Tyler Reddick Wins Darlington NASCAR Cup Race – Results & Highlights

DARLINGTON, S.C. – Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing secured his fourth victory in the first six NASCAR Cup Series races of the 2026 season on Sunday at Darlington Raceway, continuing a dominant start to the year for the team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin. Reddick’s win came after a 400-mile race where 36 of 37 starters remained running at the checkered flag, with only Timmy Hill experiencing a Did Not Finish (DNF).

The race saw Brad Keselowski finish second, a result that denied the Team Penske driver a chance to end a two-year win drought. Despite not reaching the top spot, Keselowski demonstrated strong performance, securing wins in both stages of the race. Ryan Blaney overcame a mid-race setback caused by a loose wheel to claim third place.

Carson Hocevar led the efforts for Chevrolet, finishing fourth, even as Austin Cindric rounded out the top five. The victory marks Reddick’s 13th career pole position, according to 23XI Racing.

Reddick’s qualifying lap of 169.152 mph on the 1.366-mile oval wasn’t without incident. He admitted to briefly making contact with the wall while navigating a new engine and downforce package designed to increase horsepower and reduce downforce. “I tried to take it easy and just overdid the throttle,” Reddick said, as reported by ESPN. “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.”

Teammate Bubba Wallace qualified second, achieving a front-row sweep for 23XI Racing – the second such result for the team this season. Wallace dedicated his qualifying run to his newborn daughter, born 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.”

Chase Elliott qualified third but faced penalties before the session, with his No. 9 Chevrolet failing inspection twice. This resulted in the loss of pit selection and the ejection of car chief Matt Barndt. Kyle Larson and Keselowski completed the top five in qualifying.

Reddick’s early-season success places him at the forefront of the NASCAR Cup Series standings. He opened the 2026 season by breaking a 38-race winless drought, according to NASCAR’s official driver page.