Michael Jordan reacts to Daytona 500 win: "It feels like I won a championship"

23XI Racing now has seven wins at the Cup level, but it will be hard to top this. The team, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 Denny Hamlin, was founded in 2021.

Last year, the team secured its first crown jewel when Bubba Wallace was victorious in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A few months later, Tyler Reddick has won the sport's biggest race after leading just one lap, and he couldn't have done it without a push from teammate Riley Herbst.

Daytona 500 winner Tyler Reddick with 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan

Photo by: Chris Graythen - Getty Images

After arriving in Victory Lane, Michael Jordan spoke directly to NASCAR on FOX, giving his initial reaction to the big win: 

"I can't even believe it," said Jordan, who is just two days away from his 63rd birthday. "Yeah, I mean it was so, so gratifying. I mean, we had four guys that were really fighting, that was helping each other out. I mean, you never know how these races gonna end right? It's like you're just try to survive.

"I thought Riley [Herbst] did an unbelievable job by pushing at the end. Yeah, that shows you what teamwork can really, really do. He didn't get enough credit. He won't get enough credit, but we feel the love. We understand exactly what he did.

“I mean, we just hung in there all day. Great strategy by the team and we gave ourselves a chance at the end. Look I'm ecstatic. I don't even know what to say. It feels like I won a championship, but until I get my ring I won't even know."

Behind Reddick in the winner's circle, Herbst crashed across the line, finishing a career-best eighth. Wallace, who led the most laps at 40, placed tenth. And Corey Heim, making his Daytona 500 debut in a fourth 23XI entry, finished 28th.