One thing that NASCAR has figured out recently is their intermediate packages. The tire combination seems to be working great. Look at the recent Vegas race…we saw 32 lead changes. And finally, it was Josh Berry of the Wood Brothers Racing who nailed the tire strategy to win the race. And folks, to our good fortune, the next one is also an intermediate, and none other than the iconic Homestead Miami Speedway. The last time the Cup Series raced there…is still fresh in our memories, and if it isn’t…NASCAR has reposted that epic finish. When Tyler Reddick unexpectedly took the checkered flag.

And folks fans are going crazy revisiting that final lap! For the longest time, Reddick wasn’t even in contention for the win. And forget the win, he wasn’t even gonna finish top 5! But that’s where Reddick, the two-time Xfinity champ, the 2024 regular season champion, showed his prowess. And gave the young 23XI Racing team a chance to fight against NASCAR’s top dogs in Phoenix. Come, let’s dive into how that thrilling race unfolded.

2024 had Tyler Reddick written all over it!

Folks, no one had expected the #45 driver to have a run like he did in 2024. 3 wins, 12 top 5s, 21 top 10s! However, after being the most dominant driver in the regular season…the playoffs weren’t going as planned for the 23XI Racing’s driver. But still, somehow, he managed to keep his ship afloat and reach the round of 8. The first race was in Vegas. The ‘South Point 400.’ And Reddick, at any cost, needed a win or at least a top 5 finish. But rather a crash ended his run in a DNF. Next up…Homestead Miami Speedway, the ‘Straight Talk Wireless 400’.

This now became a ‘do or die’ situation for Tyler Reddick. And thankfully, he’s known to thrive under pressure. Everything was set. He even managed to bag a pole start. He won stage 1, got a P4 in stage 2, and remained in the top 5 for most part of the race. Finally, he regained the lead in the final stages of the race. And then the #45 team screwed up. Reddick pitted from the lead with 15 to go after running long…while hoping for a caution that didn’t work out. This allowed Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney to get into a fight for the lead. However, the two made contact and Larson got loose and spun out. This threw a caution, giving Reddick a chance to gain positions. But still, he was far behind the traffic.

But he had fresher tires, and he used them perfectly to climb up top, to lead. And with 8 to go, Blaney pulled a hard block on Chase Elliott, this punched a gap at the top, allowing Denny Hamlin to leap at the lead from P4. And Reddick fell to P3. Now it felt like it would either be Hamlin or Blaney going to the final 4. But Reddick had still saved, best for the last. On the last lap, Blaney took the lead from the middle lane and Hamlin took the top one to go past him. But it did not work as Reddick from the bottom lane squeezed between the leaders taking P2. And now we were heading to the final turn with Blaney leading. All the #12 driver had to do was block the #45.

But rather he chose to drop down to the middle lane, thinking it was the fastest. And this gave Reddick an opening in the top lane…obviously, he sprang at it. And as the announcer perfectly described that moment, “Tyler Reddick is not done yet. Tyler Reddick Drives all the way around Ryan Blaney. Can you believe what you have just seen? Reddick’s going to Phoenix!” Phew! What a race, what a moment. Even NASCAR couldn’t resist but re-share it. Here, take a look:

Even Reddick couldn’t believe what he had just pulled off. Post the race he said, “We were backed in a corner, man. We had no other choice. I know we were on a tire deficit. Here at Homestead-Miami Speedway, that’s a death sentence. I don’t care. We did what it took to win this race. We’re fighting for a championship. I couldn’t believe it. I just knew I needed to get to even with (Ryan Blaney) on his right-side door. I didn’t care what he did. He raced me clean. I appreciate it. It would mean the world (to win a championship for Michael Jordan). We thankfully can take off for Martinsville a little bit, get ready for Phoenix. But we’re pumped.”

And folks, this video has fans going bonkers. As this was probably the best race, Homestead Miami had seen!

Fans get goosebumps revisiting Homestead!

And naturally, the 23XI faction was on cloud nine. Michael Jordan could finally stop biting his nails. His driver had done what the team had signed him for. “Little kid [Reddick] drove his ass off and I’m proud of him. He didn’t let go, he just went for it and we needed it. We needed it.” And this was the just beginning of Tyler Reddick’s era. As he went on to challenge the veterans for the Cup. And fans agree! One fan wrote, “Reddick is probably the best in the sport at just letting the car rip in the open.” And now everyone is craving for the same kind of action at the upcoming race. And it’s possible. No one expected Josh Berry to win Vegas, but he pulled it off. Maybe we could have another underdog win.

But whatever it is, watching this moment from last season was a must. One fan wrote, “So incredibly cool to relive this moment! I feel like I’m there again!” Now we know what to expect from the race! Surely no one can wait for it to green flag. Also, one fan has predicted it to be a Tyler Reddick-dominated race yet again. He asked, “Back to back?” Well, won’t that be great? He is, after all, the driver with the second-best average there: 9.0.

Also, while we laud Reddick’s prowess in last season’s race, we can’t overlook Blaney’s mistake. Had he not left the top line open, Reddick would have had no chance. A fan pointing that out wrote, “You can’t let Reddick have the Highline.” And even Blaney knew he screwed up. Post the race, the #12 driver had said, “Obviously disappointed. Yeah, I had a great shot to win. Didn’t have a very good last lap. Man, I thought I got into three hard. (Reddick) just blitzed off in there. It stuck for him, which is pretty impressive. Yeah, I hate to give one away there like that. I don’t know if we gave it away. “

Well, the Penske driver missed a chance there, but thanks to it, we got something epic to remember, or like this fan wrote, an “unforgettable time 🔥💯” Do you agree? What did you think of that moment? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.