Michael Jordan Shows Grace After Daytona 500 Triumph as 23XI Racing Claims NASCAR’s Biggest Prize

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Michael Jordan spent Sunday in victory lane with a smile rather than a barb, embracing Tyler Reddick after the driver delivered 23XI Racing its first Daytona 500 win. The victory came after a contentious legal fight that the team settled in December, and Jordan used the moment to celebrate the sport and urge unity among its participants.

Restraint and a message of unity

Jordan might be remembered for ruthless competition on the basketball court, but at Daytona International Speedway he offered something different: magnanimity. In the hours before the checkered flag, in a national television interview, he spoke passionately about what the Daytona 500 and NASCAR mean to him and his family. He emphasized that the recent dispute belonged in the past and called on teams, drivers and executives to improve communication to help the sport grow.

After the race he left no doubt about his feelings. He greeted NASCAR leadership in a private suite and then crossed Victory Lane to celebrate with Reddick and the crew. NASCAR’s president described spotting Jordan in the suite with both hands raised, shouting, "Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the greatest. The greatest. " The president added that Jordan gave warm embraces and carried himself with the enthusiasm of a champion.

Jordan’s composure carried into the public celebration. He embraced teammates and competitors alike, offered personal words of encouragement to Bubba Wallace and posed for photos with the Harley J. Earl trophy without any parting jabs. "The offseason was the offseason, but I think this is a whole new beginning, " Jordan said, signaling an intent to move forward and build on the day’s success.

Reddick’s last-lap surge and 23XI’s evolution

Tyler Reddick executed a chaotic, daring final lap to steal the Daytona 500, threading his No. 45 Toyota through wrecking traffic and emerging first as the checkered flag waved. Reddick led only the final lap of the 200-lap race, a measure of how the modern Daytona 500 has become a careful blend of conservation, strategy and sudden aggression.

"I'm going to be honest: I'm not even sure what happened because I was so focused in the moment, " Reddick said in Victory Lane. He credited the team’s preparation and the leadership around him: "You have to be in position to win it when it's time to win it, or guess what? You won't win it!" Jordan echoed that sentiment before slipping back into the celebration: "You can't make a buzzer-beater if you aren't there for the buzzer. "

The win caps a rapid ascent for 23XI Racing. Co-founded by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin in 2020, the team has grown into one of the sport’s top competitors. Jordan’s lifelong connection to stock-car racing — rooted in family trips to Southern tracks and a childhood in NASCAR country — has driven deep involvement rather than a celebrity-owner cameo. That commitment helped fuel the recent legal push for changes to the series’ revenue structure; those disputes were resolved late last year, leaving the pathway clear for cooperation and competition this season.

Looking ahead: championship ambitions and relationships

The victory is both a milestone and a blueprint. For Jordan, it validates an ownership philosophy built on investment, patience and a genuine passion for the sport. For Reddick and 23XI, it confirms that careful strategy and bold moments can coexist and produce championship-caliber results.

Jordan’s conduct at Daytona may also have a practical upside: mending fences with the series’ leadership and fellow owners could smooth collaboration on commercial and competitive matters moving forward. With the legal battle behind them and a marquee trophy in hand, 23XI Racing appears positioned to be a serious force in the season ahead — and its co-owner showed that, at least for one unforgettable Sunday, celebration and civility could go hand in hand.