NASCAR's first black team owner to win Daytona 500 'already talking trash' with Michael Jordan

The 65th run of the iconic Daytona 500 last weekend saw surprise winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. take the checkered flag in P1 as the 2023 regular NASCAR season kicked off.

The JTG Daugherty Racing driver was seen edging the field after the race ended under yellow flags in double overtime, both times due to caution flags, due to the typical carnage that usually takes place at the end of the 500-mile-long race.

Stenhouse's victory at the Daytona Beach, Florida track was his and his team's first victory in the 'Great American Race'. It also marked the first time a principal owner of color won the race as a team owner.

Co-owned by former advertising executive Tad Geschickter and his wife Jodi Geschickter in conjunction with former NBA All-Star center Brad Daugherty, JTG Daugherty Racing made headlines in stock car racing last weekend.

Elaborating on how Daugherty has made history in NASCAR as the first black principal team owner to win the Daytona 500, co-owner Jodi Geschickter elaborated on how Daugherty and his former basketball rival Michael Jordan have been in conversation with each other:

“I talked to him for a few minutes, and he said that he and Michael Jordan are already talking trash. I’m not sure what was said, but there have been conversations.”

Elaborating further on the diversity in the NASCAR Cup Series team's garage, Geschickter added:

“America doesn’t just look like the people in the garage have looked like for 55 years. It’s diverse and everyone has different points of view and different talents and treasures. Brad (Daugherty) certainly adds a different element to what we do and different thinking and a different background, and I think it’s the same from engineering to tyre changers to drivers. It’s sorely needed.”

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Ricky Stenhouse speaks about diversity at JTG Daugherty Racing in NASCAR Cup Series

After his trip to victory lane after 500 miles of the historic Daytona International Speedway, Ricky Stenhouse elaborated on Daugherty becoming the first black owner to win the Daytona 500. He said:

“We’ve got a lot of diversity on our race team throughout the garage, and it’s cool to have two on our race team and put them in Victory Lane here at the Daytona 500. It’s super special, and NASCAR is leading the way in a big way. It’s cool to play a small part of getting them to Victory Lane.”

Watch Ricky Stenhouse try his luck next weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series goes live from Auto Club Speedway next Sunday (February 26).