KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — NASCAR driver Tyler Reddick is riding the kind of Cup Series hot streak that Michael Jordan once enjoyed in his playing days.
Oh, you can bet the NBA Hall of Famer is enjoying this one, too.
Reddick roared by Kyle Larson on the final lap of overtime to win at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, becoming the fourth driver to win five of the first nine races in NASCAR’s top series in a season. Chase Briscoe wound up third while Denny Hamlin, who co-owns 23XI Racing along with Jordan, had to watch from fourth as his driver reached victory lane yet again.
“This kid is on fire. I don’t know what to say. I don’t think I can cool him down,” Jordan said. “When you win it’s always fun, and right now it’s fun for everybody at 23XI. Me being here and being able to see all the wins, I am so happy for the team.”
All four of the 23XI cars finished in the top 15 on a banner day for the team.
“Got to deliver for the boss man,” Reddick said of Jordan. “If he’s going to come hang out with us, we have to get him dubs.”
Sunday’s race had been caution-free except for stage breaks until Cody Ware spun as the white flag was about to fly.
Hamlin was leading at that point, and it looked as if he was about to win his record-extending fifth race at Kansas. Instead, all of the leaders had to pit, and even though Hamlin beat Reddick off pit road, the field was bunched up for the overtime restart.
Larson, trying to end a 32-race winless streak, lined up behind Hamlin on the inside, and he launched to the lead when the green flag flew. Chaos ensued behind them as Christopher Bell bounced off Reddick and Hamlin and the No. 5 car began to pull away.
Reddick came charging down the backstretch on the final lap, though, and he pulled alongside Larson as they went through the final corners. The No. 45 edged ahead as the checkered flag flew, and Jordan began to pump his fist in the pits in celebration.
The last driver to win five of the first nine Cup Series races was Dale Earnhardt in 1987.
“Just really blessed with the late caution,” Reddick said. “Was that nuts or what? I couldn’t believe it.”
Hamlin was happy Reddick won again. But it came at his expense, and he was decidedly unhappy about that. Asked of his frustration level, Hamlin replied: “Obviously it’s not winning. It’s Cody Ware, six laps down, wrecking. I don’t know. Add it up.”
Larson, the defending race winner, said his car’s balance was off after taking two tires on the final stop, leaving him on the podium for the third time without a win this season. Briscoe and Hamlin were followed across by another 23XI driver, Bubba Wallace.
“It was good execution for the restart there,” Larson said. “I got to the lead and I thought I could cruise right there to the checkered.”
Except that Reddick is the only one who seems to be doing that these days. Even when he doesn’t win, he’s had his Toyota running up front. He was fourth last week at Bristol and has been in the top 15 in every start this season.
He’s a big reason Toyota is the first manufacturer since Chevrolet in 2007 to win seven of the first nine races in a season.
“I just think the whole team all year has been really poised,” 23XI President Steve Lauletta said. “It’s not the first time we’ve had any kind of adversity come at us, and they’ve continued to stay calm, keep each other grounded and know we have a fast car. And if you have a fast car, all you have to do is make sure you execute, and that’s what they’ve managed to do.”
Stage winners
Hamlin won the first stage, giving him three consecutive stage wins at Kansas going back to last fall and eight for his career. Larson snapped the streak in Stage 2 with his third stage win of the season.
Wrong way AJ
Ryan Blaney was accelerating out of his pit box during the first stage when he got into the rear of AJ Allmendinger, who was trying to pit, sending him into a half-spin. It took Allmendinger a while to get straightened out, putting him several laps down.
“Our race is done,” Allmendinger told his team over the radio.
Up next
The Cup Series heads next week to Talladega, where Austin Cindric edged Ryan Preece by 0.022 seconds for his third career win last season. In the post-race inspection, both Preece and Joey Logano were found to have infractions and were disqualified.
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