NASCAR

Tyler Reddick clinched his place in the Championship 4 with a brilliant and dramatic win on the final turn during Sunday's Straight Talk Wireless 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

WHAT A BATTLE! Tyler Reddick gets around Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney to WIN at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He's in the Championship 4! #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/v53HBqQHkp

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) October 27, 2024

After the race, a thrilled Michael Jordan—the NBA legend who cofounded 23XI Racing alongside Denny Hamlin—celebrated with Reddick.

That's one happy boss. pic.twitter.com/gndoIQPTzm

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 27, 2024

"Little kid drove his ass off," Jordan told NBC Sports' Dave Burns after the race (h/t Nate Ryan of NBC Sports). "I'm proud of him. Oh man, he just let go. He just went for it, and I'm glad. We needed it. We needed it."

"We were backed in the corner, man, and we had no other choice," Reddick added while speaking to Marty Snider of NBC Sports. "We were going to do what it took to win this race and fight for a championship. I couldn't believe It. I just knew I needed to get on [Ryan Blaney's] right-side door. He raced me clean, I appreciate it."

So did a jubilant Jordan.

Actor Frankie Muniz will drive full-time for Reaume Brothers Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starting with the 2025 season.

"I'm incredibly excited to join Reaume Brothers Racing full-time in 2025," he said in Tuesday's announcement. "My longstanding relationship with Ford has been a game changer, and I am thrilled to help facilitate additional support allowing us to tap into their exceptional technical and engineering resources. I'm confident that this synergy will elevate Reaume Brothers Racing and help us achieve great things together. I can't wait to get started."

Contract signed! Frankie Muniz to the No. 33 full-time in 2025! 🖊️ pic.twitter.com/w87psBS5IO

— Reaume Brothers Racing (@RBR_Teams) October 22, 2024

Muniz, who starred in Malcolm in the Middle, has made two starts this year. He placed 31st in June's Rackley Roofing 200 and then 29th in the Kubota Tractor 200 last month.

He has also run in two NASCAR Xfinity Series events and failed to qualify for the Pacific Office Automation 147 in June.

The 38-year-old first announced in January 2023 that he was becoming a full-time driver to fulfill a lifelong dream of his.

Finally making my dream a reality, this one is for my son and showing him that you can always chase your dreams.

Excited for this opportunity with Rette Jones Racing, Ford, and our partners to go full time racing for an ARCA National Series Championship in 2023. pic.twitter.com/OhbFnlMNKW

— Frankie Muniz (@frankiemuniz) January 11, 2023

Muniz signed with Rette Jones Racing to compete in the ARCA Menards Series. He wound up finishing fourth for the season with one top-five finish and 11 top-10s in 18 appearances.

Competing full-time on the Truck Series circuit will be a big step up in his burgeoning motorsports career.

"I want people to know that I've literally dedicated my life to this. You know what I mean?" he said, per People's Ingrid Vasquez and Chris Barilla. "I love it. When I'm not in the race car, I'm thinking about being in the race car. I'm training, I'm in the simulator at Ford, the Ford Performance Technical Center. I'm working with my engineers and my crew chiefs and the team and doing everything I can. Watching tape, watching past races at the racetracks I'm going to just to be as prepared as humanly possible."

Muniz is entered in the Baptist Health 200, which is the next stop on the Truck Series schedule. The green flag drops at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Basketball legend Michael Jordan is on the verge of a legal battle.

Per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Jordan's 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports jointly filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR alleging that the league has used anti-competitive practices to prevent fair competition in the sport.

"Everyone knows that I have always been a fierce competitor, and that will to win is what drives me and the entire 23XI team each and every week out on the track," Jordan said in a release. "I love the sport of racing and the passion of our fans, but the way NASCAR is run today is unfair to teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans. Today's action shows I'm willing to fight for a competitive market where everyone wins."

