Kevin Harvick addresses Michael Jordan’s future in NASCAR amid tumultuous legal battle

Kevin Harvick and the rest of the NASCAR world received a boost when Michael Jordan decided to enter the sport with 23XI Racing. After a hot start, the team has been embroiled in a legal battle over the latest charter agreement, and it’s took some of the wind out of their sails.

That has Harvick wondering what the future holds for the NBA legend in NASCAR. During the latest episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour, the former champion took a good, long look at where Jordan’s 23XI Racing team stands, and how they can return to the level they were previously operating at.

“Every time we hear (Jordan) talk, yes. I think that he’s been in some moments like this, with the NBAPA and the league, in the past. But man, it sure seems like it’s not going the way that they thought it was going to go, as far as — NASCAR is not the NBA. They’re fighting a different fight. I don’t know how it’s going to work out for him,” Harvick stated. “I think it’s affecting their teams. The performance of their teams. Where they are right now, being unchartered, losing their charters — how do you sell sponsorship? How do you keep your drivers? How do you keep your employees? I think that this hasn’t gone the way they thought it was going to go, and now it’s all becoming more challenging.

“Obviously, the trial is in December. We heard Denny [Hamlin] comment and say, ‘Stay tuned, it’s all going to get exposed,’ so I don’t know exactly what that means or where this goes from here, but you know, from a team-standpoint, driver-standpoint, sponsor-standpoint, why do you even want to be in the middle of that until it’s over? Everybody wants to be in the middle of something Michael Jordan is doing. You want to have cars that are winning, to put your name on the side, which is where they were last year, not this year. Denny’s obviously in the middle of it, winning in a Joe Gibbs [Racing] car. He’s balancing all of that.

“But I think the team dynamic has become very difficult. So, I don’t know how frustrated Michael gets, but everything that we’ve heard him say is he’s in it for the long haul, but we’ll find out.”

All told, Michael Jordan didn’t get into NASCAR to do anything other than win. It doesn’t seem like he’s going anywhere, but who knows where this legal battle with the sport’s governing-body will lead. Regardless, Kevin Harvick will be keeping a keen eye on all that goes on with 23XI Racing moving forward.