Michael Jordan’s ‘brutally honest’ bombshell turns the tide on ‘terrible’ 23X1 driver

Tyler Reddick has an impressive five career wins in four full seasons in the Cup Series. Reddick moves into the 23XI after two wins with Richard Childress Racing. This team is new, but arguably the most unique, especially due to the basketball legend’s influence on the team.

Seven-time NBA champion Michael Jordan is a household name outside the United States. For him to become a co-owner of the 23XI team with Denny Hamlin is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in itself. But instead of digging in under the extra pressure, Tyler Reddick made the most of working with the basketball star.

Tyler Redick attributes his success to Jordan’s huge influence

Michael Jordan has achieved extraordinary distinction in basketball and has now retired from the sport. But now he is focusing on his love of racing, sponsoring and overseeing 23XI. Leveraging the strong personality of Denny Hamlin, the duo has led the team on a star-studded path since its inception in 2020.

As No. 45 Toyota driver Tyler Reddick emphasized in a recent interview, Jordan’s influence cannot be underestimated. During an appearance on “The Kenny Wallace Show,” Redick initially spoke about the NBA star pushing him to do better.

“It’s always stressful. You know, I think back to a conversation we had at Daytona a year ago. We were hanging out before the race and he reminded me. He said, ‘You’re kind of bad at the speedway… You know, I talked to Bubba and tried to figure it out. We kept that in mind and we had a big hit at Daytona a year ago. So I tried to get better at the speedway, We really invested a lot in the offseason.”

Then Redick ushered in a happy ending with Jordan’s unremitting efforts. “But it’s great to be able to get to Duel and Victory Lane this year. It really inspires me. One thing about Michael is he’s not afraid to be brutally honest. He’s a very personable guy. “When he’s out there, he Makes an effort to talk to everyone on the team, attend meetings, and is an all-around great boss. “

Tyler Reddick has also praised Michael Jordan before. In a 2022 game at Martinsville, Redick exited early due to health concerns. Even though he was with Richard Childress Racing at the time, Jordan checked him out. This undoubtedly lifted his spirits even more.

Redick’s car is splattered with Jordan’s signature, and both last year’s and this year’s designs were pretty cool.

Redick’s ride undergoes health check heading into season opener

Last year, Tyler Reddick became the first 23XI driver to reach the quarterfinals of the Cup Playoffs. To celebrate, Michael Jordan gave Tyler Reddick what is arguably the coolest car paint job ever. His No. 45 color scheme features smaller logos inspired by the Retro Jordan 8 sneakers.

This year, Reddick’s car is also painted in a paint scheme similar to the one Kurt Busch used in his last victory at Kansas Speedway in 2022. Incidentally, this plan also happens to be the trendiest plan unveiled this offseason.

Tyler Reddick is in high spirits heading into COTA, and Racing Insights expects him to defend his title. Considering the support of an amazing NBA legend, he will surely be dreaming of reaching the next level.