23XI Racing, the race team owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin, won its first-ever Daytona 500 race on Sunday.
Per the New York Post, Tyler Reddick was behind the wheel when 23XI Racing crossed the finish line in first place. Jordan who was at the race track, joined his team to celebrate the victory.
“It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know,” Jordan, 62, told Fox Sports.
Hamlin also said that the six-time NBA champion “loves his race team.” “I was like, ‘You know, you guys understand the responsibilities you have, that you have the power to bring joy to Michael Jordan. You have that power and nobody else can do it,’” Hamlin added.
“There’s nothing else that can bring him the joy that seeing what his team can do and they took it to heart.”
Sunday’s win was Reddick’s ninth Cup Series victory. “Just incredible how it all played out. Just true Daytona madness,” Reddick said. “I’ve already lost my voice from screaming. Never thought I’d be Daytona 500 champion.”
He continued: “It’s stuff you dream of as a kid. Now, I definitely didn’t look into the future and know that I would drive for Michael Jordan. But to be able to have someone like Michael Jordan believe in me enough, someone like Denny Hamlin.
“I’m just trying to do my best to live on the promises that I made to them and vice versa.”
In 2020, NBA Jordan announced that he and Hamlin had teamed up to form the race team.