Jordan and the other plaintiffs in the lawsuit retained Jeffrey Kessler as counsel, who Jones described as "one of the leading antitrust lawyers in the country." Kessler has previously represented NFL players in legal battles against the league.

NASCAR CEO Jim France was also named in the lawsuit. The release stated, "NASCAR and the France family operate without transparency, have stifled competition, and control the sport of stock car racing in ways that unfairly benefit them at the expense of team owners, drivers, sponsors, partners, and fans."

Among the anti-competitive practices highlighted were buying a majority of the premier racetracks that are exclusive to NASCAR races, preventing teams from participating in any other stock car races and forcing teams to buy their parts from single-source suppliers chosen by NASCAR.

Jordan founded 23XI Racing in 2020 alongside fellow part owners Curtis Polk and Denny Hamlin, who has won 54 NASCAR Cup Series races.

"It's actually pretty simple in my opinion," Hamlin said in the release. "When I look around, I see that the best and most competitive sports in the world understand that when teams thrive, fans benefit, and that everyone who invests in making the sport a success should share fairly in that success. With the right changes, we can certainly make that a reality in racing."

NASCAR has announced its schedule for the 2025 season, which includes some notable changes to the playoff races.

The Daytona 500 will kick off the Cup Series season on Feb. 16. Darlington Raceway will host the first playoff race on Aug. 31, with the Championship Race taking place at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 2.

A return to our racing roots!
A historic event in Mexico City!
A new-look #NASCARPlayoffs!

The 2025 schedule is here! pic.twitter.com/PRgPXVGA4R

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 29, 2024

NASCAR will also hold its first-ever international points event for the Cup Series on June 15 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.

TNT Sports will air five consecutive races from June 28-July 27 starting with the Atlanta race before going to Chicago for the street race, Sonoma, Dover and Indianapolis.

Darlington is returning as host of the playoff opener after Atlanta Motor Speedway was given the honors this year. World Wide Technology Raceway in St. Louis (Sept. 7) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 21) will host playoff races in 2025.

Other tracks hosting playoff races include Bristol, Kansas, Charlotte, Las Vegas, Talladega and Martinsville.

NASCAR will use the second race at Daytona Motor Speedway on Aug. 23 as the regular-season finale.

The Clash event that serves as the unofficial start of the season will be held on Feb. 2 at Bowman Gray Stadium in North Carolina. It had been held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in each of the past three years.

Los Angeles is not on NASCAR's 2025 schedule. Richmond Raceway will only host one event on Aug. 16. This marks the first time since 1958—excluding the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic—that Richmond won't have two Cup Series races in a season.

Once the Cup Series season begins, the only break until the Championship Race will be the weekend of April 20 for Easter.

Tyler Reddick is paying tribute to the "GOATs" in his latest car design.

The NASCAR driver will debut a new No. 45 Upper Deck Toyota Camry XSE in the 2024 Regular Season finale in Darlington S.C. The car features 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan as well as golf legend Tiger Woods and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky on the front hood.

The No. 45 Upper Deck Toyota Camry XSE will debut this weekend at Darlington, S.C., in the 2024 regular season finale. The scheme is fit for the current regular season points leader with 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan alongside Tiger Woods and Wayne Gretzky on the hood 🐐. pic.twitter.com/tuNLwe0FKz

— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) August 26, 2024

Reddick drives for 23XI Racing, so the tribute to Jordan has extra meaning. Jordan played 1t years in the NBA, winning six NBA Championships with the Chicago Bulls. He averaged 30.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists while winning five MVP trophies.

He was the former governor of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets and became a co-owner of 23XI Racing in 2021.

Woods is tied for first all-time with 82 PGA Tour wins and also has won 15 major Championships. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021 and is an 11-time PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Gretzky is the NHL's all-time leader in goals (894) and points (2,857). He won 10 Art Ross Trophies, nine Hart Trophies and won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers.

Reddick is the No. 1 ranked driver for the 2024 NASCAR season and has won two races and accumulated 831 total points.

