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who won the daytona 500 last night

Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 last night, taking the victory in the 2026 running of the race at Daytona International Speedway.

Quick Scoop: Who Won, How, and Why It’s a Big Deal

  • Winner: Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing).
  • Race: 2026 Daytona 500, run on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
  • Key Moment: Reddick snatched the lead on the final lap, overtaking Chase Elliott in a chaotic finish with a multi-car crash behind them.
  • Extra milestone: This was Reddick’s first Daytona 500 win and also the first Daytona 500 victory for 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan.

Fans are already calling it one of those classic “only at Daytona” endings: three-wide chaos, a huge wreck in the mirror, and Reddick threading the needle at exactly the right moment.

A Mini Story of the Finish

Over the closing laps, the lead pack shuffled constantly as drivers tried to time their runs in the draft. Chase Elliott looked poised to close it out, but a huge last-lap move opened the door. Reddick got the run he needed, slipped past just before the line, and the field piled up behind them while the checkered flag waved. It was the kind of finish where, if you blinked on the backstretch, you’d look up at the results and think, “Wait… how did Reddick get there?”

Why This Win Matters

  • First Daytona 500 win for Tyler Reddick after previously coming heartbreakingly close in 2024.
  • Adds another big trophy to his growing Cup résumé, which already included multiple wins and strong playoff showings.
  • Huge statement for 23XI Racing, showing they’re not just a feel-good project but a true superspeedway powerhouse.

What People Are Talking About Online

Forum and social chatter around “who won the Daytona 500 last night” is hitting a few big themes:

  • The insane last lap and the debate over whether NASCAR should throw a caution or let the race finish under green when the crash broke out.
  • How Elliott once again ended up on the wrong side of a wild Daytona finish despite being in position to win.
  • The narrative of Michael Jordan finally getting a Daytona 500 win as a team owner, which casual sports fans are latching onto even if they don’t follow NASCAR weekly.

Quick Fact List

  • Winner: Tyler Reddick.
  • Track: Daytona International Speedway.
  • Race: 2026 Daytona 500 (NASCAR Cup Series season opener).
  • Notable rival at the finish: Chase Elliott.
  • Team: 23XI Racing, co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan.

TL;DR: Tyler Reddick is the driver you’re looking for—he won the Daytona 500 last night in a wild, last-lap, crash-filled finish that gave both him and 23XI Racing their first Daytona 500 victory.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.