Tyler Reddick loses points lead after Sonoma mechanical failure
Tyler Reddick fell multiple laps down at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday after a mechanical issue, and the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings flipped: Denny Hamlin unofficially leads by one point (719–718) after Reddick finished 36th and surrendered the regular-season lead for the first time this season.
Key Takeaways
- Reddick entered the Toyota / Save Mart 350 with an eight-point standings lead but lost six laps after Stage 1 power steering trouble.
- Hamlin now tops the NASCAR standings by one marker heading to Chicagoland, per unofficial totals after 18 points races.
- Top-seeded Reddick also lost his In-Season Challenge opener to Alex Bowman and is out of the $1 million bracket.
- Shane van Gisbergen won at Sonoma for his second victory of 2026 while several other tournament favorites advanced.
What happened to Tyler Reddick at Sonoma?
Reddick entered Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at the 1.99-mile road course with an eight-point lead in the standings. After qualifying 11th on Saturday, he faded through the 25-lap opening stint and told his No. 45 23XI Racing team he was fighting power steering issues, according to NASCAR.com.
He finished Stage 1 30th, then came down pit road for repairs and fell six laps behind the field. Reddick gained two laps back at the Stage 2 break when a debris caution followed shortly after. The California native still crossed the line 36th, ending a run that included five wins in the first nine races, including the Daytona 500.
How did the NASCAR standings change after Sonoma?
Sunday's road course result reshuffled the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series standings with the Chase cutline in focus after 18 points races. Per Yahoo Sports, Hamlin now leads with 719 points and Reddick sits second at 718, just one marker back.
Ryan Blaney remains third at 615, followed by Ty Gibbs (589) and Kyle Larson (571). Austin Cindric holds the 16th and final playoff spot at 401 points, with Erik Jones first outside the cutline in 17th at 389. For more live sports fallout like this, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
What does Reddick's setback mean for the In-Season Challenge?
The NASCAR In-Season Challenge also opened Sunday with a major upset, per Bleacher Report. Top-seeded Reddick lost his first-round match to No. 32 Alex Bowman after early engine trouble left him racing from a deep deficit all day.
Over the radio, Reddick said, "I can barely go fast," adding he was trying to understand what was causing the problem. Bowman's steady run meant the points leader could not catch him, and Reddick will miss out on the tournament's $1 million prize despite remaining near the top of the season standings.
Who else stood out at Sonoma beyond Reddick?
Hamlin entered with wins in three of the last four races and showed early top-10 speed, but he spun on a restart and dropped through the field before recovering enough to take the standings lead. In the In-Season bracket, Hamlin benefited when Ty Dillon lost power steering with 12 laps to go in their matchup.
Shane van Gisbergen, the 14th seed facing Ryan Preece, won at Sonoma for his second victory of the season. Tournament favorites Ryan Blaney (sixth) and Chase Elliott (17th) avoided first-round upsets, while van Gisbergen's win capped a strong road-course weekend at Sonoma Raceway.