Add Layne Riggs to the list of athletes who managed to hurt themselves mid-celebration.

The NASCAR Truck Series driver dislocated his shoulder after celebrating his first career victory on Sunday at The Milwaukee Mile, though his team was able to pop it back into place:

NASCAR Truck Series driver Layne Riggs celebrated his first career win a little too hard ... he dislocated his shoulder 😳

(His team popped it back in place before they headed to Victory Lane)pic.twitter.com/eQsky4CnhM

— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) August 25, 2024

"I dislocated my shoulder I was celebrating so hard," Riggs said in his post-race interview. "It hurts like a mug but it's worth it; it's not the first time it's happened to me. It ain't gonna slow me down."

Another first-time winner this weekend!

Layne Riggs, son of Scott Riggs, got his first Truck Series win and celebrated a little too hard. 👀

🎥: @NASCAR_Trucks pic.twitter.com/VYVDWNwKLE

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 25, 2024

Riggs, who is the son of former NASCAR driver Scott Riggs, overtook Ty Majeski with 53 laps to go and held on from there.

"I don't even know how to describe it," he told reporters after the race. "It's awesome. We've had a terrible year. It's been an awful year, but I've learned so much though in my rookie season. After the start, I thought there's no way we're going to get a win. We'll do the best we can and just learn for next year. But I knew in practice this thing [today] was awesome."

As for his injury, he wouldn't be the first athlete to turn joy into physical pain.

There was New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, who tore his patellar tendon while celebrating Puerto Rico's win in the World Baseball Classic over the Dominican Republic back in 2023.

Or Kendrys Morales, who broke his leg after celebrating a walk-off grand slam in extra innings for the Los Angeles Angels back in 2010.

Former Washington Commanders quarterback Gus Frerotte sprained his neck back in 1997 after headbutting a padded wall in the end zone after scoring a touchdown.

And of course there's Bill Gramatica, the former Arizona Cardinals kicker who tore his ACL while celebrating a first-quarter field goal in the 2001 season.

There are many more than that in the Detrimental Celebration Club, so Riggs is at least in pretty good company.

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel denied Austin Dillon's appeal to reinstate his automatic playoff berth on Wednesday, per Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, after NASCAR ruled that he violated the rules during his Cook Out 400 win by intentionally spinning out the pair of Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin

A look at the finish of Sunday's race at @RichmondRaceway. pic.twitter.com/ZCM5eaokwR

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 12, 2024

While NASCAR ruled that the win would stand, they decided to take away his automatic playoff berth after determining that a "'line' was crossed" in the final moments of the race.

Richard Childress Racing—which will still have one more opportunity to appeal on behalf of Dillon in front of the Final Appeals Officer, which it said it will do—released the following statement Wednesday:

Richard Childress Racing is disappointed in the results of today’s hearing in front of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. We respect the NASCAR appeals process, but we do not believe that today’s outcome reflects the facts presented. We plan to appeal the decision to the…

— RCR (@RCRracing) August 21, 2024

Dillon said after the race he wasn't thrilled that he had to maneuver into Logano and Hamlin, but that "it's been two years and this is the first car I've had a shot to win," (h/t Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg).

"I felt like with two to go, we were the fastest car... I hate to do that but sometimes you just got to have it," he added. "I have to thank the good Lord above. It's been tough over the last two years, man. I care about [Richard Childress Racing], my wife, and this is my first... it means a lot. I hate it, but I had to do it."

Austin Dillon's team radio had said "I don't care how you do it" before he hit Joey Logano and then "Wreck him! Wreck him!" before Denny Hamlin.

"Pop Pop is proud of you," Richard Childress then said on the radio.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 12, 2024

But NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said those late-race tactics went against the spirit of the rules.

"I think in all due respect to the appeal process, we looked at this and the totality of everything that happened as you enter Turn 3 and as the cars got to the start/finish line," he noted. "So, as we look through all of that data, we came to the conclusion that a line had been crossed. Our sport has been based going for many, many years, forever, on good, hard racing. Contact has been acceptable. We felt like, in this case, that the line was crossed."

