In an exclusive interview on FOX NASCAR’s pre-race show prior to Sunday’s Daytona 500, Michael Strahan sat down with basketball legend and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan, co-owner Denny Hamlin and driver Bubba Wallace.
The quartet of stardom talked about a variety of topics, including Jordan’s NASCAR fandom from a young age, how 23XI Racing formed and the social injustice initiatives that has surrounded Wallace since early 2020.
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“I’ve been texting these clowns … I’m excited, I’m nervous even though I’m not getting in the car,” Jordan told Strahan.
When asked by Strahan if he would attend races this year, Jordan said, “If I’m not there physically, you better believe I’ll be there mentally.”
Jordan and Wallace even had a few light-hearted moments during the interview.
“At the end of the day, they are the ones ultimately in control because they’re the ones signing them checks,” Wallace joked.
Jordan replied: “The thing is, we don’t sign checks to losers.”
While Jordan, Hamlin and Wallace appeared loose and ready to tackle the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, all eyes are on the newly formed team as a mixture of star power and expectation of performance leave them with plenty of pressure.
“From the start of this season to the end of the season,” Hamlin said, “I just want to see the arrow going in the right direction.”