Ahead of a crucial Darlington 500, 23XI Racing co-owner and NBA GOAT Michael Jordan said he was nervous for his drivers, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick. Wallace was striving to make the NASCAR playoffs while Reddick was sick and fighting for the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season title. For one racer, things worked out well, while they did not for the other.
“I'm absolutely terrified right now,” Jordan admitted. “Because I want [Wallace] to do well, obviously. And Tyler [Reddick], too. I know Tyler's a little sick, but he's struggling, trying to get through it. But that's what NASCAR is all about. I enjoy it. I don't have basketball anymore, but this could replace it very easily. I'm excited for today.”
Jordan was ultimately right to be nervous about how Wallace would perform at the Darlington 500. The driver of the No. 23 Toyota finished in the middle of the pack at No. 16 and narrowly missed out on a playoff berth after making the playoffs in 2023.
On the flip side, Wallace's 23XI teammate overcame his illness to finish in the top 10 and earn himself a championship in a moment that was reminiscent to the famous Michael Jordan “Flu Game” back in 1997.
Tyler Reddick had Michael Jordan Flu Game to win title
Chase Brisco walked away from the Darlington 500 with the checkered flag and clinched a spot in the playoff finale, but the real winner of the day was Tyler Reddick, who came into the race under the weather, as Michael Jordan pointed out in his interview.
By beating Kyle Larsen in the race, Brisco helped 23XI Racing's Reddick win the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season title by just one point. After the race, and before he could celebrate, Reddick was so worn out by the grueling race with his illness, he had to get medical treatment.
Jordan knows all about this type of situation, as his Flu Game is one of the most iconic moments in NBA history.
In Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz, Jordan dropped 38 points despite being sick to give his Chicago Bulls a win and a 3-2 series lead. After Reddick's Flu Game, Jordan shared that he knew how his driver was feeling.
“I mean, I know what it feels like to be sick and trying to perform, and just to do what he did, I mean, I wasn’t going around 200 miles an hour in a car, but I’m proud of his effort, and we needed it,” Jordan said, per NASCAR.com. “We won by one point. I mean, he gutted it out. So hopefully he feels better tomorrow, and we feel better next week.”
The next race for Reddick will be when the NASCAR playoffs kickoff on September 8 at the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Follow Us
Subscribe
