NASCAR’s prime stage has had a number of drivers win three consecutive — and even 4 consecutive races throughout the yr. However no driver has managed to go back-to-back-to-back on the very begin of a brand new season.
Tyler Reddick prevented the last-lap chaos of the Daytona 500, successful the game’s largest race by main only one lap. Seven days later, he got here again from a late-race spin, and gained in double additional time whereas lacking the complete right-front fender at Atlanta.
And now, the championship chief eyes one other checkered flag at Circuit of the Americas — a victory that may put him in a class all his personal.Â
Reddick is now certainly one of simply six drivers in NASCAR Cup historical past to win back-to-back races at the beginning of the season, and the primary to do it since 2009. Nevertheless, not one of the 5 who got here earlier than him managed to tug off the three-peat.
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
And whereas NASCAR right this moment is extra aggressive than ever, Reddick has a really actual shot at it. Shane van Gisbergen is the favourite as he seeks a sixth straight avenue/street course win, however Reddick has the most effective common end of all drivers at COTA, in addition to probably the most prime fives and prime tens.Â
However what occurred to cease the opposite 5 drivers from pulling off this spectacular feat already? Let’s have a look:
Matt Kenseth — 2009
Kenseth gained the rain-shortened Daytona 500, after which gained once more at Fontana one week later. However he by no means actually acquired a correct shot on the three-peat as he accomplished only a handful of laps within the third race of the yr at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Kenseth completed forty third because the engine expired on his #17 Roush Ford.
Jeff Gordon — 1997
After successful the Daytona 500 and Rockingham, Gordon was an actual contender at Richmond Raceway for the third race of the yr. After beginning second, Gordon led the primary 65 laps of the race. Nevertheless, he by no means led one other lap. He was working inside the highest 5 within the closing laps, however Gordon was truly a lap down. He made contact with the race chief as he tried to get again on the lead lap, however simply because the warning he wanted flew, the #24 Hendrick Chevy was crushed again to the road by the leaders. In the long run, Gordon completed fourth, one lap down. Nevertheless, he does maintain the excellence of being the one driver to open the yr with back-to-back wins after which go on to win the championship as properly.
David Pearson — 1976
Pearson gained the season-opener at Riverside earlier than taking a dramatic win on the Daytona 500, crawling throughout the road with a destroyed frontend after a last-lap conflict with Richard Petty. The third race of the yr was Rockingham, and the Wooden Brothers driver began fourth on the grid. He led a couple of laps early, however by no means reached the checkered flag as an oil pump failure ended the #21’s day, leaving Pearson with a Twenty ninth-place end.
Bob Welborn — 1959
Welborn gained the season-opener on the Champion Speedway brief observe, after which gained his Duel qualifying race at Daytona again when these have been counted as official race wins. And whereas he began from pole place for the Daytona 500, which served because the third race of the ’59 season, Welborn’s engine expired 75 laps into the race. He positioned forty first with a DNF.
Marvin Panch — 1957
Panch gained on the Willow Springs street course to open the ’57 season (which truly started in December, 1956), after which gained the following occasion on the Harmony Speedway filth observe. The third race of the yr passed off at Titusville-Cocoa Speedway, one other street course. Panch began sixth and went on to complete third, making him the closest of any driver on this record in his mission to open a brand new season with three consecutive wins.
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