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23XI Racing is one of the newest teams in NASCAR. It is the brainchild of NASCAR Cup Series driver Denny Hamlin and basketball legend Michael Jordan. The team has been on the grid since 2021, bringing a fresh take to NASCAR.
The Mooresville, North Carolina-based team started out with Bubba Wallace Jr. in the No.23 Toyota before expanding to a two-car operation in 2022. The team benefited from Kurt Busch's experience when he joined the team. The first two seasons have been relatively successful for the team, with Wallace Jr. winning at Talladega Superspeedway last year and Busch driving his No.45 Toyota to victory this year in Kansas.
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Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan's goal is to expand their venture beyond the race track. However, the current state of the sport stops them from doing so. The 41-year-old driver told NASCAR CEO Jim France earlier this year that he and his business partner need to see a change in the sport's business model. The team's co-owners would like to see more of the television money allocated to the teams once the new media rights deal is finalized in 2025.
He elaborated on the topic and said:
“I will go on the record saying that I had a meeting with Jim France and my message was clear that we need to stop talking about cutting. Cutting does not equal growth. If we start working collectively then we can grow this sport together. But the business model will have to change for that to happen. We at 23XI have big plans. But those plans are on hold until we see change.”
Over the years, Denny Hamlin has established himself not only as a great driver but also as a competent businessman and team owner.
Denny Hamlin on 23XI Racing's performance in 2022
While 23XI Racing has had relative success and shown sparks of greatness on the track, they have also been knocked around quite a few times. This was evident as co-owner Denny Hamlin made his thoughts clear after his win at Richmond Raceway earlier this year.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver went on to comment on the 26th and 35th place finishes the team achieved, and said:
“The win (last week) was really exciting until you get out of the car and you look down the pylon and say, ‘What the f---?’ What’s going on? It’s agitating. It’s different things on different teams.”
Watch out for Denny Hamlin and his team this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
