23XI Racing Overview
23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven) is an American professional auto racing organization that competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. Founded in 2020, the team is owned by Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and longtime motorsports executive Curtis Polk. The team’s name blends Jordan’s iconic jersey number 23 with Hamlin’s longtime Cup Series number 11. Headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, 23XI Racing fields Toyota Camrys in the series and operates with a technical alliance alongside Joe Gibbs Racing. Since its 2021 debut, the team has emerged as a competitive force in stock car racing’s top series.
Founding and Organizational Origins
The origins of 23XI Racing trace back to the summer of 2020, when rumors circulated that Michael Jordan was considering purchasing an ownership stake in Richard Petty Motorsports, the team that fielded Bubba Wallace, the only Black driver competing full-time in the Cup Series at the time. Jordan’s representatives denied the speculation on multiple occasions, but the discussions were real. On September 21, 2020, Jordan and Denny Hamlin officially announced the formation of a new Cup team, with Jordan serving as majority owner, Hamlin as minority owner, and Wallace as their first signed driver. The team was confirmed to run Toyotas under a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and to operate out of a shop previously used by Germain Racing.
On October 22, 2020, the organization publicly revealed its name, 23XI Racing, derived from Jordan’s famous basketball number 23 and Hamlin’s longtime Cup car number 11. By December 2020, the team had assembled an early sponsor lineup featuring DoorDash, McDonald’s, Columbia Sportswear, Dr Pepper, and Root, Inc. for the No. 23 entry, and several former Germain crew members transitioned into the new operation to staff the pit crew. Veteran motorsports executive Steve Lauletta, who had been serving as interim president, was formally named team president on September 8, 2021, helping stabilize the front office during the team’s critical first competitive season.
Growth Into NASCAR Cup Series Competition
23XI Racing purchased a charter from Germain Racing to guarantee a starting position in every 2021 Cup Series race, then later acquired the former StarCom Racing charter for $13.5 million, the most expensive charter transaction since the system was introduced in 2016. The organization expanded its technical footprint in 2022 when Hamlin announced that 23XI would maintain its own dedicated pit crews beginning in 2023 rather than leasing them from Joe Gibbs Racing. On July 12, 2022, the team signed two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick for the 2024 season, signaling its long-term competitive ambitions.
By 2023, 23XI Racing had grown to two full-time cars and was developing its driver pipeline. In May 2024, the organization opened a new race shop and headquarters, named “Airspeed,” in Huntersville, North Carolina. In November 2024, the team announced that Riley Herbst would drive a new third full-time entry, the No. 35, beginning in 2025, with the number chosen as a nod to Jordan’s Minor League Baseball career.
23XI Racing Competitive Journey
Across its first six competitive seasons, 23XI Racing has grown from a single-car startup into a multi-car operation with 15 Cup Series victories, 11 pole positions, and 197 race entries. The team has produced playoff runs, multiple individual race winners, and landmark performances, while also navigating a high-profile antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR that reshaped the chartered team landscape.
Early Seasons and Development (2021–2022)
In its debut 2021 campaign, the team fielded the No. 23 Toyota Camry for Bubba Wallace. Wallace struggled through the early races before notching the team’s first stage win at Talladega. On October 4, 2021, Wallace won the rain-shortened YellaWood 500 at Talladega, becoming only the second Black driver in NASCAR Cup Series history, after Wendell Scott, to win a Cup race. Wallace finished the season 21st in points.
The 2022 season brought the addition of a second car, the No. 45, driven by veteran Kurt Busch. Busch secured a win at Kansas Speedway, while Wallace added a second career victory at Kansas in the fall. Wallace’s on-track results improved markedly during the regular season, and the team’s operational structure continued to mature, setting the stage for sustained competitiveness.
Breakthrough in NASCAR (2023–2024)
The 2023 season was a turning point, as Tyler Reddick joined 23XI after the team bought out his contract from Richard Childress Racing. Reddick won at Circuit of the Americas in triple overtime and added a Kansas playoff win, while Wallace made the Cup Series playoffs for the first time in his career. The team’s competitive profile rose sharply, with two full-time cars consistently running near the front of the field.
