Michael Jordan can now add Daytona 500 winner to his résumé — and it happened in dramatic fashion.
According to NPR, Tyler Reddick delivered the moment on Sunday, February 15, at Daytona International Speedway, pulling off a last-lap surge that flipped the race on its head.
After running deep in the pack for most of the day, Reddick made his move when it mattered most, using a push from teammate Riley Herbst to gain momentum heading into the final stretch.
As the white flag flew, the lead changed hands amid late-race chaos, and Reddick capitalized — making contact with Chase Elliott in a decisive sequence before clearing the field and racing to the checkered flag.
Reddick officially led just one lap—the final one—but it was enough to secure the biggest win of his career. “Just incredible how it all played out. Just true Daytona madness,” he said after the race. “Never thought I’d be Daytona 500 champion.”
The victory snapped a 38-race winless streak for the 23XI Racing driver and marked his first win since late 2024. It also capped a comeback stretch for Reddick, who spent much of last season focused on his young son’s health battle. This time, he finished one spot better than his runner-up performance in last year’s Daytona 500.
For Jordan, the celebration was immediate. He embraced Reddick in victory lane and helped lift the Harley J. Earl Trophy, calling the moment comparable to winning an NBA title. “It feels like I won a championship,” Jordan said. “Until I get my ring, I won’t even know.”
The win also carried significance beyond the track. Jordan’s 23XI Racing team had just come out of a prolonged legal fight with NASCAR, one that reshaped the business structure of the sport.
Jordan was the lead figure in an antitrust lawsuit filed by 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, challenging NASCAR’s charter system and revenue model. The case centered on whether teams were being pressured into unfavorable agreements that limited their long-term stability.
During testimony, Jordan said he stepped in because “someone had to step forward and challenge the entity,” describing a system where team owners had little leverage in negotiations.
The case ended in a settlement during the ninth day of trial. NASCAR agreed to make charters permanent — a key demand from teams — and committed to revisiting its revenue-sharing structure.
Jordan later said both sides needed to find “some synergy” to move the sport forward, while NASCAR chairman Jim France noted the agreement would allow everyone to refocus on racing.