Michael Jordan stopped in Fort Worth for NASCAR rather than do F1 in Miami
Most of the world’s pretty people on Sunday attended F1’s Miami Grand Prix, but the most famous athlete skipped South Beach to watch a NASCAR race in Fort Worth.
Michael Jordan was not originally scheduled to appear at NASCAR’s Würth 400, but something changed, and he was at Texas Motor Speedway to oversee his race team. According to TMS officials, Jordan made it a point to meet the celebrity pace car driver, the Dallas Mavericks’ Cooper Flagg.
(Their respective alma maters — North Carolina and Duke — are hated rivals, but they do share one common trait: They both were named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year in seasons where they led their teams in points, rebounds, assists and steals; they are the only NBA rookies to ever achieve that feat.)
One element to Jordan’s presence with NASCAR that has been grossly exaggerated — he’s not saving this sport. No team owner can “save” NASCAR. NASCAR doesn’t need a savior. What he can do, and is doing, is to make NASCAR cool.
No athlete in the last 50 years exudes coolness like Michael Jordan, who creates an audience because of his reluctance to seek it.
Michael Jordan does NASCAR
On Sunday afternoon, it was odd to see arguably still the most popular athlete on pit row at Texas Motor Speedway.
No. 1. He’s every centimeter of his listed 6-foot-6. Not many people over 6-foot-1 walk up and down pit row at a car race.
No. 2. He’s Black. Not a lot of minorities on pit row at a NASCAR race. Or any car race.
No. 3. He’s Michael Friggin Jordan.
MJ, Air, Jump Man, Black Jesus, or Mike, is some combination of Michael Jackson, Mike Tyson, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Ali and Taylor Swift. Fame had her way with Jordan; it’s a little surprising she didn’t kill him.
MJ retired from basketball in 2003, and his presence, popularity and aura remain unrivaled. His passion for privacy, combined with the way he regulates his interviews and public appearances, only add to a mystique that somehow social media did not ruin but only strengthened.
Whereas Shaq, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and scores of others swim in social media in an effort to make more money, Jordan does nothing with any of it.
As he stood in his team’s pit area watching one of his team’s drivers — in this case Bubba Wallace — he wore headsets and watched the telecast, occasionally shaking his head in disgust. Can’t imagine it’s too fun being on the wrong end of Michael Jordan’s head shake.
Meanwhile, there were a dozen fans who paid, or were given, access to pit lane, just standing there watching him as he watched the race. This was lap 102.
To these fans, and so many others, watching Michael Jordan watch a NASCAR race was just as interesting, if not more, than watching the same race with their own eyes.
Jordan’s presence and affiliation with a brand is more powerful than any other entity in sports, and near the top in all entertainment media. That he wants to be in NASCAR as an owner is great for the racing organization, but stop short on the concept that he’s rescuing it.
Michael Jordan’s real impact in NASCAR
When Jordan formed his race team in 2020, no one was sure if this was going to be a case of Joe Gibbs, or Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.
Gibbs, the former Washington Redskins NFL coach, formed his own race team that became one of the most successful in NASCAR. Aikman and Staubach once entered the NASCAR game, but that venture didn’t last too long.
It takes a lot of money, and time, to win in NASCAR.
Jordan’s interest level is Gibbs-like, plus he is fully aware of his power and influence.
Just as Jordan had no problem attacking 7-foot defenders at the rim, he did the same with a racing organization that essentially ran a monopoly for decades. Jordan’s successful antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, which was settled in December ‘25, changed the sport and should allow for a more equitable model for owners, and more money.
People in this sport had complained about this model for decades, but he is the one who actually forced NASCAR to change it.
With that done, his race team is one that can win the series championship.
After the race on Sunday, former NASCAR champion and now Hendrick Motorsports co-chairman Jeff Gordon estimated there are 12 drivers on a given race who can actually win the race. Jordan’s team, 23XI, which is co-owned by current driver Denny Hamlin, is consistently in that dozen.
Hamlin, who still races for Gibbs, finished second on Sunday, 23XI’s Tyler Reddick fourth. Reddick said after the race he thought his car was good enough to win it, which it was.
Reddick already has five wins on the season, including the Daytona 500.
NASCAR was fine without Michael Jordan, but his presence adds something to it, because although he’s 63 there is no one any cooler than MJ.
This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 7:56 PM.
