Michael Jordan is in his second year as a NASCAR team owner and despite the issues that come from being a new team, he’s been somewhat successful. Along with Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing won its first race last year as Bubba Wallace won a rain-shortened Talladega race.
Expanding to a two-car team in 2022, the team added Cup Series champion Kurt Busch and the Chicago sports fan made quick work getting into victory lane, winning at Kansas in an Air Jordan sponsored Toyota.
It's gotta be the shoes. 🏁👟
RETWEET TO CONGRATULATE KURT BUSCH ON HIS WIN AT KANSAS!@23XIRacing | @Jumpman23 pic.twitter.com/nfqwG0YQ4P
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 15, 2022
On top of the win and getting in a position to make the playoffs, Kurt got an added bonus with the victory. Talking with ESPN’s Marty Smith back in February, Kurt revealed that he had a Michael Jordan rookie card that he gave to MJ to sign but instead of getting it back, he told his car owner to keep the card and “when we win together, I get it back.”
.@KurtBusch was on @SportsCenter during a ride-a-long with @espn Reporter @MartySmithESPN around the track at @DAYTONA discussing the future at 23XI – and gifted him a pair of Jordan Georgetown 1s! pic.twitter.com/L5AlCj0gxj
— 23XI Racing (@23XIRacing) February 24, 2022
“Here’s the deal I made with MJ. I said, ‘You sign this but you keep it, and when we win together, I get it back.’ He says, ‘Deal.’”
It took until May but not only did Kurt get the win, he’s going to get his Jordan rookie card back with MJ’s autograph. Not a bad day on the track.
