23XI Racing gained attention across the NASCAR fraternity when Tyler Reddick won the Cup Series race in Homestead-Miami last weekend. Putting a driver in the Championship 4 in just the fourth year of operation is no mean feat.
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This is why many believe that the key factor in this success is the team’s co-owner Michael Jordan and the winning mentality that he has. But what does his partner Hamlin believe?
The #11 Toyota driver was asked about Jordan’s contribution to the success of 23XI Racing at Martinsville. He used the example of one competition meeting that the NBA legend participated in to make his case.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver said that Jordan had patiently listened to everyone at the table talk and then gave his opinion on what they were doing wrong. Hamlin believes that it was a pivotal moment for the team.
He said, “He didn’t like what he heard and he gave some pointed remarks on what championship teams sound like and what winning teams sound like and how we need to change the way we are communicating and the way we are shifting blame all over the place.”
Michael Jordan congratulates Denny Hamlin
"Congrats partner" pic.twitter.com/8za3AT2tve
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) August 27, 2023
It ended up being for the better and the team is a more cohesive unit now than ever before. The crucial art of thinking and acting like a champion is something Jordan excels at and he appears to have instilled that into the DNA of his racing team.
How well the team received his advice and has adapted to it was apparent from how Reddick felt honored to please Jordan by making the Championship 4. While the driver in Hamlin may not be happy with it, the team owner certainly is.
Hamlin explains why racing victories are more satisfying for Jordan
Jordan is one of the greatest athletes of his generation. His competitive spirit and nature led him to be considered the greatest basketball player of all time.
He won seven NBA championships and left every single one of his competitors in the dust. But racing, it does something else. It fills a gap in him.
Hamlin explained the same and said, “The racing side of it brings out more emotion and passion than I’ve seen outside of his own career in sport. I’ve seen him on golf courses; I’ve seen him play cards, things like that – I’ve seen all of that, but nothing matches the emotion that winning a NASCAR race has shown in him.”
This is probably why he chooses to be involved more with the team than other celebrity owners in NASCAR generally do. There’s no denying that his contribution is massive.
His support comes with zero negative effects and the employees of 23XI Racing, including Hamlin, are all there to benefit from it.
