23XI Racing Wins Daytona 500 After Antitrust Battle

Michael Jordan celebrates first Daytona 500 victory as team owner after settling lawsuit with NASCAR

Feb. 17, 2026 at 7:07pm

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Michael Jordan's 23XI Racing team won the 2026 Daytona 500 with driver Tyler Reddick just months after the team and Front Row Motorsports settled a federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR. The victory celebration included an emotional embrace between Jordan and Reddick, as well as a handshake between Jordan and NASCAR Chairman Jim France, signaling the end of the contentious legal battle.

Why it matters

The Daytona 500 win is a major milestone for 23XI Racing and Michael Jordan, who entered NASCAR ownership in 2021. The victory comes after a high-profile antitrust lawsuit that consumed the sport for over two years, with Jordan and others challenging NASCAR's control over the sport. The settlement and Jordan's subsequent Daytona 500 triumph suggest a new era of cooperation between team owners and NASCAR leadership.

The details

In December 2025, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports settled their federal antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR just days into the trial. The lawsuit had accused NASCAR of monopolistic practices that limited team owners' ability to operate independently. With the legal battle now resolved, 23XI driver Tyler Reddick was able to deliver Jordan his first Daytona 500 victory as a team owner.

  • The antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR was settled in December 2025, just days into the trial.
  • The 2026 Daytona 500 took place on February 17, 2026.

The players

Michael Jordan

Basketball Hall of Famer and co-owner of 23XI Racing, who inherited a passion for NASCAR from his late father.

Tyler Reddick

The driver who won the 2026 Daytona 500 for 23XI Racing, Jordan's NASCAR team.

Jim France

The chairman of NASCAR, who congratulated Jordan and 23XI Racing after their Daytona 500 victory.

Denny Hamlin

The three-time Daytona 500 winner who is partners with Michael Jordan at 23XI Racing.

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What they’re saying

“Both sides have been somewhat at a stalemate and we both needed to have conversations about change, how we can grow this sport. Unfortunately, we had to go through what we had to go through. 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.”

— Michael Jordan

“I think December was a wake-up call. I think that the conversations since then have been a lot of self-reflection, in my opinion, from NASCAR. I think they would have done things differently had they had the opportunity to. But we knew that we needed to stick up for what we believed was right. We have to now figure out how we can get the sport back where it was decades ago.”

— Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing Partner

What’s next

The judge in the antitrust case will hold a hearing on Tuesday to formally approve the settlement between 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and NASCAR.

The takeaway

Michael Jordan's first Daytona 500 victory as a NASCAR team owner, coming shortly after the resolution of the high-profile antitrust lawsuit, signals a new era of cooperation between team owners and the sport's leadership. This win could help grow NASCAR's fanbase and pave the way for further innovation and progress in the years ahead.