Michael Jordan found himself at the center of another viral NASCAR moment after cameras caught him playfully grabbing his friend and business partner Denny Hamlin by the neck and planting a kiss on the side of his head.
The exchange happened at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, April 19, after Jordan’s driver Tyler Reddick pulled off a dramatic final-lap victory.
Jordan was celebrating the win when he walked up to Hamlin, wrapped his hand around his neck — playfully grabbing him — and kissed the side of his head before walking away. The video quickly spread on X, and fans didn’t hold back.
“Who grabs another man’s neck and kisses them. So WEIRD,” one X user wrote.
Why Michael Jordan Was Celebrating at Kansas Speedway
The moment makes more sense with some backstory.
Hamlin and Jordan jointly own 23XI Racing, a team launched ahead of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. Three full-time Cup drivers compete for the organization: Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst.
NASCAR star Denny Hamlin had the entire Hamlin family in tears on Sunday after winning his first race since losing his father, Dennis Hamlin, in a house fire late last year. The scene at Las Vegas Motor Speedway? Pure emotion — hugs from his mom, his fiancée, Jordan Fish, and all three of their kids […]
But here’s the twist: Hamlin, despite being an owner, continues to drive for rival team Joe Gibbs Racing. He plans to race full-time against his own cars through the conclusion of the following season.
That arrangement creates a genuine competitive streak between Hamlin and Jordan on race days.
At Kansas Speedway, Hamlin had every reason to be frustrated. Driving the No. 11 car, he led for 131 laps — more than any other driver. With two laps to go, Hamlin was positioned to win.
Then a late caution triggered an overtime restart that disrupted his lead.
Hamlin ultimately crossed the finish line in fourth place. Reddick overtook Kyle Larson on the final lap to claim victory.
The win would have been Hamlin’s fifth career triumph at the Kansas track. Instead, Reddick earned his fifth win of the 2026 season — an incredible feat, considering they’re only nine wins into the season.
So Jordan was celebrating. Hamlin was not. And as is tradition with them, Jordan was rubbing it in.
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin Sound Off on Competition
In an interview with FOX Sports after the race, Jordan made his competitive feelings clear.
“Look, I’m racing against Denny. So in essence, I really wanted to beat him because I know we’re going to talk a lot of trash a little bit later,” he said.
Hamlin responded with even more context on the April 20 episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast.
“I mean, I don’t expect him to understand where I’m at in that moment, right,” Hamlin said. “Every other Reddick win, I’ve been split, happy, sad, happy, sad and it just kind of depends on how my day went.”
“This one, I was full a hundred percent in my way on this one, you know what I mean. Like the emotions were all on Team 11 on that one for sure,” he added.
Hamlin also revealed that he had talked his trash to Jordan ahead of the race.
Michael Jordan’s racing team, 23XI Racing, has reportedly been sued by NASCAR for allegedly working to scheme their way into receiving preferential treatment. In the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, March 4, and obtained by The Athletic, Jordan’s team and his longtime business partner, Curtis Polk, are reportedly accused of acting like “an illegal cartel.” The […]
“I told him the same thing I said on this podcast last week, that if something weird doesn’t happen, Kansas is a guaranteed win,” Hamlin explained.
“He’s very happy because of how much s**t I talk to him, actually. I know it’s hard to believe, but I talk a lot of trash to him,” he continued. “He probably wants to beat me as much as anyone. … When it’s head-to-head, he wants to see the 23XI drivers beat me because I talk that trash.”
This Was Not Michael Jordan’s 1st Viral Moment This Year
The Kansas Speedway video comes two months after Jordan sparked controversy following Reddick’s Daytona 500 win on February 15.
During that celebration, Jordan was seen standing behind Reddick’s 6-year-old son, Beau. A video that went viral on X showed Jordan appearing to grab at or tap the child’s lower back and brushing his leg.
Another video added some context to the exchange. Prior to the interaction, Reddick had poured an ice-cold drink over his son as they celebrated. Some internet users speculated that Jordan was helping Beau get ice or some liquid off his shirt.
Between the Daytona moment and the trolling at Kansas, Jordan’s presence in the NASCAR spotlight continues to generate attention far beyond the racetrack.
The friendly banter between him and Hamlin won’t be stopping anytime soon — and it’s safe to say the viral videos won’t stop either.