The three-member National Motorsports Appeals Panel agreed with that assessment.

"NASCAR represents elite motorsports and, as such, its drivers are expected to demonstrate exemplary conduct if its series' championships are to be validated," it noted in a statement. "In this case, the 'line' was crossed."

It's hard to imagine Logano or Hamlin will feel much sympathy for Dillon given their post-race comments:

Joey Logano had some words for Austin Dillon after being bumped and losing in the final lap 😳 pic.twitter.com/g4KTULkAFK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 12, 2024

Joey Logano called out Austin Dillon for wrecking him and Denny Hamlin on the final lap to win at Richmond. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/aKdtvjaJ4q

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 12, 2024

After not penalizing Austin Dillon for the move on the final lap, Denny Hamlin said NASCAR won't be taken seriously with officiating. pic.twitter.com/4SbjIrLTZq

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 12, 2024

Additionally, Dillon and his team were penalized in both the drivers' and owners' standings, losing 25 points, while the No. 3 team's spotter, Brandon Benesch, was suspended for three Cup Series races.

NASCAR has taken away Austin Dillon's automatic playoff berth following his win at Richmond on Sunday after deeming that he violated NASAR rules during the Cook Out 400, which saw the No. 3 car intentionally spin out Joey Logano and then Denny Hamlin into the wall before crossing the finish line.

A look at the finish of Sunday's race at @RichmondRaceway. pic.twitter.com/ZCM5eaokwR

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 12, 2024

NASCAR.com content manager Zack Albert relayed the news from NASCAR officials on Wednesday.

"After a full review of footage and data, NASCAR officials ruled Dillon's victory would stand, but that his automatic berth in the 16-driver postseason field would be voided for violating Section 12.3.2.1.b of the NASCAR Rule Book, which deals with playoff eligibility and states: 'Race finishes must be unencumbered by violation(s) of the NASCAR Rules or other action(s) detrimental to stock car auto racing or NASCAR as determined in the sole discretion of NASCAR.'"

NASCAR senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer provided more insight into the decision.

"I think in all due respect to the appeal process, we looked at this and the totality of everything that happened as you enter Turn 3 and as the cars got to the start/finish line," Sawyer said.

"So, as we look through all of that data, we came to the conclusion that a line had been crossed. Our sport has been based going for many, many years, forever, on good, hard racing. Contact has been acceptable. We felt like, in this case, that the line was crossed."

In addition, the No. 3 team's spotter, Brandon Benesch, has been suspended for three Cup Series races. Per Albert, Benesch told Dillon to "wreck" then-leader Hamlin down the stretch, which the No. 3 car did to earn the win.

Dillon entered Sunday 32nd in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with four races to go before the 16-team playoffs, so he needed a win, which would grant him a coveted automatic playoff berth.

And in the closing stretch, he decided to do whatever it took.

"I don't know man, it's been two years and this is the first car I've had a shot to win," Dillon said on NBC post-race (h/t Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg). "I felt like with two to go, we were the fastest car ... I hate to do that but sometimes you just got to have it. I have to thank the good Lord above. It's been tough over the last two years, man. I care about [Richard Childress Racing], my wife, and this is my first ... it means a lot. I hate it, but I had to do it."

Dillon drivers for Richard Childress Racing, run by his grandfather, Richard Childress. It's clear the team was on the same page with Dillon's actions.

Austin Dillon's team radio had said "I don't care how you do it" before he hit Joey Logano and then "Wreck him! Wreck him!" before Denny Hamlin.

"Pop Pop is proud of you," Richard Childress then said on the radio.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 12, 2024

But NASCAR has ultimately decreed that Dillon's actions shall cost him a playoff spot.

Logano was clearly infuriated post-race, as evidenced by his comments to NBC.

