Tyler Reddick clinched his place in the Championship 4 with a brilliant and dramatic win on the final turn during Sunday’s Straight Talk Wireless 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

After the race, a thrilled Michael Jordan—the NBA legend who cofounded 23XI Racing alongside Denny Hamlin—celebrated with Reddick.

“Little kid drove his ass off,” Jordan told NBC Sports’ Dave Burns after the race (h/t Nate Ryan of NBC Sports). “I’m proud of him. Oh man, he just let go. He just went for it, and I’m glad. We needed it. We needed it.”

“We were backed in the corner, man, and we had no other choice,” Reddick added while speaking to Marty Snider of NBC Sports. “We were going to do what it took to win this race and fight for a championship. I couldn’t believe It. I just knew I needed to get on [Ryan Blaney’s] right-side door. He raced me clean, I appreciate it.”

So did a jubilant Jordan.