Tyler Reddick Wins Daytona 500 for 23XI Racing

The 30-year-old Californian balances family life and racing career after overcoming a tough 2025 season

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Tyler Reddick, a 30-year-old Californian, won the Daytona 500 on Sunday, marking the biggest victory of his career. Reddick, who drives the No. 45 car for Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing, had a roller-coaster few years on and off the track, including a winless 2025 season and his young son Rookie's kidney surgery. Reddick, who is married to Alexa DeLeon and has two children, opened up about balancing his family life, texting his boss Michael Jordan, and finding the right balance between being serious and having fun in his racing career.

Why it matters

Reddick's Daytona 500 victory is a significant accomplishment, especially after the challenges he faced in 2025. His ability to bounce back and win NASCAR's biggest race showcases his resilience and talent. The story also highlights the importance of work-life balance for professional athletes and the impact family can have, both positively and negatively, on a driver's performance.

The details

Reddick, who grew up dirt racing on short tracks and outlaw carts, made the transition to asphalt racing with the help of fellow dirt racer Ken Schrader. After winning back-to-back titles in the O'Reilly Series for two different teams, Reddick joined 23XI Racing, owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, in 2023. In 2024, Reddick won the regular-season Cup title, but then went winless in 2025, causing him to question whether he would ever win again. Last fall, Reddick's young son Rookie underwent surgery to remove a kidney tumor, which put the driver's priorities in perspective. Reddick says he still wanted to win while racing, but his focus was on being there for his family during that difficult time.

  • Reddick won the regular-season Cup title in 2024.
  • Reddick went winless in 2025.
  • Last fall, Reddick's son Rookie underwent surgery to remove a kidney tumor.

The players

Tyler Reddick

A 30-year-old Californian who won the Daytona 500 on Sunday, driving the No. 45 car for Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing. Reddick is married to Alexa DeLeon and has two children, Beau and Rookie.

Alexa DeLeon

Tyler Reddick's wife, and the daughter of former MLB pitcher Jose DeLeon.

Rookie Reddick

Tyler and Alexa's 15-month-old son, who underwent surgery last fall to remove a kidney tumor.

Michael Jordan

The owner of 23XI Racing, the team for which Tyler Reddick drives.

Ken Schrader

A fellow dirt racer who gave Reddick his first opportunity racing asphalt, helping him pave his way up the NASCAR ranks.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Any time for me that I go a couple weeks without winning, I feel that I never would have, in my worst nightmare, wrote up that I would go here without winning. But it became reality for me. And once that happens, it's like man, was Homestead [in 2024] my last win? It's a possibility I may never win again.”

— Tyler Reddick, NASCAR Driver (FOXSports.com)

“When I was still in the car during those times, I wanted to win really bad for a number of reasons. But, it was weird where I had no desire, nothing to go to [our shop] Airspeed, to work, or put anything into racing. It was when I was home and when my family needed me was where I needed to be.”

— Tyler Reddick, NASCAR Driver (FOXSports.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Tyler Reddick's Daytona 500 victory showcases his resilience and talent, as he overcame a challenging 2025 season and his young son's health scare to capture NASCAR's biggest prize. The story highlights the importance of work-life balance for professional athletes and the impact family can have on a driver's performance.