Kyle Busch praised 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan for being an exemplary resource for the team. The Richard Childress Racing driver outlined that owing to the NBA legend's multiple achievements in his career, the performance bar in 23XI’s paddock is high.
23XI Racing was founded by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan in 2020, and they began fielding their #23 Toyota Camry with Bubba Wallace behind the wheel. The Hunterville-based outfit registered its debut Cup Series run at the 2021 Daytona 500.
Michael Jordan has a long history with motorsports. His father used to work on a Cup car owned by a local salesman, Hoss Ellington. Moreover, after bagging his 1982 NCAA title, the NBA legend visited Charlotte Motor Speedway and met Richard Petty. One of the greatest basketball players, Jordan's triumphs include six NBA titles, five NBA MVP Awards, and 14-time NBA All-Star wins, to name a few.
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Kyle Busch hailed the 61-year-old for being a phenomenal resource person to the team. The RCR driver further explained that despite not being directly involved with day-to-day operations, MJ's accomplishments can help 23XI navigate through rough patches. Busch said (via "NASCAR" on X):
"Those guys (23XI) have such a resource at their fingertips, of being able to talk to that guy, ask him questions, 'How did you handle X moment or what did you do or what was your thought process.' All of those things to get inside the mind of the GOAT. And to have that resource is just phenomenal," Busch said.
"I think he (Michael Jordan) raises the bar for anyone that works there at 23XI because they know who that guy is, they know what his accomplishments have been," the two-time Cup Series champion added.
Moreover, before the team was formed, Denny Hamlin met Jordan at a Charlotte Hornets basketball game and didn’t expect the billionaire to be an ardent NASCAR follower.
When Kyle Busch turned down 23XI Racing for Richard Childress Racing
After lending his expertise for 15 years at Joe Gibbs Racing's garage, Kyle Busch parted ways with the team and looked elsewhere for a long-term seat, from the 2023 season onwards. His then-teammate, Denny Hamlin, offered a deal to race for his co-owned team, 23XI Racing.
As Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick already inked a multi-year contract with the Huntersville-based outfit, Hamlin could provide a short-term deal to Busch. However, that's not what the departing driver was looking for. As a result, he chose RCR for a multi-year agreement.
Speaking on the contract negotiations with Busch in 2022, Hamlin said (via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
"Did we inquire about short-term stint with Kyle next year? Yes, possibly. But I think that Kyle wanted more of a long-term stability. That doesn't mean that it guarantees him that he could be at 23XI long-term. But I just think that we weren't able to give those long-term securities that he was looking for, which I totally understand,” the 23XI Racing co-owner said.
Kyle Busch will drive for RCR in the 2025 season as well. However, an amendment in his contract could open the door to either recoup with Hendrick Motorsports or JGR or join hands with a new team.