"Obviously he didn't make the turn because he hit me and the [Denny Hamlin] was going to win the race," Logano said. "...I've beaten him fair and square in the restart and he just pulls a chicken s--t move. He's a piece of crap. He sucks. He's sucked his whole career. And now he's going to be in the playoff. Good for him, I guess."

“He’s a piece of crap. He sucks. He’s sucked his whole career,”

- @joeylogano on @austindillon3 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/hFM6LkUUwZ

— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) August 12, 2024

Logano later spun out his tires near Dillon's pit crew in very close proximity to people standing on pit road. NASCAR deemed it a violation of its Member Code of Conduct and fined him $50,000. Jackson Didlake of the Richmond Times-Dispatch provided video.

Had a good view of Joey Logano on pit road here for the incident: https://t.co/kxyDIeGMHL pic.twitter.com/PbfD00KSRF

— Jackson Didlake (@diidlake) August 12, 2024

Dillon can still qualify for the playoffs but now needs a win in one of the regular season's final three races, which will take place in Michigan, Daytona Beach and Darlington. He is currently 31st in the standings.

Logano has already qualified for the playoffs by virtue of his win at the Ally 400 in Nashville Superspeedway. Hamlin, who has three wins and sits fourth in the standings, has as well.

The Cup Series now moves to the Michigan International Speedway on Sunday for the FireKeepers Casino 400.

Joey Logano didn't hold back any of his thoughts about Austin Dillon after a collision on the final lap at Richmond on Sunday.

"Obviously he didn't make the turn because he hit me and the [Denny Hamlin] was going to win the race," Logano said. "...I've beaten him fair and square in the restart and he just pulls a chicken s--t move. He's a piece of crap. He sucks. He's sucked his whole career. And now he's going to be in the playoff. Good for him, I guess."

“He’s a piece of crap. He sucks. He’s sucked his whole career,”

- @joeylogano on @austindillon3 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/hFM6LkUUwZ

— Noah Lewis (@Noah_Lewis1) August 12, 2024

Logano was coming around the final turn and had a car-length lead on Dillon, but Dillon bumped his car and forced him to spin out. Dillon then took out Denny Hamlin to win the race.

INSANITY ON THE FINAL LAP AT RICHMOND.

AUSTIN DILLON WINS AFTER CRASHING JOEY LOGANO AND DENNY HAMLIN. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/mpQKcK236J

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 12, 2024

It's safe to say Logano wasn't a fan of Dillon's actions.

Joey Logano's reaction as watches a replay of Austin Dillon getting into him on the final lap. pic.twitter.com/EQgwF1msff

— Jordan Bianchi (@Jordan_Bianchi) August 12, 2024

After the race, Dillon admitted that he acted out of desperation to keep his playoff hopes alive on Sunday.

"I don't know man, it's been two years and this is the first car I've had a shot to win," Dillon said on NBC (h/t Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg). "I felt like with two to go, we were the fastest car ... I hate to do that but sometimes you just got to have it. I have to thank the good Lord above. It's been tough over the last two years, man. I care about [Richard Childress Racing], my wife, and this is my first ... it means a lot. I hate it, but I had to do it."

Dillon's team even encouraged him to take the drastic lengths to achieve the win, per The Athletic's Jeff Gluck. The 34-year-old driver is the grandson of Richard Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing.

Austin Dillon's team radio had said "I don't care how you do it" before he hit Joey Logano and then "Wreck him! Wreck him!" before Denny Hamlin.

"Pop Pop is proud of you," Richard Childress then said on the radio.

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) August 12, 2024

Dillon will now be included in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff despite entering Sunday's race ranked 32nd in the points standings. He's one of 13 drivers to have secured a win this season and no longer has to worry about being in the top 30 in the standings, as NASCAR removed that rule ahead of the 2024 season.

While Dillon has a coveted playoff spot after Sunday's win, how he earned it will remain controversial, especially for Logano and Hamlin.