NASCAR News: Tyler Reddick schools Kyle Larson in Kansas OT

Tyler Reddick gave Kyle Larson a schooling he won’t soon forget, stealing Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway in dramatic NASCAR Cup Series overtime. The driver of the No. 45 23XI Racing Toyota became the first since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the first nine races of a season, turning a fuel gamble and a final-lap pass into his latest victory.

The race stayed remarkably clean for 267 laps until Cody Ware’s spin with two to go triggered the yellow and set up a two-lap overtime shootout. At that moment, Denny Hamlin was out front after Reddick had begun sputtering on fuel with three laps remaining.

All contenders opted for two fresh tires under caution. Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota led the field off pit road, but the restart turned chaotic. Reddick, Christopher Bell and Hamlin went three-wide behind the leader. Contact between Reddick and Bell in Turn 2 sent the No. 20 into the wall and eventually spinning just before the white flag flew.

Kyle Larson looked poised for his first win in 32 races—and a repeat of last year’s Kansas triumph—but the more talented Reddick schooled him on the bottom lane in the final corner, sliding past to snatch the win by a car length.

Larson held on for second. Chase Briscoe finished third, Hamlin fourth and Bubba Wallace fifth. Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher rounded out the top 10.

Strategy and the Final Green-Flag Run

Hamlin’s decision to pit at Lap 216 during the final green-flag cycle initially paid huge dividends. He cycled out more than four seconds ahead of the field on fresher tires, even if slightly behind on wear compared to those who pitted later. Christopher Bell, who had been leading, pitted six laps after Hamlin, while Reddick stopped a lap before Bell and emerged in second.

Reddick methodically closed the gap to Hamlin, cutting it to just over a second with 15 laps to go. With 10 to go, the tire advantage showed: Reddick powered past Hamlin into Turn 1. Lapped traffic prevented a clean breakaway, and with three laps remaining Reddick brushed the wall, handing the lead back to Hamlin. Then Ware’s spin — the race’s first incident — handed NASCAR the overtime it needed.

Stage 2: Larson Ends 32-Race Drought… for a Stage Win

Kyle Larson dominated Stage 2, leading 77 laps and claiming the stage victory in his quest to snap a long winless streak. Denny Hamlin finished second in the stage, Tyler Reddick third, Chase Elliott fourth and Christopher Bell fifth. Bubba Wallace, Brad Keselowski, Ty Gibbs, Chris Buescher and Carson Hocevar completed the top 10.

Larson took the lead on the Stage 2 restart, clearing Hamlin (who had won Stage 1). Reddick, starting the stage from the pole, held strong early before brushing the wall and reporting a slightly off-center steering column. The green-flag pit cycle was clean, and Larson passed Kevin Harvick for the most all-time laps led at Kansas during the segment. Stage 2 ran caution-free.

Stage 1: Hamlin’s Early Masterclass

Denny Hamlin led 75 of the opening 80 laps to dominate Stage 1. Kyle Larson finished second, Tyler Reddick third, Ty Gibbs fourth and Christopher Bell fifth. Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Carson Hocevar, Bubba Wallace and Corey Heim rounded out the top 10.

Hamlin and Reddick battled side-by-side for the first three laps, making contact on Lap 2 before Hamlin cleared into the lead on Lap 4. The first pit cycle began on Lap 33 with Ryan Preece the first to stop. Hamlin and Reddick pitted on consecutive laps (38 and 37). Minor incidents included Ryan Blaney making contact with A.J. Allmendinger during his stop and Carson Hocevar losing time on a broken pit gun. Stage 1 completed without a caution.

Reddick’s fifth win of the young 2026 season sends a clear message: the No. 45 is the car to beat as the Cup Series heads deeper into the playoffs push. Larson’s runner-up finish keeps his winless streak alive at 32, but the battle at the front showed just how razor-thin the margins remain in NASCAR’s premier series.

Quotes

Tyler Reddick

Q. Tyler, a couple laps to go, you stumble. Then the caution comes out. You have to pit, then you go up against Denny Hamlin. How did you prevail?

TYLER REDDICK: Just really blessed with the late caution. Was that nuts or what? I couldn’t believe it. I mean, first off, I feel like I have to say obviously just for how I feel. I never like being on the inside of it. Really hate that for Christopher Bell. Good, hard racing. The 11 came up, I mean, I took off tight. Not thrilled I got Christopher there. I hate that for him because he was having a good, solid day.

Man, these late race restarts get crazy. I obviously had a run on the 5. I was shocked I was able to get to his inside there. An incredible SupplyHouse Toyota Camry all day long. Yeah, it was really painful to get that late caution.

Q. How much time and effort does this team put in to get back to this moment?

TYLER REDDICK: Yeah, a lot. We were really solid here last fall. The car was a lot like that here again this weekend. We didn’t lead a lot of laps. I let Denny get away there and save one. We were behind running him in most of the time.

Yeah, to be able to make the right call, great call by Billy to put two tires on. We didn’t have the cleanest restart. I tried to cover the 20. He got outside. We were three-wide and just all ran out of room.

Q. What is it about MJ’s presence?

TYLER REDDICK: Got to deliver for boss, man. If he’s going to hang out for us, we got to get him dubs (smiling).

Kyle Larson after getting schooled

Kyle Larson, runner-up. Looked like you got the restart you wanted at the end. Once you got the lead, what were you thinking at that point?

KYLE LARSON: When it all worked out like that, I was like, oh, great, clean air. I went through three and four and I was plowing. Yeah, I was nervous. Then I could tell he had a huge run on me behind. Thought maybe if I could get to the banking, it would like load and cut, but it didn’t.

Yeah, he was really good right there. I was just hoping to be better. I was happy to get to the lead, the restart worked out great. Anyways, we got lucky with the caution, too.

Yeah, good day. I think first stage first and a second in the race. Yeah, we’re getting closer. Really close there. We’ll keep trying.

Kansas Speedway Cup Series Results