Michael Jordan won a championship in Phoenix in 1993. Tyler Reddick ensured that his car owner will have a chance to win another title there this year.
Reddick went high and overtook Ryan Blaney on the final turn to win at Homestead-Miami on Sunday to secure a spot in NASCAR’s winner-take-all finale in Arizona in two weeks. Reddick led 98 of the 267 laps, the last of them the one that mattered most.
“The little kid drove his ass off,” said Jordan, whose 1993 title — the third of six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls — came in Phoenix against the Suns. “I’m proud of him. ... He just let go and he just went for it. I’m glad. I’m glad. We needed it.”
Reddick loves the Homestead track, and his favorite part of the place is turns 3 and 4 — the last two turns. He might like them even more now, since that was the stretch of track that got him a title shot in a thrilling finish.
“Took a risk and it paid off,” Reddick said. “I don’t know what else really to say. ... When the moment’s right, you can do some pretty crazy stuff over there.”
Reddick’s move at the end was the 33rd lead change of the day, a Homestead record. Blaney was second and Denny Hamlin — a part-owner of Reddick’s car, was third. Playoff drivers took the top six spots, with Christopher Bell fourth, Chase Elliott fifth and William Byron sixth.
Reddick — the regular season champion and the driver who started from the pole on Sunday, a week after he went upside down in Las Vegas — and Joey Logano now are assured two of the four spots in NASCAR’s final four at Phoenix.
Reddick was third behind Blaney and Hamlin going into the final lap. He went low and got around Hamlin, and the three cars settled into a straight line along the wall before Reddick stayed high to scoot past Blaney.
“We’re going to do what it took to win this race,” Reddick said. “We’re fighting for a championship.”
Logano was the only of the eight playoff drivers who came to Homestead assured of a berth in the season finale. He spent much of the day in the middle of the pack.
The other seven playoff drivers all jousted toward the front for the majority of the 267 laps. Hamlin led with two laps to go, Larson with one lap left, and then Reddick at the end.
Bell and Byron have the inside track to grab the last two spots in the winner-take-all final four, though any of the six drivers who haven’t clinched a berth yet can by simply winning at Martinsville next week.
FORMULA 1
Carlos Sainz Jr. won the Mexico City Grand Prix on Sunday and Lando Norris closed the gap in the Formula 1 championship race after another contentious battle with Max Verstappen.
Verstappen started second and took the lead from pole-sitter Sainz on the start, but the first lap quickly drew a caution when contact between Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon caused Tsundona to crash and Albon to retire with damage to his car.
The restart was spicy with the Ferrari’s racing Verstappen and Norris for position. And for a second consecutive week, the title contenders clashed.
Norris was penalized a week ago at the United States Grand Prix for forcing Verstappen off track — a punishment that gave the final spot on the podium to the three-time reigning world champion. It also allowed Verstappen to widen his lead in the driver standings to 57 points before the race Sunday.
The tables were turned at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez when Verstappen was given a 10-second penalty for banging wheels with Norris and forcing Norris off the track.
“Ten? That’s aggressive,” Verstappen said.
Veerstappen then was slapped with a second 10-second penalty for gaining position when he left the track for a combined 20-second penalty to be served on his first pit stop. He pitted from third on Lap 27 and his mechanics could not begin his service until the 20-second penalty was served. He dropped to 15th when he rejoined the race.
Although Verstappen recovered to finish sixth, Norris spoiled what looked to be a Ferrari sweep when he snatched second place from Charles Leclerc with eight laps remaining. The finishes were a 10-point swing for Norris, who now trails Verstappen by 47 points with four races remaining.