“Don’t Be a Hero”: How Tyler Reddick Kept His Expectations in Check Going Up Against Shane Van Gisbergen

Another weekend, another Tyler Reddick win in the NASCAR Cup Series. After winning the opening two races of the 2026 season at Daytona and Atlanta, Reddick reached Victory Lane at the Circuit of the Americas as well, checking off another challenge on Sunday by showing the mental composure needed to defeat Shane van Gisbergen.

Although Reddick led 58 of the 95 laps raced on the 2.4-mile circuit, he was frequently contested by van Gisbergen and Ryan Blaney for a major part of the day. Ultimately, he reached the checkered flag 3.944 seconds ahead of van Gisbergen and broke the Trackhouse driver’s win streak of five races on road courses.

Speaking to the press about how he forced himself to remain grounded until the job was done, Reddick said, “I think for me, in the heat of the battle, it’s like, ‘Alright, I’ve got to find a way to hold off Shane.’ But as I started to pull away, it’s like, ‘Alright, there’s a lot on the line here, hit your marks, don’t be a hero, you don’t have to win by eight seconds.’”

Reddick doubted van Gisbergen might be playing mind games and pulling back intentionally to see if he would burn his tires by racing hard.

This made him cautious, and he took a more conservative approach. Reddick continued, “Even when I was pulling away, I just didn’t let myself think it was over until it was truly over. Certainly used the pressure of what’s on the line to motivate myself to hit marks and close it out.”

With this win, Reddick has now become the first NASCAR driver since 1949 to win the season’s first three races.

What defeating Shane van Gisbergen meant to Reddick

Ever since Van Gisbergen made his debut in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023, he has been one of the biggest forces to reckon with on street circuits and road courses. Those who have been here a longer time have been dying to figure out a way to leave him in the dust, and have failed miserably most of the time.

So, when Reddick beat him on Sunday, it was a big statement rather than just another victory. He said, “It means the world. It’s so fitting. We get going at the end there, and I’m leading, and there’s SVG, the guy I’ve been trying to beat for a while now. Just to be able to outlast him there and hold on for the win is just incredible.”

The puck doesn’t stop here. Reddick and Co. will go to Phoenix next weekend and attempt to make it four wins in a row.