Michael Jordan is known for his legendary competitiveness and six NBA championships, but these days, his biggest thrills are coming from the pitlane. After 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick secured an incredible victory at the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway, Jordan was so hyped he literally jumped the pitwall to celebrate.
MJ Has Still Got Hops
In a viral video clip captured right after the race, the NBA icon can be seen effortlessly vaulting over the SAFER barrier to get onto the track. Striding down the asphalt, a hyped-up Jordan embraced the crew before giving a massive bear hug to Reddick in his purple racing suit. The on-screen text celebrated the historic moment: “MJ jumps over the wall to celebrate his driver’s 4th NASCAR win in 6 races”.
While seeing Jordan celebrate is awesome, the win makes the moment infinitely sweeter. Reddick, driving the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI Racing (the team co-owned by Jordan and Denny Hamlin), is currently on an absolute tear. His victory at Darlington marked his fourth Cup Series win in just the first six races of the 2026 season. That blistering start puts him in elite company, joining NASCAR Hall of Famers like Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott as the only Cup drivers to accomplish that incredible feat.
Overcoming The Lady in Black
Reddick’s win at the track Too Tough To Tame was anything but easy. Starting from the pole position, Reddick fought through a string of severe mechanical issues right off the bat that threatened to end his day.
- Electrical Failures: Reddick’s alternator failed early in the race, causing his voltage to drop dangerously low.
- A Cooking Cockpit: Because of the electrical issues, Reddick had to turn off his cockpit fans and power down his cool suit.
- Extreme Heat: With ambient temperatures in the high-80s, his cool suit began to cook, forcing him to manually pump the hot water out of it during a pit stop.
Despite basically driving in a rolling sauna, Reddick refused to give up. He managed to hunt down race-leader Brad Keselowski, making the winning pass with just 28 laps to go and securing the victory with a commanding 5.847-second lead.
Jordan Praises Reddick’s Composure
Jordan, who has been a frequent fixture at the track this season, was blown away by his driver’s ability to stay cool under pressure.
“I’m pretty sure it was frustrating for him because he had an unbelievable car,” Jordan said during a post-race interview. “You never know what’s going to happen, especially in Darlington. The key to him winning was keeping his head”.
With Reddick dominating the field and Michael Jordan bringing his legendary winning aura to the pit box, 23XI Racing is officially the team to beat in 2026.
