Tyler Reddick (Image via Getty Images) Tyler Reddick enters the NASCAR race today at Phoenix Raceway with one of the most remarkable starts in the history of the sport of motor racing. The 23XI Racing driver has secured the first three races in the 2026 season, including the Daytona 500, Atlanta, and Circuit of the Americas, becoming the first driver in the Cup Series history to open a season with three consecutive wins. Driving the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing, the team co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, Reddick has quickly become the early championship favorite. With the wind clearly in his favor, the Straight Talk Wireless 500 race at Phoenix Raceway now becomes the latest conquest for a team that has quickly become one of the most formidable contenders in all of NASCAR.
Why Tyler Reddick is a great prospect at Phoenix
Reddick’s success early in the season is owed to his consistency in different styles of track, which may again work in his favor at Phoenix Raceway. The 30-year-old driver has already proven his versatility this season, winning on a superspeedway, an intermediate track, and a road course. This adaptability has been one of Reddick’s greatest strengths. His aggressive driving style, while taking care of tires wearing down, has helped him remain competitive deep into races, especially with tracks that require precision and patience.Phoenix’s one-mile oval is a special challenge with its flat corners and multiple lines to run on, but Reddick has improved in that area in the last few seasons. With the pace demonstrated by No. 45 Toyota in the first few races of 2026, Tyler definitely starts Sunday’s race as one of the drivers who can challenge for another victory. For 23XI Racing, the performance has highlighted the team’s increasing competitiveness. The organization co-owned by NBA’s Michael Jordan and veteran NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin has grown steadily into a serious championship contender, with Reddick emerging as the central figure in that effort.
Phoenix race: next challenge for NASCAR’s hottest drivers
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to Phoenix Raceway for the Straight Talk Wireless 500, the fourth race of the 2026 season, on Sunday. Team Penske’s Joey Logano secured the pole position for the race, with reigning champion Kyle Larson starting together with him on the front row. Reddick will start even further in the field in a qualifying eighth place, which still puts him within range of the front-runners.For long, Phoenix has been a measuring stick on the Cup Series season, and this is another chance for teams to gain early momentum. For Reddick and 23XI Racing, the light is still on. After three straight victories to start the season, the question about the No. 45 team is no longer if it can compete, but whether its remarkable run can continue as the NASCAR season gathers pace.