Co-owner of NASCAR’s 23XI Racing team, Michael Jordan, praised his partner Denny Hamlin, who won his second Cup Series race of the season at Darlington. Jordan praised his friend for his competitive spirit and warned his haters by saying, “If you boo him, that makes him better.”
Hamlin won his first Cup race of 2025 at Martinsville, prompting Jordan to state that their “competitive juice” is the same, and that he is eager to see Hamlin secure his first Cup Series championship.
Speaking to Jamie Little of FOX NASCAR before the Darlington race, Jordan surprisingly predicted Hamlin’s victory. He said:
“He is a clown, but that’s him. That’s Denny. He’s a very confident driver. He’s a very confident person. His competitive juice is no different than mine. I mean, I love that. I want him to win a championship so badly because I think he’s earned that. Because of what he’s done for the sport for so long. He’s gonna grind it out; that’s just the way Denny is.
“If you boo him, that makes him better. If you boo me, that makes me better. I mean, that’s just the nature of a good competitor. So, I’m very happy for his win last week. Don’t be surprised if he [wins] today.”
Jordan also stated that he was happy about 23XI’s performance on the racetrack. He added:
“I’m so happy. I mean, the only thing that you can ever ask for as an owner, and probably as a team is just have a chance, you know. We, each week, we unload the cars, we have a chance. It’s up to the drivers, you know, to go out and do the necessary things to win. Our pit crew is on fire. So, it’s giving the drivers – putting the race back in their hands. So, I mean, look, I’m happy with our progress. I just hope that we continue to move up the ladder.”
“If you boo him, that makes him better. If you boo me, that makes me better.”Michael Jordan is here for #NASCARThrowback Sunday at Darlington and talks with @JamieLittleTV about @DennyHamlin‘s win last week.@Jumpman23 | #NASCARonFS1 pic.twitter.com/bfTnisqWOl
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 6, 2025
During the Darlington race, Kyle Larson spun out twice, which led Hamlin to claim victory. The second spin came after contact with 23XI driver Bubba Wallace, sending Larson into the inside wall and bringing out the caution flags. The incident compromised Ryan Blaney’s lead in the race. He found himself positioned behind Hamlin and Tyler Reddick, eventually securing fifth place.
The next Cup Series race is scheduled for this coming weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Could Hamlin make it three wins in a row? Only time will tell.
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