Winning a NASCAR race is huge, but winning at Talladega is that much bigger.
You would think Michael Jordan would be used to winning at this point in his life, with all of the accomplishments that he’s had throughout his career. But the 6-time NBA Champion clearly has his eyes on more success, even though he now does it from an ownership position.
MJ has his hand in a lot of professional leagues at the moment. He’s a partial owner of the Charlotte Hornets after he sold a majority stake in the NBA franchise to an ownership group including Eric Church last year. The 61-year-old also acts as the co-owner of NASCAR’s 23XI racing team, which features drivers Bubba Wallace in the #23 car and Tyler Reddick in the #45 car (both of which were not-so-coincidentally also Jordan’s numbers from his playing days).
It was the latter from the 23XI team that came out victorious at Talladega yesterday in one of the wildest finishes to a NASCAR race you’ll ever see. Much of the race was methodic and slow (with drivers trying to preserve gas), and all of that boring racing was made up for with the fireworks at the end.
After the final turn at the historic track, Tyler Reddick was in 5th. That’s of course before all hell broke loose when the leader Michael McDowell in the 34 car tried to make a risky block and set off a chain reaction of wrecks. Somehow, Reddick in the 45 car stayed clean, literally pulled a “Shake and Bake,” and slingshotted himself around the crashes, into first place, and across the finish line.
You can view the exciting end to the race below, and attached to it is Michael Jordan’s reaction to seeing his NASCAR team win in person for the very first time:
That’s obviously a great interview with Jordan, and it’s especially cool to see him representing NASCAR after being the face of basketball for so many years. But it was the non-interview quotes that were really worth something.
As MJ was leaving Talladega after celebrating in victory lane, he had this back and forth with his crew about the celebration plans continuing on the plane ride home:
“We gonna be wasted on the plane, just so you know… Absolutely wasted. Thank you, gentlemen. See you guys later. OH YES!”
The man, the myth, the legend. Michael Jordan, still having iconic moments all these years later.
