NBA legend Michael Jordan and NASCAR star Denny Hamlin teamed up to start 23XI Racing in 2020 as the Chicago Bulls great sought to get into the stock-car racing world.
Jordan and Hamlin’s race team includes Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. Hamlin still drives for Joe Gibbs Racing despite owning the team with Jordan.
Hamlin is one of the top stars on the NASCAR Cup Series circuit, but one thing has eluded him his entire career – a NASCAR Championship. Netflix’s “NASCAR: Full Speed” documented Hamlin’s fight for his first title. The documentary featured his 50th and 51st wins during the 2023 season.
Hamlin’s father, Dennis, also had an interesting part in one of the episodes. He revealed a special gift Jordan gave him.
“Him and Michael Jordan are good friends, and now they’re partners,” Dennis Hamlin explained. “So, he pulls up in his Lamborghini, and he reaches down in his side door, pulls out this cigar.
“Michael Jordan signed it for me and wrote a little letter (that) says, ‘Break it when we in the championship.’ I’m supposed to break that and smoke that cigar. That’s what I’m going to do.”
Unfortunately, Hamlin failed to pick up the NASCAR Championship this past season. He finished in fifth place for the second consecutive season.
With Daytona only a few weeks away, Hamlin is preparing for the possibility of hoisting the trophy before the end of 2024.
“And I’d give you everything I own, every car in this garage, house, whatever, if I could make that happen,” Dennis Hamlin added.