In 2020, when michael jordan’s Rumored NASCAR joint venture Denny Hamlin23XI Racing finally broke ground, Kevin Harvick He had just missed out on Championship 4 with an astonishing nine wins, his best season record in more than two decades of Cup experience. On the other hand, after his third Daytona 500 win with Joe Gibbs Racing, Denny Hamlin Entering the semi-finals for the fifth time, striving to win that elusive championship.
It wasn’t easy for the No. 11 driver either, with Hamlin notching seven wins that season despite losing to Chase Elliott However, his NBA Hall of Fame business partner 23XI may have warmed to another driver in the Cup Series. And, when Denny himself revealed that MJ was indeed a “fan” of the 2014 Sprint Cup Series champion, Harvick had an unusual and “horrible” reaction.
Kevin Harvick upends Bristol Blues with Big Mike boost
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In a candid chat with Denny Hamlin on the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Fun Days, Harvick said: “This was definitely my favorite interview I’ve ever done as a NASCAR broadcaster on Fox.” The two former rivals sat down together and discussed many stories, but one stood out when Harvick revealed a legendary anecdote involving Big Mike and his infectious personality in retirement.
To put things into context, Harvick took the crowd back to his P29 finish in last year’s night race at Bristol. Ironically, Hamlin earned his 51st victory in this event. 2023 also marked a farewell tour for Kevin Harvick, who ended the season without a win in the No. 4 car.
According to Harvick, he found unexpected inspiration during these frustrating times. I have elaborated, “Michael (Jordan) has got to be one of the most beautiful normal guys ever. We were in Bristol last year and we had a really miserable day and I was walking out of the tunnel with my head down and all of a sudden this big hand reached behind me , grabbed my neck.”
The Bakersfield, Calif., native did his best impression of MJ, explaining the sequence of events that followed: “He said, “Boy, you have nothing to worry about,” and I looked back and I was like, “Oh my God, that’s Michael Jordan,” and he grabbed me by the neck and said, “You’ve been through one hell of a time” as a career. Son, you need to keep your head up,” he walked me all the way out of the tunnel.”
Jordan’s leadership and empathy were on full display that day, as the six-time NBA champion gave what Harvick described as ” “this biggest inspirational speech it made him feel “good” after. Hamlin interrupted the host’s original train of thought and made a statement on behalf of the 23XI co-owners, letting Harvick understand: ““I can tell you for a fact, Michael Jordan is a fan of Kevin Harvick, there’s no doubt about it.” Harvick then gave the happiest Harvick-esque response ever in just five little words. “Don’t tell my wife!”
The conversation ended in laughter, but the deeper connection between the greatest basketball player of all time and the world’s most important racing sanctioning body was evident in a candid friendship.
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Jordan’s decades-long love affair with NASCAR
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What happens between Delana Harvick and Kevin is almost no one’s business, but this healthy interaction reveals Michael Jordan’s true interest in top-level racing experiences. Jumpman’s love for NASCAR goes back decades, and as he once told Marvin G. Shanken before investing in 23XI, the North Carolina native “Become a fan of Richard Petty“ And that Jordan “Love racing more than anything else“.
He is actively involved in off-track activities with 23XI Racing and has become a topic of discussion among right-handers Curtis Polk and Hamlin.Last week at COTA, Michael Jordan was on hand again to get an update on his 50-50 NASCAR project and offer words of encouragement to 23XI Driver #23 Bubba Wallace and #45 Tyler Reddick.
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As Reddick explained in a recent interview, the No. 45 driver’s interactions with Jordan and a closer look reveal that the co-owner is not just a stakeholder, but an active fan. Kenny Wallace. After Redick’s P39 DNF at Daytona in 2023, MJ made an astute observation about the No. 45 jersey: He “It’s a little scary on a speedway track.” Only Michael Jordan could make such a criticism of a driver. With talk of a third franchise entry in 2025, 23XI Racing looks to be the most exciting place in NASCAR right now.