Here’s How Michael Jordan’s NBA Rival Beat Him on NASCAR’s Biggest Stage

During their NBA days, Michael Jordan and Brad Daugherty were rivals. But who would have imagined that these two NBA aces would compete head-on in NASCAR, 30 years after their basketball playoff meeting? Racing has always been close to Daugherty’s heart. Besides Jordan, he is the only African-American team owner to qualify for the NASCAR playoff rumble in the history of stock car racing. Moreover, his #43 jersey was chosen to honor the legendary Richard Petty.

However, it is remarkable how the center from Black Mountain, North Carolina, beat Michael Jordan.

With Ricky Stenhouse Jr’s 2024 Daytona 500 victory, Daugherty became the first black owner to win the historic race. In an interview with NASCAR, the retired athlete reflected on the honor with mellifluous words.

“I sat there for a second. And I was like … We just won the Daytona 500. I realized I was by myself, but I was like, ‘OK, this is really great because you’re talking to yourself,'” Daugherty admitted.

“And then I just went nuts. So then my phone started ringing — people from NASCAR calling me, the team was calling me … everybody. I was just like, this is unbelievable. This is an unbelievable moment in NASCAR history, for a little race team at Harrisburg, and for a team that just doesn’t quit,” he added.

Two days later, Daugherty was yet to recover from the aftermath of the victory. He recalled that he was still trying to deal with the hundreds of texts and phone calls from the well-wishers. Daugherty was also basking under the glory of winning ‘The Great American Race’, as a team owner.

Daugherty’s faceoff with Michael Jordan, 3 decades after their NBA playoff battle

Although Michael Jordan’s team had a great head start when Joe Gibbs Racing sensation Denny Hamlin tied up with the NBA legend as the team’s co-owner, JTG currently has 6 wins in the NASCAR Cup Series while 23XI has 5

A tweet by nascarman from earlier this year read, “Michael Jordan and Brad Daugherty last met in the playoffs in May 1993, when the Bulls beat the Cavs in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals. Jordan and Daugherty meet again in the NASCAR playoffs 30 years later.”

Brad Daugherty’s driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr made it to the 2024 playoffs much before Bubba Wallace or Tyler Reddick made it in. As a matter of fact, Stenhouse Jr. was the first driver to clinch a playoff spot this year with his Daytona 500 win.