English
EspañolTyler Reddick and Alex Palou earned impressive and historic victories Sunday in early season motor sports action in NASCAR and INDYCAR series competition.
NASCAR
Reddick captured his record breaking third straight NASCAR Cup race to start the 2026 season undefeated by winning Sunday’s DuraMax Texas Grand Prix on the challenging Circuit of the Americas (COTA) road course near Austin, Texas.
Reddick, who was winless in 2025, had already remarkably earned victories in Daytona and Atlanta. His two wins tied the record of being the only NASCAR Cup driver to win the first two races of the season. Reddick started his quest to earn a record setting three straight season opening NASCAR Cup Series wins by capturing the pole position for Sunday’s DuraMax Texas Grand Prix.
At the drop of the green flag, Reddick battled with early leader Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney on the challenging COTA road course. Driving his No. 45 Toyota for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s 23XI Racing Team, Reddick’s only serious early challenger was the No. 12 Ford Mustang of Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney. Blaney took the lead and led most of the first stage before pit stops gave the lead back to Reddick.
Reddick held off a brief , late-race challenge by road race expert Shane Van Gisbergen before dominating the rest of the race, leading a race-high 60 laps out of the race total 95 laps. Reddick took his record-setting third straight NASCAR Cup checkered flag about three seconds ahead road course ace Van Gisbergen, whose late-race challenge faded along with the popular Kiwi’s hopes of winning a NASCAR record setting sixth straight road course race victory.
An elated Reddick celebrated his record-setting third straight NASCAR Cup victory with a traditional, smoky “burn out.” On exiting his winning race car, he received a big bear hug from pleased team co-owner Michael Jordan.
Reddick said, “It means the world! I’m so proud of this whole 23Xl racing team. It’s so fitting to get three in a row and make history.”
Finishing behind winner Reddick and second-place Van Gisbergen was Christopher Bell in third, with Ty Gibbs and Michael McDowell rounding out the top five finishers.
INDYCAR
Alex Palou kicked off the 2026 INDYCAR season on the popular and challenging St. Petersburg, Florida, street course with another dominating and record-setting victory.
Palou, who dominated the 2025 INDYCAR season winning eight races to earn his third straight INDYCAR championship, dominated Sunday’s season-opening St. Petersburg Grand Prix. In what’s becoming a typical performance, the popular Spaniard dominated, winning by a record margin of 12.4 seconds over pole-sitter and second-place finisher Scott McLaughlin.
From St. Petersburg GP victory lane Palou said, “This team (Chip Ganassi Racing) keeps raising the bar…I had an impressive car today. It’s a long season in front of us, but a great way to start the season!”
Finishing behind winner Palou and second-place McLaughlin was Christian Lundgaard and Kyle Kirkwood with Pato O’Ward a distant fifth.
The NASCAR and INDYCAR teams make the long trip west next weekend to Phoenix Raceway where they share the popular track with the INDYCAR Series racing Saturday and the NASCAR Cup Series competing Sunday.