Tyler Reddick Wins Daytona 500 for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing

Tyler Reddick won the Daytona 500 in a car owned by Michael Jordan after Chase Elliott crashed while battling Reddick for the win.

On Sunday, Reddick led only one lap in a Toyota for 23XI Racing, which is owned by NBA Hall of Famer and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

“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.”

Neither did Jordan, who met Reddick in victory lane for a bear hug before hoisting the Harley J. Earl trophy into the air. Jordan, who turns 63 on Tuesday, will receive a Daytona 500 ring for his birthday and revealed in victory lane that he wears a size 13.

“It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring, I won’t even know,” Jordan said.

It was a celebration that included several NASCAR stars, including Reddick’s teammate Bubba Wallace, who went to victory lane in tears after dominating a large portion of the race but finishing 10th.

Jordan threw his arms around Wallace from behind and gave him a brief speech of encouragement.

“I don’t want my emotions to take away from the monumental day they just accomplished. Happy birthday, MJ. That’s a massive birthday present,” Wallace said. “I thought this was our week, the best 500 I’ve ever had, and come up short, sucks.

“Led a lot of laps, lap leader, I believe. It was a good day for us, but damn. Try again next year.”

Hamlin was also in victory lane, having finished 31st and falling short of becoming the third four-time Daytona 500 winner.

Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, was involved in the final caution after he collided with teammate Christopher Bell with nine laps left. It set up the final four laps’ push to the finish line.

Elliott had control on the penultimate lap after leader Carson Hocevar was spun off the track, and it looked like the son of NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott would finally win his first Daytona 500.

Instead, Reddick made a huge surge, hit with Elliott, causing Elliott to crash, and sailed past, taking Jordan to victory lane at Daytona International Speedway.

Jordan was the face of NASCAR’s December federal antitrust action, which was resolved on the ninth day of the trial. The settlement altered the revenue-sharing formula of the United States’ premier motorsports series.

The victory completed a Daytona sweep for three team owners heavily involved in the trial. Bob Jenkins, who joined 23XI in suing NASCAR, began the weekend with a victory when Front Row Motorsports’ Chandler Smith won the Truck Series opening on Friday night.

Richard Childress, who testified on behalf of 23XI and Front Row and was the target of insulting text messages from now-departed NASCAR chairman Steve Phelps, was the winning team owner on Saturday when Austin Hill won.

Then “The Great American Race” happened, and Jordan and Hamlin, the two front-facing litigants, won their first Daytona 500.

Former race winners Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano finished second and third, respectively, with Toyota, Chevrolet, and Ford each placing a driver on the podium. Elliott finished fourth and sat despondent and stunned on the outer wall of the track after climbing out of his car.