Reddick & Wallace Secure Front Row at Darlington for 23XI Racing | NASCAR News

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing secured the pole position for Sunday’s 400-mile NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington Raceway, continuing a strong start to the 2026 season for the team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin.

Reddick recorded a lap speed of 169.152 mph on the 1.366-mile oval, earning his 13th career pole. The Daytona 500 winner, who previously won the first three races of the season, acknowledged a near-disaster during the qualifying run. “I tried to take it easy and just overdid the throttle,” Reddick said. “I kind of knew I was in trouble about a third of the way through, so I just had to hit the wall at that point.”

Despite the contact with the wall, Reddick emphasized the team’s success in adapting to recent changes in engine adjustments and downforce. “Just really proud of everyone at 23XI. It was a huge focal point with the adjustments to the engine and downforce to stay as strong as we have been the last couple of years. I knew it would be a huge challenge in qualifying today, and it was. I damn near wrecked.”

Bubba Wallace, Reddick’s teammate at 23XI Racing, qualified second with a lap speed of 168.434 mph, giving the Jordan-Hamlin owned team a front-row sweep. This marks the second time 23XI Racing has secured the top two starting positions. Wallace dedicated his qualifying lap to the recent birth of his daughter on Thursday.

“That’s Reddick for you,” Wallace said. “He pushes it to the limit. That was a hell of a lap. Just proud of the efforts of the team. Continue to ride the momentum from Race 1 to now and Darlington’s super tough. This package is a handful.”

Chase Elliott qualified third, but his No. 9 Chevrolet team faced penalties after failing inspection twice. The team lost their pit selection and car chief Matt Barndt was ejected. Kyle Larson and Brad Keselowski completed the top five qualifying positions.

Chris Buescher qualified sixth, but his No. 17 Ford also failed inspection twice, resulting in the loss of pit selection and the ejection of car chief Josh Sisco.

Michael Jordan’s involvement in NASCAR has recently drawn increased attention, with the team’s early-season success attracting mainstream media coverage. According to NBC Sports, Jordan’s presence has led to increased interest from influencers and celebrities in the sport. The team’s strong performance began with Reddick’s victory in the Daytona 500 in February.