The NASCAR garage received a massive dose of validation this week, with Hendrick Motorsports superstar Chase Elliot going on the record to praise the undeniable, culture-shifting impact of Michael Jordan’s ownership presence in the sport.
While some celebrity owners treat motorsports as a weekend hobby or a passive financial portfolio piece, the six-time NBA champion has brought a refreshing energy to the track. For a sport that prides itself on gritty tradition, getting the nod of approval from NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver proves that His Airness is far more than just a famous tourist on pit road.
This development matters immensely because stock car racing has historically been a notoriously insular community. But when arguably the greatest athlete of all time brings an unquenchable thirst for winning to the pit box, the entire dynamic of the grid shifts. Jordan isn’t just slapping his iconic Jumpman logo on a hood and calling it a day; he’s actively changing the competitive temperature of the garage.
Speaking directly to former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III on the Outta Pocket with RGIII podcast, Elliot made it abundantly clear that the industry is better off with Jordan in the mix. The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion noted that the most compelling aspect of Jordan’s tenure as a team owner isn’t the flashing cameras or the celebrity aura, but rather the genuine, almost childlike joy the basketball legend derives from the sights and sounds of stock car racing.
1. The Competitive Fire Never Fades
“I think that it is a great thing for us as an industry to have somebody like MJ be involved,” Elliot explained during the podcast. “To me, the coolest part about him is the genuine joy that he gets from racing is so childlike. I love it. I also think it’s a little bit of a competitive thing for him, like he’s a super competitor and he wants to win. And I think that our sport loves that. I think our sport needs that.”
That competitive fire Elliot mentioned isn’t just a talking point, but it is actively translating into hardware. Jordan entered the sport in 2021 by co-founding 23XI Racing alongside veteran driver Denny Hamlin. Since that monumental announcement, the team has shattered expectations.
Driving the No. 45 Toyota, Tyler Reddick has emerged as a legitimate weekly threat. Jordan’s defiance and refusal to back down have also been evident off the track. Amid an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, in which 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are actively fighting for a fairer economic model, Jordan has shown his aggression in the boardroom.
For Elliot, a driver deeply rooted in the sport through his father, Hall of Famer Bill Elliott, recognizing Jordan’s authenticity is a major tip of the cap. “Kind of going back to us staying true to what we’re doing, I think that the biggest thing that works for Michael being involved is that he is being true to himself by being a part of our sport because he loves it that much,” Elliot noted. “I think that’s why it works. I think that’s why they’re doing well too.”
2. From the Hardwood to the High Banks
© Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
Jordan’s transition from the hardwood to the high banks of Daytona and Talladega might seem surprising to the casual observer, but for those who know his history, it makes perfect sense.
Growing up in North Carolina, the heartland of stock car racing, Jordan’s father was an avid car enthusiast and a backyard mechanic.
In previous interviews, Jordan has admitted that racing keeps him alive in a post-basketball world, offering a competitive outlet that running an NBA franchise simply couldn’t replicate.
The sheer athleticism required to wrestle a 3,400-pound machine around a track at 190 miles per hour intrigued him enough to dive in headfirst.
3. The Narrative Around NASCAR
This dynamic creates a fascinating narrative for the current NASCAR season. You have legacy powerhouses like Hendrick Motorsports, where Elliot operates as the quiet anchor, going toe-to-toe with the loud, ambitious, and star-studded operation of 23XI Racing.
When Elliot, who currently sits comfortably inside the top five in the points standings with a recent win at Martinsville, acknowledges the threat and the value of Jordan’s team, it validates the new era of NASCAR. It shows that the old guard and the new blood can collaborate.
The tension and excitement in the NASCAR Cup Series will only intensify as the playoffs approach. With 23XI Racing fighting for its place at the top of NASCAR and Elliot finding his championship form, the garage isn’t short of energy.
If Jordan’s ultimate goal was to inject his legendary winning mentality into the DNA of a new sport, he has officially succeeded. Now, the rest of the field just has to figure out how to keep up.