need the checkered flag at Martinsville for a spot in Phoenix. As he gears up for the last and final chance at Martinsville, Blaney said, “Yeah, there are ups and downs. Just got to ride the wave. You know there are good times and bad times on field and sometimes bad times come from good times and good times come from bad times. Sometimes you have to make your times out of bad times”. Only by securing a win at Martinsville will Blaney be able to mark his position in the Top 4. 

Hamlin echoes Blaney’s pain 

It seems as though Blaney is not the only one who is disappointed. With only two laps to go, Denny Hamlin had the lead at Homestead Miami. A victory would have taken him to the Championship 4 with a chance to give himself and his fans what they have been dreaming of for two decades now. However, Blaney overtook him just with two laps left, and then Reddick put the final dagger in with the overtake of Blaney and Hamlin on the final lap, seeing Hamlin finish in P3.

Reacting to this devastating collapse, Hamlin said, “Well, I’m not really sure. I try to cover all lanes but just couldn’t quite get off the corner as good as I needed to there on that short run. And, um, short run wasn’t my specialty all day, obviously. But either way, you know, controlling the race two to go, you got to try to find a way to finish it and uh, just didn’t”. Although he is not going to the Championship 4 as a driver, it doesn’t take away that his hopes of a title haven’t been dashed yet. He will be going to Phoenix as co-owner of 23XI Racing (Tyler Reddick’s team) in a bittersweet fashion. With Blaney and Hamlin having the last chance at Martinsville to salvage their position, who do you think will make it to Phoenix?