Friendship and Ambition: Denny Hamlin’s Journey to Championship Glory with Michael Jordan

Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan have been close friends for more than ten years. Jordan, a basketball legend, is also Hamlin’s business partner as they co-own the Cup series team 23XI Racing. In a recent NASCAR docu-series called NASCAR: Full Speed, Hamlin’s father shared a story about Jordan’s gift to him. Jordan gave him a cigar along with a letter, instructing him to smoke it when Hamlin finally wins a championship. Hamlin, known as one of the most successful drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series without a title, has won 51 races in his career, including three Daytona 500s. However, his pursuit of the championship often falls short. In the 2023 season, he had a strong performance until the eighth race, but inconsistency led to a fifth-place finish in the championship standings. Hamlin’s involvement in the Netflix docu-series, which is currently popular in the US and Canada, has made him one of the key figures. Despite initial concerns about how he would be portrayed, Hamlin is pleased with the accuracy of his portrayal in the series.