Who knows more about winning championships than Michael Jordan? The NBA Hall of Famer epitomizes what one might describe as a ‘winning mentality’, a mindset that Tyler Reddick seems to have adopted at just the right time. Despite an inconsistent playoff campaign, the 23XI Racing driver pulled off a clutch performance with a dramatic victory at Homestead-Miami to secure a spot in Championship 4. Even though the odds were stacked against him, the 28-year-old never gave up and kept his title hopes alive.

From being the new team on the block to genuine title contenders, 23XI Racing’s rise in the Cup Series has been nothing short of mercurial. From a regular-season championship to a berth in championship 4, 23XI racing would be mighty pleased with Tyler Reddick. Could Jordan’s desire to win help the No. 45 Toyota team lift the Bill France Cup at Phoenix Raceway?

Tyler Reddick thrilled at Homestead-Miami outcome

How many times have we seen Michael Jordan pull off a game-winning shot in the dying seconds? It seems like Tyler Reddick has learned a lesson or two from his team’s owner, as his victory at the 2024 Straight Talk Wireless 400 highlighted a never-give-up mindset. The California native was hot on the heels of Ryan Blaney in the final lap of the race and decided to make a bold move in the dying seconds. Almost touching the outside wall to maximize his speed, the regular series champion showed lightning-quick pace to overtake his Team Penske rival on the final turn to secure a victory.

Reflecting on the result, Tyler Reddick told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “We’ve had to do what it takes to make it onto the next round and to do it in this fashion and at a place like this, given the circumstances. Just what an incredible day for us. What an incredible comeback if you will. We obviously went for it with our strategy, and the caution didn’t come, and yeah. I mean, we were at the back of the lead lap on fresh tires and we just had to give it a shot.”

As we have seen so often from Michael Jordan, particularly during his time at the Chicago Bulls, there was an insatiable hunger from the basketball star to prove himself, particularly at the highest level. Tyler Reddick was also a man on a mission in the penultimate Round of Eight playoff race. Having endured a topsy-turvy playoff campaign with three finishes outside the top 30 and an early retirement in Las Vegas, the 28-year-old was looking to make amends at Homestead-Miami. His weekend couldn’t have begun on a better note as he qualified on pole and capitalized on his advantage by winning the opening stage but dropped down to fourth by the end of Stage 2.

With a showdown between Blaney and Larson looking inevitable, Tyler Reddick went into the pit road with 15 laps to go, hoping a caution would bring him back in contention during the closing laps. With lady luck on his side, Larson spun just two laps later and helped bring Reddick back in contention towards the end of the race. The California native threw caution to the wind by attempting a risky maneuver, overtaking Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota while entering Turn 1 and getting past Blaney during the final turn before passing the checkered flag.

Acknowledging the effort that went into getting a result, a visibly elated Michael Jordan said after the race, “The little kid drove his a** off.” With Reddick being 30 points below the elimination cutline going into the race, the NBA Hall of Famer shared his views about the final lap by saying, “Oh man, he just let go. He just went for it. I’m glad. We needed it, we needed it.” It was only the second time in 22 years that a driver finished on pole and won the race at Homestead-Miami, highlighting just how big a difference having a winning mentality can make to get a result.

So close, yet so far for Ryan Blaney

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Heartbreaking. That’s the only way to describe the outcome of the Straight Talk Wireless 400 for Ryan Blaney. The Team Penske driver is the reigning Cup Series winner and was so close to making yet another appearance in the Championship 4 with a victory at Homestead-Miami. Despite qualifying in 20th place, the No. 12 Ford Mustang driver showed lightning-quick speed at the 1.5-mile intermediate speedway to finish fourth and fifth in the opening two stages. If Tyler Reddick hadn’t made a late resurgence, the narrative would have been completely different after the checkered flag was waved in the playoff race.

Reflecting on the outcome, a visibly upset Blaney said, “Obviously, it’s a disappointment – had a great shot to win and didn’t have a very good last lap. Man, I thought I got into [turn] three hard, and the 45 [Tyler Reddick] just blitzed up in there, and it stuck for him, which is very impressive. Hate to give one away like that, although I don’t know if we gave it away. Got the lead back after losing it on the re-start and just last lap just didn’t play out for us. Just really stinks.”

With just one race remaining at Martinsville Speedway, Ryan Blaney is entering must-win territory. The 30-year-old won last year’s iteration of the 2023 Xfinity 500 and will need to replicate that performance to keep his championship hopes alive. That was not a one-off win either, as Blaney has an impeccable record at the track, finishing in the top 10 in each of the last five races. He also has finished outside of the top-10 just 6 times in 17 races.

Could he join Joey Logano and Tyler Reddick by securing a victory in the final playoff race of the season? Time will tell. However, the Team Penske driver has momentum on his side going into the short track and will look to take advantage of his experience in the high-stakes race.