Michael Jordan Praises Tyler Reddick's Historic 3-Peat Win at COTA

NASCAR's newest star continues dominant start to 2026 season

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick won his third consecutive race to open the 2026 season, taking the checkered flag at the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. Team co-owner Michael Jordan praised Reddick's performance and the work of the 23XI Racing crew, as Reddick became the first driver in NASCAR history to win the first three races of a season.

Why it matters

Reddick's historic start has quickly established him as one of the top drivers in NASCAR, and his success is a major boost for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan. The win also snapped the five-race road course winning streak of Trackhouse Racing's Shane van Gisbergen, setting up an intriguing rivalry between the two young stars.

The details

Reddick started from the pole position and led 58 of the 96 laps, holding off a late challenge from van Gisbergen to secure the victory. Jordan credited crew chief Billy Scott's race strategy and praised the overall performance of the 23XI Racing team in putting together a winning car.

  • Reddick won the season-opening race at Daytona on February 16, 2026.
  • Reddick followed that up with a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway on February 23, 2026.
  • Reddick's victory at Circuit of the Americas on March 2, 2026 marked his third straight win to open the 2026 season.

The players

Tyler Reddick

The 23XI Racing driver has emerged as one of the top young talents in NASCAR, winning the first three races of the 2026 season to make history.

Michael Jordan

The NBA legend is a co-owner of the 23XI Racing team, which fields cars for Reddick and Bubba Wallace.

Billy Scott

The crew chief for Tyler Reddick at 23XI Racing, credited by Jordan for his race strategy that led to the historic win.

Shane van Gisbergen

The Trackhouse Racing driver had won the previous five non-oval races dating back to 2025, but was unable to catch Reddick at COTA.

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What they’re saying

“It's time for change. The guys feel the same way. Tyler came in with the most pressure. Everybody expected him to win three in a row. That's the hardest one to win. He stuck to his strategy, and the team put together a great car.”

— Michael Jordan, Team Co-Owner, 23XI Racing (FOX Sports)

“When you see (Shane van Gisbergen) coming back there, you get a little nervous. But Tyler had him covered pretty much the whole day.”

— Michael Jordan, Team Co-Owner, 23XI Racing (FOX Sports)

What’s next

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Phoenix Raceway on March 16, 2026, where Reddick will look to extend his historic start to the season by winning a fourth consecutive race.

The takeaway

Tyler Reddick's dominant start to the 2026 NASCAR season has quickly established him as a rising star in the sport, and his success is a major boost for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by Michael Jordan. Reddick's versatility in winning on three distinctly different tracks has him poised to potentially challenge for his first Cup Series championship.