In 2024, Reddick captured wins at Talladega and Michigan, then clinched the regular-season championship by one point over Kyle Larson. He locked himself into the Championship 4 by winning at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Meanwhile, the No. 50 program was launched as a part-time entry, with Kamui Kobayashi, Corey Heim, and Juan Pablo Montoya each making appearances in the Mobil 1-sponsored car. On October 2, 2024, 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR, alleging anti-competitive practices by the France family, and on December 18, 2024, both teams were granted a preliminary injunction allowing them to race as chartered entries in 2025. The injunction also enabled the transfer of two former Stewart–Haas Racing charters to the two organizations. On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned that ruling, and on December 11, 2025, after eight days in court, the case was settled.
Modern Program and Current Direction (2025–Present)
The 2025 season saw the addition of the No. 35 Toyota Camry for Riley Herbst, expanding 23XI to three full-time entries, with Corey Heim competing part-time in the No. 67. Wallace ended a 100-race winless streak with a victory at Indianapolis, and Reddick remained a fixture in the playoff conversation before being eliminated in the Round of 12.
In 2026, Reddick has emerged as a dominant force, winning the Daytona 500, Atlanta, and Circuit of the Americas to become the first driver in Cup Series history to win the first three races of a season. He has since added wins at Darlington and Kansas, becoming the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the first nine races of a season. The team continues to develop its infrastructure out of the Airspeed facility in Huntersville, and on May 30, 2026, 23XI announced that Corey Heim would replace Riley Herbst in the No. 35 starting in 2027.
Philosophy and Competitive Strengths
23XI Racing has built its identity around Toyota reliability, technical alignment with Joe Gibbs Racing, and a willingness to invest in young talent. The organization has prioritized developing internal infrastructure, including dedicated pit crews and a modern race shop, while leaning on experienced veteran drivers to mentor newer signings. Its competitive strengths are most visible on intermediate tracks and superspeedways, where strategic pit work and well-timed aggression have produced its biggest wins.
Key Milestones and Major Moments
Notable milestones include Bubba Wallace’s 2021 Talladega victory, Tyler Reddick’s 2024 regular-season championship and Homestead win, the 2024 opening of the Airspeed race shop, and Reddick’s record-setting start to the 2026 season. The team’s 2024 antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR marked a defining organizational moment in its brief history, while Riley Herbst’s disqualification at the Charlotte Roval in 2025 was an early adversity for the new No. 35 program.
23XI Racing Achievements and Results
Since its 2021 debut, 23XI Racing has accumulated 15 Cup Series race victories, 11 pole positions, and 197 race entries. The team has celebrated a regular-season championship and a Championship 4 appearance, and its drivers have produced some of the most memorable performances in recent Cup Series history.
NASCAR Cup Series Achievements
23XI Racing’s first Cup Series victory came at Talladega Superspeedway in October 2021 with Bubba Wallace, a historic moment as Wallace became only the second Black driver to win a Cup race. The team has since reached 15 total wins, including Wallace’s 2025 Indianapolis victory that snapped a 100-race winless streak, and Tyler Reddick’s 2024 wins at Talladega, Michigan, and Homestead, plus his 2026 opening run that set an all-time record by winning the first three races of a season.
Conference Achievements
In the NASCAR Cup Series standings, 23XI Racing has steadily built championship-level results since 2023. Tyler Reddick’s 2024 regular-season title represented the highest regular-season finish in team history, and Bubba Wallace’s 2023 playoff berth marked the organization’s first appearance in the Cup postseason with a full-time driver.
Divisional Achievements
Within the Cup Series field, 23XI Racing has developed a strong track record on intermediate and superspeedway venues, where the team has scored the bulk of its victories. The No. 45 and No. 23 programs have delivered consistent top-ten performances, while the newer No. 35 entry has quickly become a developmental platform for emerging talent.
Series Achievements
Beyond its full-time Cup operation, 23XI Racing has expanded into the NASCAR Xfinity Series through technical and personnel partnerships. The team’s commitment to driver development, highlighted by the multi-race No. 50 Mobil 1 program and the signing of developmental drivers like Corey Heim, has positioned the organization as a long-term contender across NASCAR’s national series ladder.
