NBA legend and 23XI Racing co-owner Michael Jordan was left watching a bizarre scene unfold at the Homestead-Miami Speedway on Friday. During a practice session on November 6, the 23XI car driven by Tyler Reddick was in a confusing collision that brought the practice to an end just two days before the championship finale in South Florida.
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The unusual crash took place towards the conclusion of the final NASCAR Cup Series practice session of the 2026 season. It left Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry severely damaged just before the main event.
The incident happened as drivers were slowing down to head to pit road. Reddick was attempting to maximize his entry speed coming into the pits. But the difference in speed left all drivers no time to react.
Reddick unexpectedly caught the back of Zane Smith’s slowing car, causing his Camry to spin out. Even the commentators were surprised by the collision that happened within seconds.
Cameras captured a visibly shocked Jordan in the pit box watching this accident unfold with his hand holding the radio frozen in the air and his jaw unhinged. Smoke billowed from his lead car as the NBA icon could only stand on the sidelines.
It doesn’t appear any drivers were hurt in this collision. Initially, Reddick himself was confused at the turn of events. “Everything happened so fast, I only gathered that I crashed,” he told a reporter there.
Jordan tried to keep it positive when he told reporters he was “having a lot of fun in practice” with the best car he has ever had at the track, before it “ended really bad.”
The timing of the repair couldn’t come at a worst time. Jordan enjoyed a historic start to 2026, sweeping three early wins, including the Daytona 500. While Reddick is not in the Final 4 title hunt, 23XI had high hopes of capping off their strong 2026 season with a victory at Homestead.
Michael Jordan’s 23XI navigates end of 2026campaign
Unlike ‘man of few words,’ Michael Jordan, Tyler Reddick expressed deep frustration after the wreck and the severity of the damage to his Camry.
“I knew we were both coming down, knew he [Zane Smith] was making a hot pit in, we were kind of on the same page about doing that together,” Reddick told reporters post-session. “It’s practice, so you don’t get a speeding penalty, so you’re being aggressive, getting to the line. And it looks like Todd [Gilliland] and some cars ahead of him were turning into the garage, and by the time I commit to braking, I didn’t see that. It’s kind of, honestly, covered up by the 38, so I thought I was good. And basically about the last second when it’s either hit him or hit the barrels, I saw that there were cars turning into the garage in front of us. So just tried to lock it down and not hit anything too hard, but tore the car up really bad. The whole nose. It’s a bummer. It was the best car I’ve had here.”
The timing of the wreck leaves the 23XI Racing crew facing an intense repair crunch. They must fix the car before Saturday’s qualifying session. That leads directly into Sunday’s season finale.
None of Jordan’s 23XI Racing drivers are realistic contenders for the 2026 Cup Series championship this weekend. That list includes Reddick, Bubba Wallace, and Riley Herbst. Kyle Larson enters the final race as the title favorite, holding a sizable points lead over Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell.
Even without a title shot, Reddick has put together a strong 2026 campaign. He currently holds sixth place in the driver standings. He opened the year in historic fashion by sweeping three consecutive victories.
Jordan’s hands-on presence at the track underscores his commitment to NASCAR. He co-owns 23XI Racing and wants to build it into a championship contender. Before the 10-race postseason began, Jordan personally visited the team’s “Airspeed” headquarters in North Carolina. He delivered an inspiring pep talk to the shop mechanics and drivers.
“When he came in here to address the company, he’s just a great speaker,” Reddick previously shared regarding Jordan’s leadership. “He knows how to get the point across, he knows how to get people excited, and he knows how to make it relatable. Just an amazing leader, a great speaker, and for us, it was great that he made the time to come see us, come talk to us. Just anytime he makes time for us, it goes a long way. For me, anytime I get to spend that time with Michael, it leaves a huge impact on me. I really do love it when he comes to 23XI, to Airspeed, because I have an opportunity to see the impact that he has on the men and women that work here.”
Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, November 7. The 23XI Racing garage is now working against the clock to repair the No. 45 Camry or prepare a backup car for Sunday.