23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick grinned and immediately conceded life is happily hectic these days as the superstar face of NASCAR. Making history by winning the first three races of the 2026 season, Reddick has earned the glory. Now he’s learning to balance the extra demands his excellence has created with the desire to keep the winning rolling on.
In many ways, the success doesn’t make things easier – it creates new expectations and attention. But it’s certainly the better option. He holds a 70-point advantage atop the championship standings. A victory in Sunday’s race would mark his first on the one-mile Phoenix oval and with only a pair of top-five finishes (both third place efforts) in 12 previous series races here, it would be a huge sign of achievement. And carrying on with all the good vibes.
“We’re excited we’ve won three races but we’re not satisfied, we’re still hungry,” said Reddick, who drives the No. 45 23XI Toyota for the 23XI Racing team co-owned by legendary NBA star Michael Jordan and fellow competitor Denny Hamlin.
“I don’t feel like a superhero,” he said laughing at a reporter’s suggestion. “For me, it’s just like we’re doing the right things. We’re taking a realistic approach to it, there’s thought to it. This is what can happen when we prepare really good race cars and show up to the race track close, qualify good and run good, we really set ourselves up for success.
“We had that stretch there where we were ‘right there’ and it didn’t happen last year. But I feel like it’s rewarding for everyone on this 23XI team for it to be happening for the 45 the way it has this year. Everyone has worked hard to get over the hump. We’re definitely not settling in and happy, ‘we won three races and we’re good now.’ Everyone is very, very eager to carry this on.”
