In 1993, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Phoenix Suns in a 4-2 series and won their third consecutive NBA championship. This brought the portmanteau of the words three and repeat, three-peat onto the national stage.
In 1998, Jordan and the Bulls did it again. The Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in yet another 4-2 series. This was the second three-peat, and the second of the 1990s.
By the turn of the millennium, Jordan was past his prime. His professional basketball career was all but finished. Jordan would turn to other business ventures, such as buying a share of the now-Charlotte Hornets in 2006, playing some amateur golf, and founding a NASCAR team with NASCAR veteran Denny Hamlin, 23XI Racing.
Jordan comprises the “23” part of the team name, the “XI” being Denny Hamlin, who races using the No. 11, for Joe Gibbs Racing.
23XI Racing consists of three entries in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The No. 23 Toyota driven by Bubba Wallace, the No. 35 Toyota driven by second-year driver Riley Herbst, and the No. 45 Toyota driven by two-time NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Champion, Tyler Reddick.
This season, only three races in, a record has been set, a feat in which no driver has achieved in NASCAR”s 77-year history has occurred.
Tyler Reddick, the aforementioned driver of the No. 45 Toyota, has won the first three races of the season. He claimed victory at the Daytona 500, Autotrader 400, and the Texas Grand Prix.
While multiple drivers have won three races in a row, none of those few have started the season perfect through three races.
“I’m proud of the team that we’ve put together,” Jordan said on the FOX broadcast immediately after the race. “Denny I’m pretty sure is the same way. He feels the same way I do. I think a lot of credit goes to him because I think he’s the mastermind behind finding Tyler and putting together Billy Scott.”
Jordan continued, “Look, I just put up the money. I’m just a competitor. But I think Denny has done an unbelievable job in terms of helping build this team, and I think the team has done a good job of taking on leadership and going out and winning. That’s what it’s about, winning.”
Reddick had the following to say about his team owner: “Yeah, he reminded me early this week (that) he does things in threes,” said Reddick. “He expected no less today. I was really glad to be able to live up to the standards that he has for us and be able to deliver three in a row. That was really cool to share that moment with him.”
Reddick’s own three-peat can be considered Jordan’s third three-peat, as he is the listed car owner of not only the No. 45, but the Nos. 23 and 35 too.
This isn’t the end for Michael Jordan, however. Jordan’s commitment to 23XI Racing has taken the better half of four years, but he shows no signs of cold feet. Fresh off of a lawsuit settlement with NASCAR, 23XI Racing is in the best position they’ve been in in years, occupying the top two positions in the drivers and owners standings.
Tyler Reddick can extend his three-peat into a four-peat(…?) this weekend in Phoenix at the Straight Talk Wireless 400 on Sunday, March 8th at 3:30 PM EDT on FS1.
