Tyler Reddick wins the 2026 Daytona 500 for 23XI Racing, marking the team's first victory in the event.
The race drew 7.5 million viewers, an 11% increase from the previous year, peaking at 9.15 million.
FOX's broadcast outperformed the non-prime-time coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The win is historic for co-owners Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, solidifying their impact on NASCAR.
The event sets a strong tone for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, leading into the Autotrader 400.
📖 Full Retelling
On February 15, 2026, the 68th running of the Daytona 500 concluded at Daytona International Speedway with a historic victory for Tyler Reddick and a record-breaking viewership of 7.5 million on FOX. The event not only celebrated the first triumph for 23XI Racing, co-founded by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, but also proved that motorsport can outperform global sports events, surpassing the ratings of the 2026 Winter Olympics during the same broadcast window. FOX Sports announced that the race attracted a combined 7,489,000 viewers, representing an 11% increase over the previous year's attendance. The broadcast saw its highest engagement between 5:30 and 5:45 p.m., peaking at 9.15 million viewers, which significantly outpaced any non-prime-time coverage of the Olympics. The excitement was palpable on the track as Reddick executed a daring final maneuver, passing Zane Smith and Chase Elliott on Turn 4 to claim the checkered flag. This victory marks a significant milestone in the history of 23XI Racing, which has now secured its first Daytona 500 win just one year after its founding. For Tyler Reddick, the win solidified his status as a top contender, adding to his growing tally of nine Cup Series victories. The successful debut of the 2026 season, characterized by high ratings and thrilling competition, sets a high bar for the remaining NASCAR Cup Series events, beginning with the Autotrader 400 in Hampton, Georgia.
🏷️ Themes
NASCAR, Sports Broadcasting, Motor Racing, Winter Olympics
American basketball player and businessman (born 1963)
Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and retired professional basketball player who is a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 15 seasons in the NBA between 1984 and 2003, ...
Tyler George Reddick (born January 11, 1996) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE for 23XI Racing.
Fox Sports is the brand name for a number of sports channels, broadcast divisions, programming, and other media around the world. The name originates from Fox Broadcasting Company in the United States, which in turn derives its name from Fox Film (which merged with Twentieth Century Pictures to form...
Top national division auto racing division within NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), the most prestigious stock car racing series in the United States.
The series began in 1949 as the Strictly Stock Division, and from 1950 to 1970 it was known as the Grand National Division...
- No Data Available - BROWSE BY SPORTS & TEAMS PLAYERS SHOWS PERSONALITIES TOPICS Built on NASCAR Cup Series NASCAR Cup Series 2026 Daytona 500 on FOX Draws 7.5 Million Viewers, Rivals Olympics Overage Published Feb. 19, 2026 2:33 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link The 68th running of the Daytona 500 was a smashing success both on the track and on the big screen. FOX Sports PR announced on Thursday that the 2026 Daytona 500 on FOX (Feb. 15) drew a combined 7,489,000 viewers, which is an 11% increase from the 2025 Daytona 500, which generated 6,761,000 viewers. The race peaked at 9,154,000 viewers from 5:30-5:45 p.m. ET. Moreover, the first race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season was the most-watched program during the primary window of the race from 2:15-5:45 p.m. ET. In doing so, the FOX broadcast had better ratings than any broadcast or cable coverage of the non-prime-time windows of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy during that span. As for the race, Tyler Reddick took the lead on Turn 4 of the final lap, rocketing past Zane Smith and then squeaking beyond Chase Elliott to take the lead and, seconds later, the checkered flag. It was the 23rd Daytona 500 on FOX. Meanwhile, Reddick's win marked the first time that 23XI Racing, co-founded by NASCAR star Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan, reached victory lane in the Daytona 500. It was the ninth win of Reddick's Cup Series career (full time from 2020-26). Next up for Reddick and the Cup Series field is the Autotrader 400 at EchoPark Speedway in Hampton, GA this Sunday ( 3 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app ).
