Tyler Reddick admits he was nervous when he first met Michael Jordan.
Reddick has no problem driving a race car at 200 miles per hour. But would you like to meet one of the most famous sportsmen in the world, who co-owns the 23XI Racing team? It affected him. “It was the first time I met Michael, I was honestly so nervous,” Reddick said. “You’re meeting one of the best people who’s ever done this. I remember being nervous and trying not to say the wrong thing or act stupid or crazy.” When it comes to saying the wrong thing, Reddick knows that actions speak louder than words. Especially when it comes to winning games and championships.
Reddick, 28, will challenge for the NASCAR Cup Series title Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, where he will face reigning Cup champion Ryan Blaney, two-time title winner Joey Logano and William Byron. The driver with the highest ranking among these four becomes the champion. Not only is this Reddick’s first appearance as a Cup 4 championship driver (Reddick has won two Xfinity titles in the format), but also his first appearance in a 23XI championship round in the organization’s four-year history. Jordan, a North Carolina native whose father occasionally raced motorcycles, owns the team founded by close friend Denny Hamlin, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing.
“As I got to know [Jordan] better and spent more time with him, it was great to meet Michael, it was great for him to meet me and I saw how passionate he is about racing.” Reddick said. “He made it more clear to me from our first conversation, but I’ve seen it in his actions and passion over the last two years.”Jordan sits in the pit before the race, often behind the crew chief. For Billy Scott, Reddick’s crew chief, he was well aware of Jordan’s presence. After Reddick’s victory two weeks ago, Jordan praised Scott’s strategy. For Scott, who was making his first appearance as a crew chief in four championships, hearing Jordan talk about him in the media was different than what he expected.
“It’s a little surreal,” Scott said. “It’s going to take a long time to fully absorb it, but it’s amazing how much he understands and studies the sport and knows everything that’s going on. “[What he said] means a lot because he knows as much about it as the fans or the other owners. So it’s right if he praises me.”And it is used in the opposite sense. Jordan called a play date last year, but he wasn’t upset. “At the end of the day, he made up his mind about what he heard, and he didn’t like what he heard,” Hamlin said. “It was clear what a championship team looks like, what a winning team looks like, and how we need to change the way we communicate and the way we critique everything.
“It was an important moment for the team and our drivers to take responsibility for everyone’s shortcomings and hear how we can improve.”If Reddick can win the title, he won’t be doing it alone, adding to the buzz around him as he heads to Jordan for his first, fourth championship as a driver and team co-owner. However, the organization is now rumored to be suing NASCAR on antitrust grounds. Outside court on Monday, Jordan said he believed his team could put it away. “The race team will be focused on what they need to do this weekend and I expect myself to be as well. “…I’m looking forward to winning a championship this weekend,” Jordan said.
Reddick said he can put those rumors to rest in his first attempt as a four-time champion. He believes his past experience in the Xfinity Series will help him focus on the task at hand. “It doesn’t affect me,” Reddick said of the 23XI dynamic. “I wish I could explain why, but I want to focus on what I can control. It’s my race car, my team, our preparation and our mentality for the weekend. “I’ll put off the rest and worry about it later.”
If he can win the title, Reddick is sure to get another hug from Jordan like he did after the Hosted win. That afternoon, Jordan called Reddick “a little boy.”According to Reddick, Jordan can call him that, even though Reddick is 28 years old. “[He] can do whatever he wants as long as we keep getting cars like this and fighting like we did this year,” Reddick said. “I’d rather Michael say I’m a boy than not say anything. “I’m fine.”
