23XI Racing (pronounced twenty-three eleven) is an American professional auto racing organization that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series. It is owned and operated by Hall of Fame basketball player Michael Jordan, along with current Joe Gibbs Racing driver and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin. The team name represents a combination of the number 23 Michael Jordan wore during most of his NBA career and the number 11 which Denny Hamlin has driven his entire Cup series career. The organization fields three full-time entries. They are the No. 23 Toyota Camry for Bubba Wallace, No. 35 Camry for Riley Herbst, and No. 45 Camry for Tyler Reddick. Additionally, the team fields the No. 67 Camry part-time for Corey Heim. They have a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.
History
During the summer of 2020, rumors swirled that Michael Jordan intended on purchasing an ownership stake in Richard Petty Motorsports, who fielded the only black driver in the NASCAR Cup Series, Bubba Wallace. Such claims were repeatedly denied by Jordan's management team.
On September 8, 2021, veteran motorsports executive Steve Lauletta was named team president after serving as the interim president since the team's foundation.
On July 12, 2022, 23XI Racing announced that two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Tyler Reddick signed with the team for the 2024 season. On July 23, 2022, Hamlin announced that starting in 2023, 23XI would have its own pit crews instead of leasing them from Joe Gibbs Racing.
In May, 2024, 23XI opened its doors to their brand-new race shop and team headquarters, named "Airspeed", in Huntersville, North Carolina.
Antitrust lawsuit with Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR
On October 2, 2024, it was announced that 23XI Racing, along with Front Row Motorsports, filed an antitrust lawsuit against NASCAR over the terms of the updated charter agreement, as well as anti-competitive practices committed by the France family. On December 18, both teams were granted a motion of preliminary injunction, allowing them to race as chartered entries in 2025 while continuing their legal battle with NASCAR. The injunction also allowed the transfer of the two Stewart–Haas Racing charters to both teams. On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the preliminary injunction ruling. On August 25, NASCAR filed a legal notice of its agreement to issue one of the charters to a redacted entity. On December 11, 2025, after eight days in court, the case was settled.
NASCAR Cup Series Car No. 23 history Bubba Wallace (2021–present)
On September 21, 2020, Jordan and Denny Hamlin announced the formation of a Cup team to begin competition in 2021 with Jordan as majority owner, Hamlin as minority owner, and Wallace, who eleven days prior had announced his departure from Richard Petty Motorsports, as their first official driver. The team bought a guaranteed starting spot in every 2021 race by purchasing a charter from Germain Racing. The team's name, car number and manufacturer were not revealed at the time of the announcement. Hamlin later said that the two had discussed owning a team but that it never came to fruition. On October 22, the team announced its name, 23XI Racing, and would use the number 23 (Jordan's number during his basketball career). On October 30, the team revealed that they will run Toyotas with a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing (whose No. 11 car is driven by Hamlin) and operate out of a shop owned (and formerly used) by Germain Racing. On December 14, 23XI Racing announced that DoorDash, McDonald's, Columbia Sportswear, Dr Pepper, and Root, Inc. will be the sponsors of the No. 23 team in 2021. It was also announced that several crew members of the former Germain operation would join the team as a pit crew. On February 3, it was announced that former Germain driver Ty Dillon (who attempted to make the Daytona 500 with fellow Toyota team Gaunt Brothers Racing) would run the car in the 2021 Busch Clash, as Wallace was not eligible to run the clash.
Wallace finished second in his Duel and finished seventeenth at the 2021 Daytona 500 after being involved in a last-lap crash. At the Daytona road course he had troubles all day and finished 26th. Wallace struggled out the gate until Phoenix, which was his first strong run of the season. Wallace was running top-fifteen for most of the day before working his way into the top-ten. Following a caution and most of the field pitting, while Wallace stayed out, he restarted first. This move did not work out well for Wallace. Due to him being on old tires and the rest of the field being on new tires, Wallace was quickly cycled out of the first position, dropped back, and wound up making contact with Cole Custer. He ended up finishing 16th. At the 2021 GEICO 500 at Talladega, Wallace had a strong car the entire day. Wallace was running top-ten for a good portion of the day and ended up winning stage 2. This was Wallace's first career stage win. After an overtime restart, Wallace was cycled to the back of the pack and wound up finishing nineteenth. At Dover, Wallace finished eleventh. At Pocono, Wallace finished the first race in fourteenth, but finished the second race fifth, scoring the team's best finish and their first top-five. He finished third at the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, but he was officially scored with a second place finish after Chris Buescher was disqualified post-inspection. On September 16, Bootie Barker was named crew chief for the remainder of the season after Wheeler was promoted to Director of Competition. Wallace scored his first career win at the rain-shortened 2021 YellaWood 500 at Talladega, becoming only the second Black driver after Wendell Scott to win a Cup race. Wallace finished the season 21st in points.
Wallace began the 2022 season by finishing in second place at the 2022 Daytona 500. On March 29, 2022, Barker was suspended for four races due to a tire and wheel loss during the 2022 Texas Grand Prix at COTA. Dave Rogers was announced as Wallace's crew chief for Richmond, Martinsville, Bristol, and Talladega. Later in the regular season, Wallace showed strong form, posting four consecutive top-10s at New Hampshire, Pocono, Indianapolis road course, and Michigan.
