DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Michael Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, has now also claimed victory in the Daytona 500.
On Sunday, Tyler Reddick triumphed in “The Great American Race” with a thrilling last-lap pass at Daytona International Speedway, igniting a jubilant celebration from Jordan. The NBA Hall of Famer embraced Reddick in Victory Lane before jointly lifting the Harley J. Earl Trophy with the 23XI Racing driver.
Jordan, who celebrates his 63rd birthday on Tuesday, will receive a Daytona 500 ring as a birthday present and jokingly stated in Victory Lane that his ring size is 13.
“It feels like I won a championship, but I won’t know for sure until I have my ring,” Jordan shared.
This moment resonated with team co-owner Denny Hamlin, who finished 31st in his quest to become the third driver to win four Daytona 500s, as he reminded 23XI employees of the joy they brought Jordan during Reddick’s previous win at Talladega in 2024. “You all have the power to bring joy to Michael Jordan, and nobody else can do that,” Hamlin emphasized.
“Nothing brings him joy quite like seeing his team succeed, and they truly took that to heart.”
Reddick, driving a Toyota, led just one lap on Sunday: the crucial lap that crossed the finish line. This made him the 25th different driver to lead a lap, setting a new record for the Daytona 500.
“It’s amazing how it all unfolded,” Reddick exclaimed. “Just pure Daytona chaos. I’ve already lost my voice from cheering! I never imagined I’d become a Daytona 500 champion.”
At 30 years old and hailing from Corning, California, Reddick secured his ninth Cup Series win, marking his first since the latter part of the 2024 season. After a winless previous year, he was largely focused on his infant son, who was diagnosed with a tumor affecting his heart. Reddick had kicked off last year with a runner-up finish in the Daytona 500.
This win allowed Reddick to break a 38-race losing streak and began a celebration that featured many NASCAR stars, including Jordan, an icon worldwide, and Hamlin, who at 45 is the oldest full-time driver in the Cup Series.
Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace shed tears in Victory Lane after leading a race-high 40 laps before finishing in 10th place. Jordan embraced Wallace from behind, offering words of encouragement in a brief chat.
“I don’t want my emotions to overshadow this monumental achievement,” Wallace said. “Happy birthday, MJ. What a tremendous birthday gift! I believed this was our week; it was the best 500 I’ve ever had, but falling short feels terrible.”
“I led a ton of laps and was the lap leader. It was a strong day for us, but man, we’ll try again next year.”
In the final caution, Hamlin, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, collided with teammate Christopher Bell with nine laps remaining, leading to the final push to the checkered flag.
Elliott took the lead at the start of the last lap following Carson Hocevar’s spin. Reddick surged ahead with help from teammate Riley Herbst, making contact with Elliott which resulted in Elliott’s crash, allowing Reddick to speed by and secure the win in NASCAR’s biggest race.
“It’s the stuff you dream about as a kid,” Reddick noted. “I never foresaw driving for Michael Jordan, but to have someone like him believe in me, along with Denny Hamlin, it’s incredible.”
“I’m doing my best to fulfill the promises I made to them and vice versa.”
Jordan was a prominent figure in the federal antitrust lawsuit concluded by NASCAR on the ninth day of trial. The settlement altered the revenue-sharing structure in the nation’s premier motorsports series.
He observed the win from a suite overlooking the superspeedway established by the France family—NASCAR founders and private owners—whom he recently faced in court. NASCAR chairman Jim France, a defendant in the lawsuit, visited Victory Lane to offer his congratulations.
“I can’t believe it. It was immensely satisfying,” Jordan remarked after the victory. “You never know how these races will conclude. We just had to hang in there the whole day. The team’s strategy was excellent, and we positioned ourselves for a chance at the end. Honestly, I’m over the moon.”
This victory marked a Daytona sweep for three team owners involved in the legal case. Bob Jenkins, who had joined 23XI in suing NASCAR, started the weekend with a win when Chandler Smith triumphed in the Truck Series opener on Friday night for Front Row Motorsports.
Richard Childress, who testified on behalf of 23XI and Front Row and was the target of negative text messages from former NASCAR chairman Steve Phelps, saw his team win on Saturday when Austin Hill emerged victorious.
Finally, it was Jordan and Hamlin’s turn, the two main litigants, as they celebrated their first Daytona 500 win together.
“All we do is win,” Hamlin said with a casual shrug, referring to the weekend performances of the three teams as merely “coincidence.”
Former race winners Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano claimed second and third, respectively, as Toyota, Chevrolet, and Ford each had a driver on the podium. Elliott, meanwhile, finished fourth and sat at the outside wall of the track in disbelief after stepping out of his car.
“We were somewhat fortunate to have taken the lead… at that moment, it’s all about defense,” Elliott reflected. “It’s a very tough situation to be in, truthfully. In hindsight, you can replay it in your mind a thousand times, pondering if you should have taken a different approach.”
