Denny Hamlin comments on $3.2B worth Michael Jordan's unhinged emotions during NASCAR race at Darlington

Recently, Denny Hamlin commented on Michael Jordan getting nervous at the Darlington Race. He emphasized that as co-owners, the NBA legend and Hamlin were not actually in control of the car which made MJ unhinged during the regular-season final race.

Chase Briscoe triumphed in the Cook Out Southern 500 and Tyler Reddick emerged as the regular season champion. It marked the latter and his 23XI's first NASCAR title. However, Michael Jordan, who boasts a net worth of $3.2 B (via Forbes), was nervous as the #23 and #45 Toyotas ran across the 'Too Tough To Tame' track.

Hamlin explained why his team's co-owner was "absolutely terrified" during the 367-lap race. In his Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin podcast, he said:

"You can tell how nervous and into it he (MJ) was. It's fun knowing that someone that has been in the most pressure-packed situations as a professional athlete. When I'm out of races and I'm watching races conclude and I'm watching the #23 (Bubba Wallace) and the #45 (Tyler Reddick), you do get way more nervous because you can't control it," Hamlin said.

"I'm not in the car, I can't make this move or that move or do this or do that. I'm just looking at it from a fan's perspective, so yeah, certainly you feel a lot more vulnerable when you're just an owner and you hope that things just kind of work out," he added.

Reddick started his run from sixth place and placed his #45 Camry in fourth and eighth places during stages 1 and 2, respectively. The Californian didn't feel good and suffered from stomach illness throughout. Nonetheless, he sidelined Kyle Larson by a single point to become the 2024 regular season champion.

Wallace was the polesitter at Darlington and kept his #23 Toyota in second and ninth place during the two stages. He could've posted a promising finish but late race chaos on Lap 344 had something else in the bag for the Alabama native. After getting collected in a multi-car wreck, Wallace's track positions dropped and he rounded a 16th-place finish.

Michael Jordan throws a playful jibe at Denny Hamlin after the latter's "I might as well at least touch it (trophy)" remark

Denny Hamlin has been in NASCAR for decades. The 43-year-old marked his debut Cup Series race in 2005 at Kansas Speedway. Since then, the veteran amassed 54 race wins and boasts numerous notable victories. This includes three Daytona 500 wins (2016, 2019, 2020), three Southern 500 triumphs (2010, 2017, 2021), and the 2022 Coca-Cola 600 victory.

However, his hunt for a championship has always been met with setbacks. Nonetheless, he won his first title as a team owner. When Denny Hamlin approached the trophy and said, "Now, I might as well at least touch it," Michael Jordan playfully roasted 23XI's co-owner.

"You got one of these, don't you?," the NBA legend said.

Hamlin replied to MJ's jibe:

"No, no, no. Only one I got that says champion on it is a Daytona."

Here's the hilarious exchange between the team owners (via Denny Hamlin's Instagram).

23XI Racing was founded by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin in 2022 and registered their debut run at the 2021 Daytona 500. The team purchased a charter from Germain Racing to guarantee Bubba Wallace's spot in every points-paying race. They bought another charter from StarCom Racing for $13.5 million to field their #45 Toyota Camry from 2022 onwards.

The Huntersville-based outfit has competed in 134 races and has collected seven wins and the 2024 regular season title.