Jordan and Hamlin struck up a friendship dating back to 2011 when the pair met at a Charlotte Bobcats basketball game. Since then, Hamlin went on to become the first Jordan athlete in NASCAR and ran an Air Jordan-branded truck back in 2013 at Martinsville.
“Our friendship has grown over the years and now we are ready to take it to the next level. I’m excited to announce that MJ and I are starting a new, single car NASCAR Cup Series team for 2021. Deciding on a driver was easy – it had to be Bubba Wallace.
“Bubba has shown tremendous improvement since joining the Cup Series and we believe he’s ready to take his career to a higher level. He deserves the opportunity to compete for race wins and our team will make sure he has the resources to do just that.
“Off the track, Bubba has been a loud voice for change in our sport and our country. MJ and I support him fully in those efforts and stand beside him.”
On the track, Wallace has put together his finest season to date, achieving five top-ten finishes in 2020, with a season-best of fifth place coming at Daytona. He has also agreed multiple personal sponsorship deals, including Beats Electronics, Columbia Sportswear Co. and Urban Outfitters.
“This is a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I believe is a great fit for me at this point in my career,” Wallace said of the announcement.
“Both Michael and Denny are great competitors and are focused on building the best team they possibly can to go out and compete for race wins. I’m grateful and humbled that Michael and Denny believe in me and I’m super pumped to begin this adventure with them.”