Michael Jordan, six-time NBA champion, is now a Daytona 500 winner : NPR

23XI Racing owner Michael Jordan speaks with NASCAR CEO and Chairman Jim Frantz after Tyler Reddick won the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Nigel Cook/AP

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Nigel Cook/AP

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan is now also a Daytona 500 winner.

Tyler Reddick won “The Great American Race” Sunday with a last-lap pass at Daytona International Speedway that sent Jordan into a frenzied celebration. The NBA Hall of Famer hugged Reddick in victory lane, then jointly hoisted the Harley J. Earl Trophy with the 23XI Racing driver.

Jordan, who turns 63 on Tuesday, will receive a Daytona 500 ring for his birthday and shared on Victory Lane that he wears a size 13.

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

The moment captured the message that team co-owner Denny Hamlin — who finished 31st Sunday in an attempt to become the third driver in history to win four Daytona 500s — delivered to 23XI employees during a team meeting before NASCAR’s season opener.

“He loves his racing team,” Hamlin said, adding that he reminded the team of the fulfillment they saw in Jordan when Reddick won at Talladega in 2024. “I said to myself, ‘You know, you understand the responsibilities that you have, that you have the power to bring joy to Michael Jordan. You have that power and no one else can do it.’

“There’s nothing else that can bring him the joy of seeing what his team can do and they’ve taken it to heart.”

Tyler Reddick (45) and his son Beau celebrate with the team after winning the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, February 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Mike Stewart/AP

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Mike Stewart/AP

Reddick, driving a Toyota, led only one lap Sunday: the one to the checkered flag. He was the 25th different driver to lead a lap for a new Daytona 500 record.

“It’s just amazing how it all came together. Just real Daytona craziness,” Reddick said. “I already lost my voice from screaming. I never thought I’d be Daytona 500 champion.”

Reddick, a 30-year-old from Corning, Calif., won for the ninth time in the Cup Series and for the first time since the end of the 2024 season. Without a win last year, Reddick focused primarily on his infant son, who was suffering from a chest tumor that was affecting his heart. Reddick started last year with a second-place finish in the Daytona 500.

He ended a 38-game losing streak by finishing one place higher Sunday and winning to kick off a celebration that included several NASCAR stars. It included Jordan, a global icon, and Hamlin, at 45, the oldest full-time driver in the Cup Series.

Reddick is teammates with Bubba Wallace, who went to victory lane in tears after leading a record 40 laps before finishing 10th. Jordan wrapped his arms around Wallace from behind and spoke closely into Wallace’s ear in a brief pep talk.

“I don’t want my emotions to ruin the monumental day they just had. Happy birthday, MJ. It’s a huge birthday present,” Wallace said. “I thought this was our week, the best 500 I’ve ever had, and I failed, it sucks.

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

Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, was involved in the final caution when he and teammate Christopher Bell collided with nine laps remaining. He put together the final push to the finish over the final four laps.

Elliott took the lead early on the final lap when Carson Hocevar went off the track. Reddick made a huge advance with the help of teammate Riley Herbst, made contact with Elliott which caused Elliott to crash, then drove past to give Jordan a victory in the biggest NASCAR event of the year.

“It’s something you dream about as a kid,” Reddick said. “Now, I definitely didn’t look into the future and know that I would drive for Michael Jordan. But to be able to have someone like Michael Jordan believe in me enough, someone like Denny Hamlin.

“I just try to do my best to keep the promises I made to them and vice versa.”

Jordan was the face of the December federal antitrust lawsuit that NASCAR settled on the ninth day of the trial. The settlement changed the revenue sharing model in major motorsports series in the United States.

Jordan watched the victory from a suite overlooking the highway built by the France family — NASCAR founders and private owners — whom he just defeated in federal court. NASCAR Chairman Jim France, who was personally accused in the lawsuit, went to victory lane to congratulate the winners.

“I can’t even believe it. It was so rewarding,” Jordan said of the victory. “You never know how these races are going to end. You just have to try to survive. We held on all day. Great team strategy, and we gave ourselves a chance at the end. Look, I’m over the moon.”

Cars crash into the checkered flag during the NASCAR Daytona 500 auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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John Raoux/AP

The victory marked a victory at Daytona for three team owners heavily involved in the trial. Bob Jenkins, who joined 23XI to pursue NASCAR, opened the weekend with a victory when Chandler Smith won the Truck Series opener Friday night for Front Row Motorsports.

Richard Childress, who testified on behalf of 23XI and Front Row and has been the subject of derogatory text messages from NASCAR Chairman Steve Phelps since his departure, was the owner of the winning team Saturday when Austin Hill won.

Then it was time for Jordan and Hamlin, the two litigators going head-to-head, as they took their first Daytona 500 victory together.

“All we do is win,” shrugged Hamlin, who called the trio of weekend winners a “coincidence.”

Past race winners Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano finished second and third while Toyota, Chevrolet and Ford each placed a driver on the podium. Elliott finished fourth and sat dejected and in disbelief on the outside wall of the track after getting out of his car.

“We ended up kind of having the advantage…and then at that point you’re just on defense. Man, it’s a really, really tough place to be, honestly,” Elliott said. “Obviously, looking back, you can recall it 1,000 times, are you doing anything different?”