When the NASCAR Cup Series returns to Phoenix Raceway, it will attract the attention of sports fans around the world who are seeking answers to two burning questions: Can Tyler Reddick and Michael Jordan be stopped, and if so, by whom?
Since fans filled the stands for the championship race in Arizona last November, NASCAR has seen a lot of changes. But at the same time, not much since the start of the season. That is, if we look strictly at the results.
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There was only one winner in 2026 – not because there was only one race – but because history was made.
Competing in the Straight Talk Wireless 500 (12:30 p.m. Sunday, March 8, FS1), Tyler Reddick is the only driver in NASCAR’s 78 years to begin a season undefeated with three consecutive victories. For a sport dominated by legends such as Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, this accomplishment speaks for itself.
While Reddick may not be a name that currently comes to mind when thinking of record-breaking accomplishments, 23XI Racing team co-owner Michael Jordan certainly does.
The six-time NBA champion, who once demanded the adoration of sports fans around the world with his dominating basketball prowess, has now effectively taken NASCAR by storm, adding to his seemingly endless list of accolades.
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Reddick began his 2026 campaign by winning the biggest NASCAR race of the year, the Daytona 500. Since then, he and 23XI have continued to surprise the competition and spectators, going undefeated in three races to start the season and holding the top two spots in the standings, followed by Bubba Wallace.
Riding full steam ahead into the desert, Reddick will have a good chance to do the unthinkable with four straight wins, amassing a respectable resume in Phoenix.
Although he finished no better than 20th in either race in Arizona last year, Reddick had top-10 finishes in half of his eight starts at the one-mile track with the seventh-generation car, including a career-best podium finish of third (twice).
Historically, Reddick has fared much better at Phoenix in spring races, posting an average of ninth place, contrasting with a 10-position differential in fall starts with an average of 19.3.
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“In my opinion, we go to the Phoenix spring race, we’re usually there,” Reddick said. “For some reason, when we go in the fall, we’re a little behind.
“Last year we had a power steering failure that took us out of contention. Two years ago, I remember me and (Denny Hamlin) got together, and the warning came out in the middle of the (pit) cycle.
“I’m really excited to see what we have in terms of speed and rhythm over the next couple of weekends because we’ve been working really hard to improve things here. We’ve been working hard to kind of rethink the way we move in Phoenix.”
Who can stop the Michael Jordan-Tyler Reddick streak?
While it is undeniable that Jordan’s presence and dominance in NASCAR has brought ridiculous visibility to the sport, parity is imperative to the spirit of competition. Who can dethrone Reddick and “The GOAT?” »
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I certainly think of the aforementioned Hamlin, who also happens to be a co-owner of 23XI with MJ.
Phoenix was the site of Hamlin’s most recent heartbreak, following a devastating overtime loss in the 2025 championship race, where he dominated and led a record 208 laps before a pit call gone wrong led him to another second place in the standings. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver also narrowly missed out on victory last spring, by 0.049 seconds ahead of teammate Christopher Bell in photo finish mode.
According to oddsmakers, Bell opened as the second seed to find victory lane in Phoenix, and for good reason. The driver of the No. 20 is tied for the most wins with the “Next-Gen” era at the 1-mile track, consecutively in the previous two spring events.
The big favorite is the most recent winner in Phoenix, Ryan Blaney. The 2023 champion, driving for the famous Penske team, has video game numbers at the Avondale-based facility with this current car.
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In eight starts, Blaney has seven top-five finishes (four being runners-up and one being a win) with a 5.3 ERA, the best in the series over a four-year span. It could also be argued that the No. 12 team has been second best in 2026 behind Reddick and 23XI Racing, as they currently sit fourth in the standings.
“We have to find a way to keep No. 45 out of victory lane,” Blaney said. “I think being open to compromise is pretty important (at Phoenix). It’s a great track shape. The two ends are very different, and I think that’s what makes it pretty difficult, because your car isn’t going to be perfect on both ends.”
“You choose: ‘Do I want to be good at one thing and good at the other? Or do I want to be just good at both?'”
While it’s usually Hamlin and Bell at JGR or Blaney and Penske Fords that come to mind when NASCAR stops in Phoenix, it’s impossible to ignore the sport’s winningest team and the driver often considered one of motorsports’ best – Kyle Larson at Hendrick Motorsports.
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Larson left Phoenix for the final time to showers of champagne after winning his second championship. Entering today’s race, the driver of the No. 5 also has a streak of three top-five races in Arizona. Although he has won on the 1-mile track before, he has yet to do so in the last four years.
If you’re looking for a dark horse to play spoiler on, look no further than the other Kyle, Kyle Busch. The two-time champion is no stranger to success in Phoenix, tallying an absurd total of 16 desert wins in the NASCAR national series ranks.
While he has struggled to adapt to Richard Childress Racing since joining the team in 2023, Phoenix has remained a constant throughout his career. Case in point: He had top-10 finishes in both races last year, including a fifth in the series finale.
As someone who has been both dominant and pursuer, like Reddick, the 22-year veteran offered an interesting perspective on the 23XI driver’s hot start.
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“On his end, you never want to see this end,” Busch said. “You want to ride that wave for as long as you can and hope it carries you for a long time. Eventually, you end up hitting the shore.
“I remember in 2008 I won eight of the first 22 races and I was like, ‘Man, this is easy. “Then you go through periods without winning for two years – as is happening now – and you know how difficult this game is.
“I wouldn’t say it’s great to be a competitor from our point of view, to see someone else do it,” Busch added. “But I’ve been to these races before and it’s really awesome. It just means they’re all clicking. This team is right on it right now and they have everything they want.
“It proves to other teams that may be struggling, or maybe don’t have the right settings, or just can’t find what they need in their race cars and in their program, that it can be done.”
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The need for speed
Fans and competitors campaigned for more horsepower in NASCAR, and their wish was finally granted. New for 2026, the Cup Series will feature a set of rules that increase horsepower from 670 to 750 for short tracks (like Phoenix) and road courses. This should encourage more overtaking via tire drop, potentially leading to a more strategic and unpredictable race.
Last November, Phoenix saw the second green flag go by with this current car, using a new tire compound designed to wear faster. With increased horsepower added to the mix, it’s likely we’ll see one of the most competitive events on the one-mile track in the last five years.
Arizona Angle and Angst
Glendale’s Michael McDowell looks to continue his strong start to the season for Spire Motorsports. He currently sits in the top 10 in the rankings and just completed his first top five of the year before heading home.
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Normally there would be two Arizonans eagerly awaiting their return to Phoenix. However, Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman will not participate in this race after leaving last week’s event early due to a case of vertigo.
Reserve driver Anthony Alfredo will drive the #48.
This article was originally published on Arizona Republic: Who can stop Tyler Reddick and Michael Jordan at the NASCAR race in Phoenix?
