Michael Jordan Calls Denny Hamlin the Mastermind Behind Tyler Reddick and 23XI Racing’s Historic Run

Neha Dwivedi | 02/03/2026
Mar 1, 2026; Austin, Texas, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Tyler Reddick (45) raises three fingers after his third win in a row at the NASCAR Cup Series Duramax Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne at Circuit of the Americas. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

Tyler Reddick joined the record books this Sunday, becoming the first driver to win the opening three races of a NASCAR Cup Series season following his dominant win at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).

In doing so, 23XI Racing became the first organization since Petty Enterprises in 1963 to sweep the first three events on the schedule. Team co-owner Michael Jordan credited Denny Hamlin for assembling the group that produced the run, pointing to the hiring of Reddick and crew chief Billy Scott as key decisions behind the surge.

At the Circuit of the Americas, Reddick started from the pole but initially fell to 18th by the end of Stage 1. He regained track position through Stage 2 and closed the same inside the top five. Over the 95-lap race, the No. 45 driver led 58 laps and secured his third consecutive win after outpacing Shane van Gisbergen by 3.944 seconds.

MJ, speaking after the race, directed praise toward the organization’s structure. “I’m proud of the team that we put together. I mean, Denny, I’m pretty sure it’s the same way. He feels the same way as I do. And I think a lot of credit goes to him because I think he’s the mastermind behind finding Tyler and putting together, you know, Billy Scott and all that. Look, I just put up the money. I’m just a competitor.”

“But I think Denny’s done an unbelievable job in terms of helping build this team. And I think the team has done a good job in just taking our leadership and going out and winning. That’s what it’s about, winning,” he continued.

 

MJ acknowledged the weight that accompanied Reddick’s bid for three straight wins, noting the difficulty of closing out such a run when the road course aces like SVG and Connor Zilisch are in the mix. He cited Scott’s strategy execution and pit calls as central to the outcome. Reddick faced pressure from SVG over the closing laps but maintained the lead to secure the sweep.

Meanwhile, Reddick, in his post-race remarks, reflected on this season’s stretch. “Big-time moments have happened for me in 2026. I’ve never won back-to-back in my career. I don’t know how many times I’ve won 3 in a row in my lifetime. To turn the corner and make 2026 a good year, to get my second win here … to have to hold off Shane, we’ll keep going as long as we can.”

With this year’s switch to the Chase format and Reddick’s dominant run at the start of the season, we could be seeing a genuine title contender in the making, right at the beginning of the year.

Post Edited By: Rahul Ahluwalia
23XI Racing Billy Scott Circuit of the Americas COTA Denny Hamlin Michael Jordan NASCAR Cup Series Tyler Reddick

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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