Michael Jordan will partner with friend and current NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to form a new NASCAR Cup Series race team with high profile driver Bubba Wallace. Team will debut at the 2021 season opener at Daytona in February.
"Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity, and there have been few Black owners," Jordan said in his statement. "The timing seemed perfect, as NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more."
"Eleven years ago, I met Michael Jordan at a then-Charlotte Bobcats game, and we became fast friends," Hamlin wrote. "Not long after, I joined Jordan Brand as their first NASCAR athlete. Our friendship has grown over the years, and now we are ready to take it to the next level. "Deciding on the driver was easy -- it had to be Bubba Wallace."
Michael Jordan as a NASCAR Cup Series team owner is a welcome addition to this sport. This should be a positive influence on the growth of NASCAR attracting potential new sponsors and expanding fan outreach.
The group appears to have struck an agreement to acquire the team charter from Germain Racing #13 race team. While the other details about the single-car team, including team name, manufacturer and sponsors, will be announced at a later date, my bet is the team number will changing to #23.