Tyler Reddick got some heat over a celebratory photo he took on Sunday following his history-making NASCAR Cup Series race win at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry XSE was the first to cross the finish line during the DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix. The victory made him the first NASCAR Cup Series driver ever to win the first three races of a season.
Reddick, who drives for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, tried to pay homage to his boss by recreating one of MJ’s most memorable photos. Reddick held the COTA race trophy up and raised three fingers like Jordan did after winning his first three-peat with the Chicago Bulls.
— Tyler Reddick (@TylerReddick) March 2, 2026
While the photo posted on X drew tens of thousands of likes, several fans complained that Reddick’s three-race win streak was far from a proper equivalent to Jordan’s feat of winning three straight NBA championships.
Celebrating 3 wins is not like celebrating 3 championships
— TJ (@TJ_in_NWPA) March 2, 2026
MJ was 3 championships, you’ve won 3 races. Settle Down Pal
— ryan0028 (@Ryan80432813) March 2, 2026
Nice but 3 races NOT Championships!
— N Tents (@NTentsTweets) March 2, 2026
Be like MJ showing 3 game wins wouldn’t it?
This is ridiculous man that’s championships man 😂🤣
— James Miller (@Jaymills8888) March 2, 2026
On one hand, winning three NASCAR races in a row, while still an incredible accomplishment, pales in comparison to winning three consecutive NBA titles across a three-year span. On the other hand, Reddick just posted a for-fun photo to honor the man who signs his paychecks. Reddick himself made no such comparison and didn’t even include a caption on his post.
Given how enthused Jordan was after Reddick’s first two wins at the Daytona 500 and at the Autotrader 400, it’s hard to imagine His Airness actually being upset with the 23XI Racing driver over the photo. But that won’t stop angry internet mobs from forming and bringing out their virtual pitchforks.
