Michael Jordan becomes 1st black man to own NASCAR team after Wendall Scott
Michael Jordan five-time NBA Most Valuable Player has launched a new Nascar Cup race team to compete during the 2021 season
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The 57-year-old NBA billionaire teamed-up with the three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin to float the new franchise.
They announced their entry into the American auto-racing competition on Monday, September 22 - sending social media into a frenzy.
Legendary Jordan and his partner also confirmed that they have employed Bubba Wallace as their driver for the coming season.
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Forbes revealed that the NBA icon acquired a charter from a Germain Racing team that guarantees a spot in Nascar’s 40-car field each week.
This means that Jordan will become the first black major owner of a full-time Nascar team after Wendall Scott who owned and raced in the 1970s.
Reports claim Hamlin will still be driving the No. 11 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, where he has emerged victorious 43 times in 15 seasons; he currently sits second in the Nascar playoff standings.
Jordan said during the announcement: "Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters and me to races, and I've been a Nascar fan my whole life.
“The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership with my friend Denny Hamlin and to have Bubba Wallace driving for us is very exciting for me.
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"Historically, Nascar has struggled with diversity, and there have been few Black owners. The timing seemed perfect as Nascar is evolving and embracing social change more and more.”
Legit.ng earlier reported that NBA legend Michael Jordan was said to have turned down a whopping $100million just to attend a brand event for two hours.
This was disclosed by agents to the former Chicago Bulls star who stated that the ex-basketballer will always do whatever he wants.
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Following his exploits in the game, Jordan who won the NBA six times has gone on to become the most marketable figure in sporting history - from his Air Jordan brand with Nike, worth over £1billion.
He also stands as a major spokesperson for Coca-Cola, McDonald's and Chevrolet, but it was gathered that he has remained careful of how he related to the public.
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Source: Legit.ng
