Reddick wins at Phoenix as Larson's NASCAR points lead shrinks

Tyler Reddick won the Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway on October 18, 2026, ending a 23-race winless stretch as setbacks for Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin tightened the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings. Reddick is seventh, 56 points behind leader Larson.

The decisive opportunity came after Larson suffered a tire failure and struck the wall with 31 laps remaining. The resulting caution brought the field together, and Reddick used two fresh right-side tires to pass Chase Briscoe, who had not pitted during the caution. Reddick moved ahead with 18 laps remaining and stayed in front for his sixth victory this season, his first since April 19 at Kansas.

Bubba Wallace, Reddick's teammate at 23XI Racing, had led the preceding run. Crew chief Charles Denike's decision to change all four tires dropped Wallace to ninth, and a pit-road speeding penalty further damaged his chances. Wallace ultimately finished 17th.

Larson finished 34th after beginning the race 49 points ahead of Hamlin. Hamlin also encountered trouble: a right-rear tire failure while running fourth on Lap 223, followed by a speeding penalty in the pits, left him a lap down. He finished 28th.

Ryan Blaney took second after starting from pole. Chase Elliott finished third, followed by Bell in fourth and Corey Heim in fifth. Bell now trails Larson by five points, with Briscoe third in the standings, 24 points behind. Hamlin is fourth, 31 points back; Blaney is fifth, 40 behind; and Joey Logano is sixth, 44 behind. The season concludes with races at Talladega on Oct. 25, then Martinsville and Homestead.