$3.5B NASCAR team co-owner Michael Jordan congratulates Martin Truex Jr. on his splendid career 

Retired NBA champion and co-owner of 23XI Racing Michael Jordan reportedly congratulated 2017 Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. for a great NASCAR career after Sunday's Cup Series race at the Phoenix Raceway. The race marked Truex's final as a full-time Cup Series driver.

The meeting between the driver and the car owner was reported by racing insider Kelly Crandall via X. Crandall wrote:

"Michael Jordan came by to congratulate Martin Truex Jr. on his career."

Sunday's 312-lap event started well for the driver of the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota as he took the green flag from the pole position. However, the New Jersey native would get shuffled back and ultimately finish 17th.

Meanwhile, Jordan's driver, Tyler Reddick, battled with Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and William Byron as one of the Championship 4 drivers. Unfortunately for 23XI Racing, the driver of the #45 Toyota finished in sixth place and ranked fourth among the title contenders. Joey Logano went on to win at Phoenix and captured his third career championship.

Truex announced last June that he'd be stepping away from full-time Cup Series competition at the end of the 2024 season. In a recent interview with FOX Sports racing insider Bob Pockrass, he was asked what his plans were after he left racing. Truex said he hadn't figured it out yet, but added that he had a few things in mind.

"I'm not sure yet," Truex said. "Hunt and fish. Enjoy life. I'm sure I'll watch some racing still, probably won't be as closely interested in it as I am now. But I don't know. We'll see. Time will tell."

Jordan, meanwhile, has been involved in an ongoing legal battle against NASCAR. After failing to reach a charter agreement with NASCAR, Jordan's team, along with Front Row Motorsports, filed a lawsuit against the sport and its CEO Jim France, accusing them of monopolistic practices. The latest development came on Friday when a federal judge denied the team's injunction to retain their charters for next season.

Tyler Reddick doesn't mind being called a "little kid" by boss Michael Jordan

Two weeks ago, after Tyler Reddick passed Ryan Blaney on the final lap to win at Homestead-Miami and clinch a spot in Championship 4, Michael Jordan was interviewed by NBC Sports. The basketball great called his driver a "little kid," saying:

"Little kid [Tyler Reddick] drove his ass off. I'm proud of him. He just let go [on the final lap]. He just went for it, and I'm glad. We needed it."

The following week, Reddick was asked what he thought of being called a little kid by his boss. The driver said he didn't mind it as long as they kept winning together.

"I can be whatever he wants as long as we keep getting race-winning cars like that and keep fighting like we have been this year."

Reddick finished fourth in the final standings and won three races this season at Talladega, Michigan, and Homestead-Miami. Jordan's other driver, Bubba Wallace, failed to make the playoffs and finished 18th in the final standings.