COACHJEFFDEMERS
THREE STRAIGHT: Tyler Reddick Rewrites NASCAR History at COTA
Monday, March 02, 2026
DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne
NASCAR Cup Series — Circuit of the Americas
March 1, 2026 | 95 Laps | 2.4 Miles
Tyler Reddick isn’t just hot.
He’s historic.
On Sunday afternoon at Circuit of the Americas, Reddick captured his third consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory to open the 2026 season, becoming the first driver in Cup Series history to win the first three races of a year.
Daytona 500.
EchoPark Speedway.
Circuit of the Americas.
Superspeedway chaos.
Drafting warfare.
Technical road-course precision.
Three completely different disciplines.
One dominant driver.
The Stakes Entering COTA
Reddick entered Austin already riding massive momentum after:
- 🏆 Daytona 500 victory
- 🏆 EchoPark double-overtime win
But COTA was the ultimate versatility test.
No drafting pack to hide in.
No overtime roulette.
No lane-stalling luck.
This race demanded discipline.
And Reddick delivered a masterclass.
Race Snapshot
- Winner: Tyler Reddick
- Margin of Victory: 3.944 seconds
- Laps Led: 58 of 95
- Lead Changes: 14 among nine drivers
- Cautions: 3 (10 laps total)
He didn’t steal this race late.
He controlled it.
Stage Breakdown
🔥 Stage 1 — Winner: Ross Chastain
Top 10 – Stage 1
1. Ross Chastain
2. Shane van Gisbergen
3. Michael McDowell
4. Chris Buescher
5. AJ Allmendinger
6. Ty Gibbs
7. Alex Bowman
8. Chase Elliott
9. Carson Hocevar
10. Denny Hamlin
Chastain grabbed early stage points, but SVG’s presence in second signaled that the road-course specialists were ready to fight.
Reddick stayed within striking distance.
No over-driving. No desperation.
🚀 Stage 2 — Winner: Ty Gibbs
Top 10 – Stage 2
1. Ty Gibbs
2. AJ Allmendinger
3. Daniel Suarez
4. Todd Gilliland
5. Tyler Reddick
6. Bubba Wallace
7. Ryan Blaney
8. Cole Custer
9. William Byron
10. Shane van Gisbergen
Gibbs earned the stage win, but Reddick’s fifth-place run was quietly critical.
In a Chase-style format, stage points build championship cushion — and Reddick was stacking them.
Final Stage: The Defining Run
With 19 laps to go, a debris caution (Laps 76–78) reset the field.
Behind Reddick lined up:
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Christopher Bell
- Ty Gibbs
Everyone in that group can win road-course races.
The restart would decide everything.
Reddick nailed it.
He protected the inside into Turn 1, got clean through the uphill braking zone, and forced SVG to chase rather than attack.
From there:
- Perfect throttle control through the esses
- No wheel hop into Turn 12
- No curb abuse
- No late-race fade
SVG closed briefly — but never close enough.
Reddick crossed the line nearly four seconds clear.
Clinical.
🏁 Final Results – Top 10
1. Tyler Reddick
2. Shane van Gisbergen
3. Christopher Bell
4. Ty Gibbs
5. Michael McDowell
6. Kyle Larson
7. Chase Elliott
8. Ryan Blaney
9. AJ Allmendinger
10. Denny Hamlin
A road-course gauntlet of talent.
And Reddick beat them all.
What Makes This Historic
Reddick is now:
- The first driver in Cup history to open a season with three straight wins
- A two-time COTA winner
- 3-for-3 in 2026
- Owner of 11 career Cup victories
This wasn’t a fluke streak.
This was dominance across track types.
The Psychological Shift
The garage now faces a new reality:
They aren’t chasing a hot hand.
They’re chasing a driver who:
- Can survive Daytona’s chaos
- Can out-execute in overtime
- Can dominate a technical road course
Reddick now leads the points standings by 70.
That’s not just momentum.
That’s leverage.
Key Storylines Beyond the Win
🟢 Shane van Gisbergen
Second place confirms SVG remains the gold standard on road courses — but even he couldn’t crack Reddick.
🔵 Christopher Bell
Third place keeps him firmly in championship conversation.
🔴 Ty Gibbs
Stage 2 winner and top-five finisher. The next generation is pushing.
Championship Outlook Under The Chase Format
With the return of The Chase:
- Wins earn bonus points
- Top 16 in points qualify
- Stage points matter
Reddick is building both wins and consistency.
That combination is lethal.
What’s Next: Phoenix Raceway
The Cup Series heads to Phoenix on March 8.
Flat one-mile oval.
Long green runs.
Tire management battles.
Completely different test.
The question now isn’t “Can Reddick win?”
It’s:
Can anyone stop him?
Final Thoughts
Three races.
Three wins.
Three completely different styles.
Tyler Reddick isn’t just leading the 2026 season.
He’s shaping it.
If he makes it four straight next week, we’re no longer talking about a great start.
We’re talking about one of the most dominant openings in modern NASCAR history.
Don't forget to check out The S3 Podcast LIVE on our Youtube Channel every Wednesday at 6PM EST as hosts Jeff Demers and Marnie Tisdale break down NASCAR's "News and Notes" heading into every race weekend. You can also listen to our show recordings by going to The S3 Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio.
Hi, I'm Jeff Demers
Sports Director for Sports Media X/Coach Jeff Demers
"For the past ten years, I've been deeply immersed in the world of Valley sports. I wear many hats, serving not only as a Sports Director but also as a journalist, photographer, podcaster, and the creator of the "Sports Media X" program, dedicated to building sports media brands. Beyond my sports endeavors, I'm a fervent entrepreneur and a business coach, specializing in marketing and sales for small businesses."
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