Michael Jordan found himself at the center of another viral NASCAR moment after cameras caught him playing a friend and business partner. Denny Hamlin neck and planted a kiss on the side of his head.
The exchange took place at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, April 19, behind the Jordan driver Tyler Reddick pulled off a stunning final round victory.
Jordan was celebrating the win as he walked up to Hamlin, wrapping his arm around his neck – playfully holding him – and kissing the side of his head before walking away. The video quickly went viral on X, and fans didn’t hold back.
“Who grabs another man’s neck and kisses him. It’s so AMAZING,” wrote one X user.
Why Michael Jordan Celebrated at Kansas Speedway
Time makes more sense with some backstory.
Hamlin and Jordan co-own 23XI Racing, a team introduced ahead of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. Three full-time Cup drivers compete in the organization: Reddick, Father Wallace again Riley Herbst.
But here’s the twist: Hamlin, despite being an owner, continues to drive for rival team Joe Gibbs Racing. He plans to run full time in his cars until the end of next season.
That arrangement creates a real rivalry between Hamlin and Jordan on race days.
At Kansas Speedway, Hamlin had every reason to be frustrated. Driving the number 11 car, he led 131 laps – more than any other driver. With two laps to go, Hamlin was set for the win.
Then a late caution caused an overtime restart that dented his lead.
Hamlin eventually crossed the line in fourth place. Reddick passed Kyle Larson in the last lap of the quest for victory.
The win would have been Hamlin’s fifth career victory at the Kansas track. Instead, Reddick got his fifth win of the 2026 season – quite a feat, considering they only had nine wins this season.
So Jordan was celebrating. Hamlin was not there. And as is their custom, Jordan rubbed it in.
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin Hear the Competition
In an interview with FOX Sports after the race, Jordan made his competitive feelings clear.
“Look, I’m competing against Denny. So, basically, I wanted to beat him because I know we’re going to talk a lot of trash later on,” he said.
Hamlin responded with more context in his April 20 episode Harmful Actions a podcast.
“I mean, I don’t expect him to understand where I am at that point,” Hamlin said. “Everything else Reddick won, I’m different, happy, sad, happy, sad and it depends on how my day went.”
“This one, I was 100 percent on my way this time, you know what I mean. As all the emotions were in Group 11 this one for sure,” he added.
Hamlin also revealed that he talked trash with Jordan before the race.
Michael Jordan’s racing team, 23XI Racing, has reportedly been sued by NASCAR for allegedly working to manipulate its way into receiving preferential treatment. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, March 4, and obtained by The Athletic, Jordan’s team and longtime business partner, Curtis Polk, are reportedly accused of behaving like an “unlawful party.” I […]
“I told him the same thing I said on the podcast last week, that if something goes wrong, Kansas is a guaranteed winner,” Hamlin explained.
“He is very happy because of the way I talk to him. I know it’s hard to believe, but I talk a lot of rubbish to him,” he continued. “Maybe he wants to beat me like everyone else. … If there is a conflict, he wants to see the drivers of 23XI beat me because I talk about that rubbish.”
This Wasn’t Michael Jordan’s First Dangerous Moment This Year
The Kansas Speedway video comes two months after Jordan caused controversy following Reddick’s Daytona 500 victory on February 15.
During the celebration, Jordan was seen standing behind Reddick’s 6-year-old son, Beau. A video that went viral on X showed Jordan grabbing or touching the child’s spine and brushing his leg.
Another video added some context to the exchange. Before the interview, Reddick poured his son a cold drink while they celebrated. Some netizens speculated that Jordan was helping Beau get ice or liquid from his shirt.
Between the Daytona moment and the Kansas stomp, Jordan’s presence in the NASCAR spotlight continues to draw attention beyond the race.
The banter between him and Hamlin isn’t going to end anytime soon — and it’s safe to say the videos that are streaming won’t either.
