Tyler Reddick wins three in a row to open the NASCAR Cup Series season

AUSTIN, Texas — Tyler Reddick enters the NASCAR Cup Series history books as the only driver to win the first three races of the season after winning at Circuit of the Americas.

This is his 11th Cup Series win and his eighth with 23XI Racing.

Reddick backed up his leading COTA statistics today was the class of the field today.

He led a race high 58 laps and maintained his lead through tremendous straightaway speed every time the lead tightened.

After starting from the pole, he briefly slipped to eighth in the opening stage, but once they made adjustments and found his rhythm, the No. 45 was untouchable.

Reddick fended off challenges from Ryan Blaney and Shane van Gisbergen during the second and final stage, to win in commanding fashion.

The winning driver was not the only one who delivered as his pit crew shined all day.

Time and again, they cycled the No. 45 back to the net lead, keeping him entrenched at the front of the field.

Their execution on the final stop proved decisive. They gave their driver a narrow lead from Blaney off pit road which set up Reddick perfectly for the race-defining restart.

van Gisbergen looked poised to win his first Cup Series COTA race but with six to go his tires gave out and so did his chance to win. He finished second and captured the most stage points on the day with 18.

Ryan Blaney was a strong contender for the win but the tire offset towards the end of the race relegated him to an eighth-placed finish.

Ty Gibbs, Michael McDowell, Kyle Larson and others utilized the final caution to throw on new tires which provided them the necessary speed at the end for their top six finishes.

Denny Hamlin also took advantage of this for his first top ten at COTA finishing tenth overall.

Cool suit failures were a strong topic much of last season and some failed again today.

The first hot race of the season fatigues drivers more than some summer events and the heat got to a few.

Kyle Larson, AJ Allmendinger, and more suffered suit failures. At the end of the race, Allmendinger had to be brought to the infield care center on the back of a stretcher after finishing ninth.

The DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by Reladyne ran mostly caution free.

The only incident caution came from Ross Chastain towards the end of the final pit cycle after losing his right-rear wheel.

Final Stage Recap

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Tyler Reddick retained the lead after flipping the stage as Ryan Blaney maintained second-place after the stage ending pit cycle.

During the green-flag pit cycle in the final stage, Ross Chastain’s crew

During the run up the hill, Connor Zilisch spun for the second time today on the restart. Zane Smith was also spun in the dust-up.

After a pit road penalty and feeling sick, Alex Bowman took his car behind the wall to seek medical attention.

Alex Bowman needed medical attention and has gone to infield care. Myatt Snyder will finish the race.

— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) March 1, 2026

Like an NHL emergency backup goalie, full-time FOX pit road aid and part-time NASCAR O’Reilly Series driver Myatt Snider stepped in to finish the race in the No. 48.

Chase Briscoe suffered a broken transaxle while running third midway through the final stage.

He took his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota behind the wall for repairs. He did not see the finish, resulting in 37th after what looked to be a top-five day.

Stage Two Recap

Tyler Reddick led the field up the hill into turn one on the second stage restart where the first chaotic moment of the day unfolded.

In the front of the field, a diving Daniel Suarez hit Connor Zilisch in the left-rear bumper resulting in spin in front of two-thirds of the field. Somehow everyone got through untouched and continued from there.

Noah Gragson went for a solo spin near the rear of the field but the stage stayed green.

Reddick led every lap in the stage, 23 laps, before flipping the stage. Ryan Blaney kept him in check and tailed close behind.

Alex Bowman, who ran in the top fifteen to top ten much of the race, had an uncontrolled tire penalty while Austin Dillon fixed a shifter issue.

Ty Gibbs inherited the lead after the leaders flipped the stage. He captured the second most stage points in the race with 16 to boost his spot in the standings.

Stage One Recap

Tyler Reddick led the field to green but lost his positions after climbing the hill and slightly overshot the braking zone.

Chase Briscoe took control of the race into turn one and led the opening eight laps before Ryan Blaney’s long run car prevailed.

Many comers and goers showed up during the first stage. Shane van Gisbergen made his expected climb from 13th to third before flipping the stage while other long-run cars made their way through too.

Blaney led the next nine laps after his pass before flipping the stage at the end.

Ross Chastain and crew chose to maximize whatever point situation he found himself in and, with the ten points staring him in the face, he took the stage victory after Blaney pitted.

Full Results and Points Standings

The NASCAR Cup Series starts their west coast swing joining the NTT INDYCAR Series for their “desert double” at Phoenix Raceway next weekend.