Michael Jordan's Racing Team Tops NASCAR After 4 Wins

Michael Jordan's competitive fire isn't cooling down with age. The NBA legend is channeling that same energy into NASCAR, where his 23XI Racing team currently leads the 2026 season standings.

Driver Tyler Reddick has already scored four wins in just seven races for Jordan's team. The success has Jordan celebrating in the pit lane like he once did on basketball courts.

"I think I'm cursed," Jordan told CBS Mornings co-host Gayle King. "I'm cursed with this competitive gene that anything I do is from a competitive lens."

That drive shows up everywhere in Jordan's life. He even races his wife Yvette to the bathroom each morning so he can get to the golf course on time.

Jordan traces his competitive nature back to childhood, though he can't pinpoint exactly when it started. "I think my appetite to prove as a kid created this competitive thing within me that has transcended and taken over everything I do," he explained.

Michael Jordan's Racing Team Tops NASCAR After 4 Wins

The journey to NASCAR success wasn't quick. Jordan co-owns 23XI Racing with veteran driver Denny Hamlin, and the team struggled at first.

Why This Inspires

Jordan's NASCAR story proves that the same qualities that make champions in one field can transfer to completely new challenges. His willingness to start over in an unfamiliar sport, face early failures, and work through them shows that competitiveness paired with perseverance pays off at any age.

The racing world doubted whether a basketball icon could make a real impact in motorsports. Jordan's team is answering those doubts with checkered flags.

"Every time you see me giddy down in the pit, it's because we're doing it," Jordan said. "We're starting to make a difference in a sport that no one thought we could make a difference in."

Jordan believes his competitive trait helps people push past the point where many others quit. "Some people get right at the cusp of what success really means, and they can never get over that hump," he noted.

At 61, Jordan is proving that staying hungry for new challenges keeps you young.