Michael Jordan Is a Champion Again — and He Left Daytona With Nothing but Grace

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Tyler Reddick powered Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing to a dramatic Daytona 500 win on Sunday, delivering the team its biggest triumph while the Hall of Famer owner displayed an unusually magnanimous public face following a bruising off-season legal fight. The victory felt like a milestone for both the driver and the organization Jordan helped start, and it was met with warm embraces rather than barbs.

Reddick’s surge seals the iconic win

Reddick took the checkered flag after a chaotic finish that included a last-lap incident sending another contender into the wall and allowing Reddick to surge past to victory. He led only the final lap, but it was the one that mattered most. In Victory Lane, Reddick called the result “true Daytona madness, ” admitting he had already lost his voice from celebrating.

Jordan joined Reddick in Victory Lane for an emotional moment: a bear hug followed by the pair hoisting the Harley J. Earl trophy. Jordan, who will turn 63 on Tuesday, joked about getting a Daytona 500 ring for his birthday and made light of his shoe size while reveling in the team’s hard-fought reward. The win also marked a sweep of sorts in a weekend that featured other team owners closely tied to the recent legal fight taking top honors in their respective events.

From courtroom sparring to public unity

The Daytona victory comes after a contentious off-season that culminated in a settlement of an antitrust lawsuit involving Jordan’s team and the sport’s leadership. Rather than use the moment to gloat, Jordan emphasized reconciliation and the need for better communication across the garage area. He voiced a desire for teams and the sanctioning body to work together to grow the sport.

Those around the track noticed. NASCAR’s president, standing nearby, described seeing Jordan lift both hands in sheer celebration and said the owner greeted rivals with hugs instead of hostility. Jordan’s posture all day — from pre-race interviews to the quiet moments in victory lane — was one of passion for the sport and optimism about what comes next. He called the settlement and the new season a fresh start, saying it felt like "a whole new beginning. "

The tone was striking because it departed from the image many fans have of Jordan as a relentless competitor who carries grudges. Here, in the thick of stock car racing’s most storied event, he displayed a different instinct: to celebrate, to encourage teammates and rivals, and to push for unity that favors the long-term health of the series.

Deep roots and long-term investment

Jordan’s involvement in the team is more than symbolic. Raised in a region where stock-car racing is a major part of the culture, he has been a lifelong fan and invested both his profile and resources into building 23XI into a championship contender. That genuine connection to the sport helps explain why he pressed for changes off the track; he wants a level playing field and a sustainable model for teams that compete at the highest level.

Victory at Daytona validated much of that investment. Jordan embraced teammates and competitors alike after the race, offering personal words to drivers who had shone during the weekend. Bubba Wallace, a 23XI teammate who dominated much of the race before finishing 10th, received a close, encouraging word from Jordan in the moments after the checkered flag.

For now, the spotlight belongs to Reddick and the team that backed him. For Jordan, the win appears to be both a vindication and a prompt to keep pushing the sport forward — a reminder that, even after confrontation and controversy, success in motorsports often brings the room together.