Michael Jordan added another championship to his trophy case on Sunday, February 15, 2026. Jordan is a co-owner of 23XI Racing (pronounced “twenty-three eleven”), a NASCAR Cup Series team he founded in 2020 with driver Denny Hamlin.
On this date, Tyler Reddick—driving the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing—won the 2026 Daytona 500 in a dramatic, wreck-filled finish.
Jordan’s Racing Team Wins Daytona 500
Reddick led only the final lap, capitalizing on a last-lap crash involving Chase Elliott (who was battling for the lead) to take the checkered flag. This marked:
- 23XI Racing’s first Daytona 500 victory.
- Michael Jordan’s first Daytona 500 win as a team owner (often phrased as “Michael Jordan wins the Daytona 500” in headlines and commentary, despite not driving).
Jordan celebrated in victory lane, hugging Reddick, hoisting the Harley J. Earl trophy, and receiving a Daytona 500 winner’s ring (he jokingly mentioned his ring size 13).
He described the moment as feeling “like I won a championship.”
What’s Next for Jordan?
Atlanta Motor Speedway is in Hampton, GA (near Atlanta), and hosts NASCAR races, including the next event on the 2026 Cup Series schedule after this Daytona 500—the Autotrader 400 (or similar naming) on February 22, 2026.
This Daytona win positions 23XI Racing (and Jordan) strongly heading into that Atlanta race, where Atlanta is a key venue in the series Jordan now succeeds in as an owner.