Just over two months after Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing settled a major lawsuit against NASCAR, the sports icon is happy with what came out of the 15-month-long process.
He’ll be even happier with the result of Sunday’s Daytona 500.
Jordan’s team got its first win at Daytona with the No. 45 car, as Tyler Reddick won the race after an action-packed final lap.
FINAL LAPS: Tyler Reddick outlasts Chase Elliott to win 2026 Daytona 500 | NASCAR on FOX
In an interview with FOX Sports’ Jamie Little ahead of Sunday’s race, Jordan shared that he thinks the settlement will be a boon for both 23XI Racing and NASCAR moving forward.
“Communication — the thing is, both sides have been somewhat at a stalemate and we both needed to have conversations about change, how we can grow this sport,” Jordan said. “Unfortunately, we had to go through what we had to go through last summer. But I think coming out of that, you have a much better appreciation for each other and I think it opens up conversations amongst each other to continue to grow the game.
“Don’t forget about the fans. The fans make this game so much enjoyable to watch. As much as we can listen, change, please the fans, please the teams and continue to grow the sport, I think everybody’s going to be OK.”
Michael Jordan Opens up About 23XI Lawsuit Against NASCAR & More
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The settlement awarded 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports charters after both relinquished their charters when they didn’t sign the 2025-31 agreement to pursue the lawsuit. It also included an amendment with an agreement for all teams to have a form of “evergreen charters.”
While the two sides were able to reach an agreement, that came after an eight-day trial process in court. The lawsuit also led to a pretty stark change in NASCAR, with charters for all teams becoming permanent and a return of the “Three-Strike Rule.” Teams will also receive revenue from NASCAR’s international media rights deal.
With the lawsuit behind 23XI Racing, the focus for Jordan’s team is now getting positive results after a down year in 2025. The team only won one race, with Bubba Wallace capturing a victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Tyler Reddick took a hit in the standings, and he’s about to become a free agent at the end of the 2026 season.
As there’s some pressure on 23XI Racing, Jordan is hoping his team can set the tone for the new season at Sunday’s Daytona 500.
“We got a couple of young kids that are learning. We’ve got a couple of veterans that are going to be up front. I think we’ve got a good team, good leaders and hopefully one of the four — I’ll take any one of the four — wins,” Jordan said. “I want to see us at the end, all four cars, which is very difficult, especially at a race like this. You just need to avoid the big one. But if we can put ourselves in a good position, that’s all I’ll ever ask for.”
