Michael Jordan is aiming for a championship in a new arena, as the owner of 23XI Racing, with his team poised to compete in the NASCAR Chase for the Cup Series title. This pursuit comes less than a year after Jordan and his team were involved in a significant legal battle with NASCAR.
Tyler Reddick, driver of the No. 45 car for 23XI Racing, is entering the 10-race postseason format as the third seed. Jordan, whose competitive drive mirrors his legendary basketball career, recently visited the team's headquarters in Huntersville, North Carolina, to deliver a pep talk ahead of the championship run. Reddick described Jordan's presence as having a "huge impact" and praised his ability to inspire and connect with the team.
"He's the best guy for it," Reddick told the Daily Mail. "He knows how to get the point across, he knows how to get people excited, and he knows how to make it relatable. Just an amazing leader, a great speaker, and for us, it was great that he made the time to come see us, come talk to us."
The team's journey to this point has been notable. 23XI Racing achieved a historic start to the season, winning the Daytona 500 and two subsequent races, a feat not seen since Dale Earnhardt in 1987. By April, Jordan's team had secured five victories in the first nine races. However, the team faced challenges in the latter half of the regular season, with Reddick dropping in the standings.
Despite setbacks, Reddick expressed confidence in the team's resilience, drawing parallels to Jordan's mindset during his NBA dynasty with the Chicago Bulls. "We know how to handle it, we know how to get through it, we know how to reset for the next week," Reddick stated. "I feel like everyone wants to go into this Chase and have 10 flawlessly executed races, no mistakes, but there's gonna be thousands of laps ran. Tens of thousands of decisions to make."
Jordan, who is a hands-on owner attending races and maintaining contact with his drivers, settled an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR in December. The suit was filed by Jordan's team and Front Row Motorsports against the racing organization. Following the settlement, Jordan shifted his focus to leading 23XI Racing toward a championship.
The championship race includes 15 drivers, with Denny Hamlin, Jordan's business partner and co-owner of 23XI Racing, also considered a strong contender driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. Reddick acknowledged Hamlin as a formidable opponent but emphasized the importance of the team focusing on its own performance.
The NASCAR Cup Series Chase begins this weekend, with the champion to be crowned on November 8 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Reddick and 23XI Racing are looking to harness Jordan's motivational energy as they embark on the final stretch of the season.