Hendrick Motorsports vs Michael Jordan: Rick Hendrick Allies With MJ’s Bitter Rival, Detroit Pistons, to Make the Ultimate Weapon in Championship War

The playoff battle wages on despite the exit of the reigning champion and a seasoned veteran, which has shocked the NASCAR nation. While larger teams are getting the worst end of the spectrum, NASCAR’s silly season turns out to favor its younger and smaller team like that of NBA great, Michael Jordan’s.

The Michael Jordan-Denny Hamlin patterned 23XI Racing compared to the winningest teams in the organization has had far more success this season, with both of its cars making it into the playoffs. Now for Rick Hendrick‘s proud Chevy-partnered 4-car team, they have had a rough time, to say the least.

But all is not lost as the playoff outcast, Chase Elliott is still in the fray competing for an owner’s title. With the playoff extravaganza heading towards a spectacular finale, Mr. H is trying out every possibility to get the best of Jordan’s Toyota camp. Even having his arch-rival, Detroit Pistons, by his side.

Mr. H’s masterstroke against Michael Jordan

Now rivalries in sports have been a thing for many years. The spectatorship and eyes one good rivalry brings to the sport is simply unparalleled. And NASCAR hasn’t been one of those sports to not embrace such a storyline. In fact, NASCAR has had its fair share of rivalries, including the current bad blood between friends-slash-rivals Denny Hamlin-Kyle Larson.

While the community has taken up the Hamlin-Larson rivalry, there’s one other owner’s feud that has become public recently. Before HMS stars, Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott lost their playoff shot, Bowman and Jordan’s bitter rivals joined hands in a final effort. For the NBA fanatics out there, the Chicago Bulls guard and his sourness with the Detroit Pistons need no formal introduction.

From 1988 to 1991, over the course of 3 years, Michael Jordan was 10-12 vs. the Pistons in the playoffs in his career. Now coming to matter, ahead of Bowman’s speedway run in Michigan at the FireKeepers Casino 400, the #48 HMS team unveiled a new  Pistons-inspired racing livery for its car.

The Ally-powered car showcased a spanking new car with all the Detroit Pistons signage. Jordan’s rival NBA team even brought out its 25-year-old forward, Isaiah Livers in support of the HMS team, wishing Bowman luck ahead of his MIS run. WXYZ-TV Detroit made an exclusive feature about the collaboration mentioning how the NASCAR and NBA teams have joined hands.

WATCH THIS STORY: NASCAR community hold Tony Stewart guilty as Chase Elliott takes HMS across the line 

Hendrick’s masterstroke misses its mark by a mile as Bowman goes crashing out

As mentioned above, 2023 has certainly been a rough sail for HMS. Both of its championship-caliber drivers just couldn’t make the playoffs despite their best efforts. One is 2020 Cup Series champion, Chase Elliott who got into the rut, missing 6 races in quick succession after an unfortunate accident in March.

This put the driver under pressure as the points deficit kept piling up as the driver tried his best to rack a win. The same can be said for Bowman, the#48 driver too suffered a broken back in a Sprint race, taking him back. Consequently, both the drivers missed the playoffs with Elliott missing it for the very first time in his career.

Now for Bowman, even his collaboration with the Detroit Pistons couldn’t save him. To add insult to injury, while Chris Buescher of RFK Racing got his 2nd back to back win of the season, Bowman’s abysmal streak continues. On the 127th lap of the race, Bowman got his day turned grim when he was sent for a spring by Chase Briscoe after Todd Gilliland ticked off the avalanche.

READ MORE: “He’s Our Generation Jeff Gordon”- Despite Toyota’s Dominance, Rick Hendrick’s Superstar Gets Fans’ Approval

As he spun he came in contact with Gilliland’s car, and the #48 lost 5 laps as the HMS Chevy had to be towed from the track. Whereas his teammate Elliott suffered an unfortunate tire cut, Bowman finished the race at the bottom at 33rd.