Kevin Harvick: 23XI Racing Could Be ‘Contenders All Year’ After Hot Start

At EchoPark Speedway in Georgia, home of the Autotrader 400, Tyler Reddick became the first driver since 2009 to win the opening two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season (including the Daytona 500), and just the sixth-ever to manage the feat. That in and of itself is an achievement worth noting, but Reddick is a member of Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing team — yes, that Michael Jordan. There would be attention on 23XI with the NBA legend and six-time champion at the helm — along with active driver Denny Hamlin — but Reddick achieving something historic and rare in NASCAR history only further justifies that attention. Reddick isn’t the only 23XI driver thriving early on, either. Teammate Bubba Wallace owns a pair of top-10 finishes and is second in overall points in the 2026 Cup standings. He was the leader for much of Sunday’s Autotrader 400 before a late slide in overtime. [MOTORSPORTS: ‘SPEED With Harvick And Buxton’ Debuts February 23] NASCAR on FOX analyst and 2014 Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, speaking on the debut episode of “SPEED With Harvick And Buxton,” alongside co-host Will Buxton, discussed the early success of Jordan’s 23XI on Monday following Reddick’s back-to-back wins. “When you look at 23XI and the results that are expected out of them, we almost gave them a hall pass last year for everything that they had going on outside of racing,” Harvick opened with, referring to 23XI’s antitrust suit against NASCAR, settled in December. “But the way that they have started this season, it makes you think that they are going to be contenders for the whole year. With the expectations we put on them — especially Tyler Reddick, we expect him to be a championship contender — but with Jordan at the race track, doing all the things that he has to do as a team owner and being present, takes it to a new level.” It’s not just the racing itself, but also the drivers on whom Jordan and his team can have an impact, as well. “We always talk about stars, and the way that we need stars, and Jordan can help his drivers become stars and do things that all the other drivers can’t,” Harvick said. “It’s a pretty unique situation, but they’re on a roll right now.” As Harvick explained, Reddick is expected to be a winner. He debuted in the Cup Series in 2019 and is a two-time champion in the NASCAR O’Reilly Series, was the runner-up in the 2025 Daytona 500 and had four other top-5 finishes besides, in the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix, Goodyear 400, Quaker State 400 and Grant Park 165. Those near-wins have become actual ones in 2026. [‘Holy Mackerel’: Michael Jordan on Tyler Reddick’s Back-to-Back Wins] To be a star, a driver needs to win — 23XI is two-for-two in that arena so far this season, thanks to Reddick. But remember, Wallace is right there in second behind him in the standings, despite ultimately finishing eighth in the Autotrader 400 after leading 46 laps. Jordan’s team is in an enviable position already this season, if that’s what disappointment for it looks like. Follow “SPEED” on YouTube, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook and TikTok.