Michael Jordan knows a thing or two about winning championships after winning six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. Now, the 23XI-Racing co-owner has a shot to add a NASCAR Cup Series championship to his legacy.
On Sunday, at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jordan watched as his 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick used a spectacular last-lap pass to win the playoff race and secure a berth in the Championship 4. Reddick beat reigning series champion Ryan Blaney and Denny Hamlin, who also co-owns the 23XI Racing team, but drives for Joe Gibbs Racing.
“Oh, man, he just let go. He just went for it and I’m glad,” Jordan said. “We needed it. We needed it.”
Reddick’s team had taken a different pit strategy approach in the final stage of Sunday’s race, believing it was their only chance to win. They kept Reddick’s Toyota on the race track long after every other car pitted under green for fuel and fresh tires only bringing him down pit road when his tank was nearly empty. That dropped Reddick well out of the Top 10 as the race wound down, but then the team caught a break.
Kyle Larson, running second to Blaney, spun on Lap 255 of 267 bringing out the final caution. With Reddick having just changed tires a few laps earlier, he was able to stay out on the racetrack while everyone else came back down pit road. And suddenly, Reddick and 23XI Racing were back in the game.
NASCAR AT HOMESTEAD: Full results from Sunday’s playoff race
Reddick lost the lead on the restart to Hamlin on the restart, and a few laps later Blaney took the lead from Hamlin, until Reddick chased both drivers down to pass first Hamlin and then Blaney to take the checkered flag.
“Little kid drove his ass off,” Jordan said of Reddick. “I’m proud of him.”
Reddick joins Team Penske driver Joey Logano in the NASCAR Championship Race in two weeks at Phoenix Raceway. The remaining two berths will be decided next Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
