Michael Jordan MVP in the NBA Finals six times teamed up with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to form a new team for 2021, and Bubba Wallace is on board to lead for them. Jordan and Hamlin purchased the Trophy Series Charter from Germain Family Racing, which currently holds driver Tay Dillon at number 13.
Jordan will be the main owner of the team with Hamlin as a minority partner as he continues to drive Joe Gibbs Racing at Toyota No. 11. The NBA legend is now the first owner of the black majority for a full-time racing team in the NASCAR Cup series since Wendell Scott owned and raced his own car. From the 1960s to the early 1970s.
Jordan issued a statement Monday night:
“Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take me and my brothers and sisters to the races, and I’ve been a NASCAR fan all my life. The opportunity to have my own racing team partnered with my friend, Denny Hamlin, and to have Bubba Wallace lead us, is very exciting to me. Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity and there have been a few black owners. The timing seemed perfect as NASCAR evolves and embraces social change more and more. In addition to the latest commitment and donations it has made to combat systemic racism, I see this as an opportunity to educate a new audience and open up more opportunities for blacks in Races “.
Wallace also released a statement, stating it is a “once in a lifetime opportunity”.
“This is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I think is very appropriate for me at this point in my career,” Wallace said on social media. “I am grateful and humble that they believe in me and I am so excited to start this adventure with them.”
Wallace recently announced that he would leave his current team, Richard Petty Motorsports, at the end of the season for a better chance. We know now that the opportunity is a multi-year deal to be the only driver on Team Jordan / Hamlin.
Wallace, the first full-time driver for the African-American Cup Series in decades, has been an important off-track voice for NASCAR this season. During a TV interview earlier this year, he pushed for the sport to ban the Confederate flag in events. Sport also rallied around him after a noose – which turned out not to be a hate crime after the FBI investigation – was discovered in his garage. Wallace also drove a car with the Black Lives Matter as the primary sponsor. He brought in millions of dollars in sponsorship, which helped align the deal with Hamlin and Jordan.
NASCAR has also released a statement welcoming Jordan into the sport.
The team name, vehicle number, manufacturer and other details will be announced at a later date. However, if Jordan wanted to use its legendary number 23, it would be available. BK Racing last held that number in 2018 before the team sold its plane to Front Row Motorsports to operate a different number. NASCAR has car numbers and can supply this new team on demand. As for the manufacturer, Hamlin has a strong relationship with Toyota, which he has led for more than a decade.
The news comes on the same day Ross Chastain was tied for filling No.42 for Chip Ganassi Racing, an offer that was originally extended to Wallace. Kyle Larson, who was released from that trip after racial slurs at an iRacing event in April, is still a free agent alongside Eric Jones, who currently leads the 20th Joe Gibbs race, but is set to replace him by Christopher Bell at the end of the season.
There is still one major ride to fill, which is Jimmy Johnson. Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 will be vacated at the end of the season when Johnson retires. Larson and Jones were both rumored to be candidates.
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