A new team is on top of the NASCAR Cup Series point standings

A team started by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan due to an online rumor four summers ago find themselves on top of the NASCAR Cup Series point standings for the first time in their young four-year history.

23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick ascended to the top of the point standings for the first time in his career with his victory in the rain-delayed FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on Monday, making him the eighth different points leader of the 2024 season.

The driver of the No. 45 Toyota, who also won at Talladega Superspeedway back in April, has been on a tear as of late. He has reeled off 10 top six finishes in 11 races and five top three finishes in six, and he was finally able to break through for that second victory at Michigan.

Reddick continues surge, 23XI Racing red-hot

Reddick took the lead of the driver standings from Hendrick Motorsports' Kyle Larson with the victory, as Larson fell to fourth place due to his early wreck. He owns a 10-point lead over Hendrick Motorsports' Chase Elliott with two races remaining on the regular season schedule at Daytona International Speedway and Darlington Raceway.

While Larson did miss the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports still scored the points collected by Justin Allgaier in his absence, Reddick's win has even managed to put the No. 45 team on top of the owner standings.

Allgaier scored 24 points for the team with his 13th place finish in that race. With Larson trailing Reddick by 32, the No. 5 team officially sits in second in the owner standings, eight points behind the No. 45 team.

As many fans found out last year due to Chase Elliott's injury and suspension, the driver playoffs and the owner playoffs are effectively two separate postseasons if, at any point, there is a replacement driver for a charter team.

The fact that Reddick is leading the driver standings and his No. 45 team is leading the owner standings 24 races into the season is a major achievement for a still relatively young Cup Series team, even considering their technical alliance with Toyota powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing.

23XI Racing's other driver, Bubba Wallace, sits in 14th place in the point standings, but because of where the playoff cut line is positioned, he finds himself one point below it in 17th in the playoff picture. His No. 23 team is also 14th in the owner standings, and it also sits in 17th in the playoff picture, one point behind.

Daytona International Speedway is scheduled to host the Coke Zero Sugar 400 this Saturday, August 24, with live coverage set for NBC beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET, and Darlington Raceway is scheduled to host the Cook Out Southern 500 to wrap up the regular season next Sunday, September 1, with live coverage set for USA Network beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss either race leading up to the four-round, 10-race postseason!