feature-image
feature-image

Earlier today, Denny Hamlin and NBA legend Michael Jordan set up a NASCAR team for the 2021 season. For the moment, the team is unnamed, but they have chosen Bubba Wallace to race for them.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

This isn’t the first time Jordan’s name has been associated with the stock car series. In fact, in October 2013, Denny Hamlin raced with the Michael Jordan brand on his #51 vehicle.

ADVERTISEMENT

That was a truck race at the Martinsville Speedway. He only managed to finish in 6th, though he did start on pole. It is also worth noting that Bubba Wallace won that same race.

ALSO READ- All You Need to Know as Bubba Wallace Joins the New Michael Jordan-Denny Hamlin NASCAR Team

ADVERTISEMENT

The Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin collaboration

So far, all the parties have kept mum on other intricate details. However, it is expected that 23 will be their car number, as 23 is the iconic number that featured on Jordan’s jersey.

ADVERTISEMENT

Denny Hamlin even released a statement about the plans he had with Jordan. In it, he revealed how he and the NBA star met and how their friendship blossomed.

ADVERTISEMENT

He also confirmed that the plan was always to recruit Bubba Wallace. According to Denny Hamlin, the African-American driver has shown a lot of improvement. In addition, he declared that his team can give Wallace a race-winning car.

However, Hamlin also admitted that he is focusing on wrapping up the 2020 campaign. To be precise, his efforts to catch Kevin Harvick in the championship. Even Bubba Wallace will be keen to see out the remainder of the 2020 campaign before his new venture.

ADVERTISEMENT

Previously, rumors suggested that Wallace would return to Richard Petty Motorsports or move to Chip Ganassi Racing. However, this latest announcement from Denny Hamlin has practically solidified Wallace’s future.

With someone like Michael Jordan backing them, the 26-year-old driver will be eager to deliver in 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Dhruv George

14,858 Articles

Dhruv George is EssentiallySports’ foremost authority on motorsport and a founding member of the outlet’s NASCAR desk. A Journalism graduate fluent in English and French, he brings over eight years of motorsports journalism experience covering everything from high-octane NASCAR battles to the finesse of Formula 1 and MotoGP. His extensive paddock access has earned him exclusive interviews with top names such as F1’s Pierre Gasly and Moto2’s Tony Arbolino, cementing his reputation as a trusted voice among racing fans. Known for his candid opinions, Dhruv isn’t afraid to tackle contentious officiating calls, most recently defending Joey Logano after the DYL penalty in Phoenix. Before focusing on NASCAR as a Senior Writer, Dhruv contributed extensively to EssentiallySports’ coverage of F1 and NASCAR, building a versatile and impactful sports portfolio.

Know more

ADVERTISEMENT