Michael Jordan is celebrating what feels like his seventh championship after Tyler Reddick clinched the Daytona 500 victory on Sunday, giving Jordan’s 23XI Racing its first-ever win in the prestigious race. Reddick managed to navigate through multiple crashes in the final lap of the 2026 Daytona 500, overtaking Chase Elliott to secure the win, which Jordan described as an emotional achievement comparable to winning an NBA title.
Turning Point After a Challenging Season for Reddick and 23XI Racing
The triumph was especially significant following a difficult 2025 season where Reddick failed to win any races, while 23XI Racing wrestled with a legal dispute against NASCAR that concluded in December 2025. As the 2026 season opened, the team showed renewed strength and determination.
Team Effort and Strategy Lead to Historic Victory
Throughout the race, Bubba Wallace led for 40 laps and claimed the Stage 2 victory but ultimately finished tenth. The winning push came from Reddick, who surged from fourth to first in the last moments. Crucially, teammate Riley Herbst played a key role in disrupting Chase Elliott’s attempt to regain the lead, finishing eighth himself.
Jordan praised Herbst’s support during the race:
“I thought Riley did a really unbelievable job by pushing at the end,”
“That shows you what teamwork can really, really do. He won’t get enough credit, but we feel the love. We understand exactly what he did. We just hung in there, all day. We had a great strategy by the team and we gave ourselves a chance at the end.”
— Michael Jordan, Team Owner
Post-Race Reflections Highlight Team Unity and Perseverance
Despite finishing tenth, Wallace expressed mixed feelings about losing the lead but acknowledged the collective effort behind the win. Jordan echoed this sentiment in his FOX Sports interview, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of racing and the importance of teamwork.
“I’m ecstatic. I don’t even know what to say,”
“It feels like I won a championship. But until I get my ring, I won’t even know.”
— Michael Jordan, Six-Time NBA Champion and Team Owner
“I can’t even believe it. It was so gratifying,”
“We had four guys that were really fighting, that were helping each other out. You never know how these races are going to end. You’re just trying to survive.”
— Michael Jordan, Six-Time NBA Champion and Team Owner
Anticipation Builds for Jordan’s Seventh Championship Ring
When asked about the size of the ring he hopes to receive as part of this racing championship, Jordan smiled and revealed it was a size 13, signaling his eagerness to officially mark this milestone. The Daytona 500 victory not only provides 23XI Racing with momentum early in the new season but also establishes Tyler Reddick as a formidable competitor, setting the stage for an intense and hopeful year ahead.
