At EchoPark Speedway in Georgia, home of the Autotrader 400, Tyler Reddick became the first driver since 2009 to win the opening two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season (including the Daytona 500), and just the sixth-ever to manage the feat.
That in and of itself is an achievement worth noting, but Reddick is a member of Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team — yes, that Michael Jordan. There would be attention on 23XI with the NBA legend and six-time champion at the helm — along with active driver Denny Hamlin — but Reddick achieving something historic and rare in NASCAR history only further justifies that attention.
Reddick isn’t the only 23XI driver thriving early on, either. Teammate Bubba Wallace owns a pair of top-10 finishes and is second in overall points in the 2026 Cup standings. He was the leader for much of Sunday’s Autotrader 400 before a late slide in overtime.
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NASCAR on FOX analyst and 2014 Cup Collection champion Kevin Harvick, talking on the debut episode of “SPEED With Harvick And Buxton,” alongside co-host Will Buxton, mentioned the early success of Jordan’s 23XI on Monday following Reddick’s back-to-back wins.
“Once you have a look at 23XI and the outcomes which might be anticipated out of them, we nearly gave them a corridor go final 12 months for all the pieces that that they had happening outdoors of racing,” Harvick opened with, referring to 23XI’s antitrust swimsuit in opposition to NASCAR, settled in December.
“However the best way that they’ve began this season, it makes you assume that they will be contenders for the entire 12 months. With the expectations we placed on them — particularly Tyler Reddick, we count on him to be a championship contender — however with Jordan on the race monitor, doing all of the issues that he has to do as a crew proprietor and being current, takes it to a brand new stage.”
It’s not simply the racing itself, but additionally the drivers on whom Jordan and his crew can have an effect, as properly.
“We at all times speak about stars, and the best way that we’d like stars, and Jordan may also help his drivers change into stars and do issues that every one the opposite drivers can’t,” Harvick stated. “It’s a fairly distinctive state of affairs, however they’re on a roll proper now.”
As Harvick defined, Reddick is anticipated to be a winner. He debuted within the Cup Collection in 2019 and is a two-time champion within the NASCAR O’Reilly Collection, was the runner-up within the 2025 Daytona 500 and had 4 different top-5 finishes in addition to, within the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Goodyear 400, Quaker State 400 and Grant Park 165. These near-wins have change into precise ones in 2026.
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To be a star, a driver must win — 23XI is two-for-two in that enviornment up to now this season, due to Reddick. However bear in mind, Wallace is correct there in second behind him within the standings, regardless of finally ending eighth within the Autotrader 400 after main 46 laps. Jordan’s crew is in an enviable place already this season, if that’s what disappointment for it seems like.
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