Michael Jordan Celebrates Tyler Reddick's Top-5 Short Track Finish

The 23XI Racing co-owner hugs Reddick after his strong performance at Bristol despite struggles on similar tracks.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 12:26am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An abstract expressionist painting using vibrant neon brushstrokes to capture the kinetic energy and movement of a NASCAR race, with the cars and drivers blending into a colorful, chaotic scene.Michael Jordan's celebratory embrace of Tyler Reddick's surprising short track success reflects the high-octane emotions of NASCAR's biggest personalities.Bristol Today

Tyler Reddick, the current NASCAR points leader, finished a surprising fourth at the Bristol Motor Speedway short track race, earning praise and a hug from his team co-owner Michael Jordan. Reddick has struggled on short tracks this season, but was able to overcome brake and steering issues to secure a top-5 result at the demanding Bristol circuit.

Why it matters

Reddick's short track performance has been a weakness so far in 2026, with a 15th place finish at Martinsville being his lowest result of the season. The strong run at Bristol shows he and the 23XI team are making progress on improving their short track package, which will be crucial as the playoffs approach.

The details

Reddick qualified well and ran up front for much of the Bristol race, fending off a late charge from drivers like Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney to secure the fourth-place finish. Despite some communication issues early and ongoing brake/steering problems, Reddick was able to grind out a solid result on the demanding Bristol short track.

  • Reddick finished 15th two Sundays ago at Martinsville Speedway, the first traditional short track race of the 2026 season.
  • The Bristol race took place on Sunday, April 13, 2026.

The players

Tyler Reddick

The current NASCAR points leader driving the #45 Toyota Camry for 23XI Racing.

Michael Jordan

Co-owner of the 23XI Racing team that fields cars for Tyler Reddick.

Kyle Larson

NASCAR driver of the #5 car who was chasing down Reddick late in the Bristol race.

Ryan Blaney

NASCAR driver of the #12 car who was also pressuring Reddick late in the Bristol race.

Billy Scott

Crew chief for Tyler Reddick's #45 Toyota Camry.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I thought you may pull it off but then again, they had some good tires coming behind you. The 5 [Kyle Larson] and the 12 [Ryan Blaney], they were coming pretty hard. That was a good day. On a short track, you should be happy. I should be hugging you.”

— Michael Jordan, 23XI Racing Co-Owner

“It feels really good. Yeah, for me, unfortunately, miscommunication before that first pit sequence. Just had my wrong mark. It was a really good bounce-back for our Toyota Camry. Billy [Scott, crew chief], everybody on this 45 team did a really good job. Yeah, we had to fight for it all day long. We had more speed this time around, which was great, but unfortunately still fighting brake and steering issues along the way. Very physical day inside the race car. I may even take a day off tomorrow.”

— Tyler Reddick

What’s next

Reddick will look to build on his strong Bristol run next Sunday at Kansas Speedway, a track he won at in September 2023.

The takeaway

Despite his struggles on short tracks this season, Tyler Reddick's fourth-place finish at Bristol shows the 23XI Racing team is making progress on improving their short track package. This will be crucial as the NASCAR playoffs approach, where strong short track performances could be the difference between winning a championship or falling short.