After failing to make the driver playoffs at Daytona, it was announced that Ty Gibbs would switch to the No. 23 to allow Wallace to compete in the owners championship with the No. 45. At the Texas playoff race, Gibbs veered into Ty Dillon on pit road, nearly sending Dillon towards a NASCAR official and a group of pit crew members; he was subsequently fined 75,000 and the No. 23 was docked 25 owner points. At Phoenix, Daniel Hemric substituted for Gibbs after the death of his father, Coy Gibbs. Hemric finished seventeenth.
Wallace started the 2023 season with a twentieth place finish at the 2023 Daytona 500. He improved his finishes enough to make the playoffs for the first time in his career. Wallace was eliminated from the Round of 12 at the conclusion of the Charlotte Roval race.
During the 2024 season, Wallace was fined 50,000 for intentionally door-slamming Alex Bowman during the cool-down lap after the Chicago street race. Following the Martinsville playoff race, the No. 23 was docked fifty owner and driver points and Wallace and the team were each fined 100,000 for race manipulation, when Wallace faked a tire failure and slowed down to allow fellow Toyota driver Christopher Bell to pass him in an attempt to make the Championship 4. In addition, Barker was suspended for the Phoenix finale.
Wallace started the 2025 season with a 29th place DNF at the 2025 Daytona 500. He won at Indianapolis to break a 100-race winless streak and make the playoffs.
Car No. 23 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts 2021 Bubba Wallace 23 Toyota DAY17 DAY26 HOM22 LVS28 PHO16 ATL16 BRI27 MAR16 RCH26 TAL19 KAN26 DAR21 DOV11 COA39 CLT14 SON14 NSH20 POC14 POC5 ROA24 ATL14 NHA26 GLN23 IND13 MCH19 DAY2 DAR21 RCH32 BRI16 LVS16 TAL1 CLT14 TEX32 KAN14 MAR25 PHO39 21st 699 2022 DAY2 CAL19 LVS25 PHO22 ATL13 COA38 RCH26 MAR16 BRI28 TAL17 DOV16 DAR27 KAN10 CLT28 GTW26 SON36 NSH12 ROA35 ATL14 NHA3 POC8 IND5 MCH2 RCH13 GLN35 DAY11 24th 658 Ty Gibbs DAR15 KAN34 BRI35 TEX20 TAL37 CLT22 LVS22 HOM21 MAR 19 Daniel Hemric PHO 17 2023 Bubba Wallace DAY20 CAL30 LVS4 PHO14 ATL27 COA37 RCH22 BRD12 MAR9 TAL28 DOV12 KAN4 DAR5 CLT4 GTW30 SON17 NSH15 CSC31 ATL25 NHA8 POC11 RCH12 MCH18 IRC18 GLN12 DAY12 DAR7 KAN32 BRI14 TEX3* TAL23 ROV16 LVS12 HOM6 MAR11 PHO1017th899 2024 DAY5 ATL5 LVS35 PHO16 BRI29 COA15 RCH13 MAR4 TEX7 TAL32 DOV36 KAN17 DAR7 CLT11 GTW21 SON20 IOW17 NHA34 NSH7 CSC13 POC10 IND5 RCH4 MCH26 DAY6 DAR16 ATL29 GLN17 BRI3 KAN17 TAL9 ROV9 LVS12 HOM18 MAR18 PHO718th878 2025 DAY29 ATL9 COA20 PHO29 LVS28 HOM3 MAR3 DAR21 BRI19 TAL8 TEX33 KAN33 CLT35 NSH6 MCH4 MXC12 POC36 ATL22 CSC28 SON26 DOV6 IND1 IOW6 GLN8 RCH28* DAY37 DAR6 GTW8 BRI34 NHA26 KAN5 ROV15 LVS22 TAL4 MAR18 PHO37 11th 2256 2026 DAY ATL COA PHO LVS DAR MAR BRI KAN TAL TEX GLN CLT NSH MCH POC COR SON CHI ATL NWS IND IOW RCH NHA DAY DAR GTW BRI KAN LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM
Car No. 35 history Riley Herbst (2025–2026)
On November 20, 2024, 23XI announced that Riley Herbst would drive the No. 35 for the 2025 season. The No. 35 was chosen by 23XI as an homage to Jordan's Minor League Baseball career. Shortly after the Charlotte Roval race, the No. 35 car was disqualified for failing post-race height inspection. On May 30, 2026, it was announced that Corey Heim would be replacing Riley Herbst in the No. 35 starting with the 2027 season.
Car No. 35 results Year Driver No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts 2025 Riley Herbst 35 Toyota DAY17 ATL17 COA17 PHO37 LVS19 HOM33 MAR31 DAR34 BRI28 TAL22 TEX14 KAN27 CLT28 NSH24 MCH25 MXC29 POC37 ATL28 CSC17 SON25 DOV24 IND26 IOW30 GLN24 RCH31 DAY40 DAR28 GTW31 BRI18 NHA22 KAN22 ROV37 LVS17 TAL32 MAR36 PHO23 35th 399 2026 DAY ATL COA PHO LVS DAR MAR BRI KAN TAL TEX GLN CLT NSH MCH POC COR SON CHI ATL NWS IND IOW RCH NHA DAY DAR GTW BRI KAN LVS CLT PHO TAL MAR HOM Harrison Burton DAY
Car No. 45 history
Kurt Busch (2022) On August 27, 2021, 23XI Racing announced that Kurt Busch will pilot the No. 45 Toyota Camry in 2022 (With the number 45 being a reference to a jersey number Jordan wore during his baseball career and for 23 games during the 1994–95 NBA season.) His long time sponsor Monster Energy would follow him over. Following the end of the 2021 season, 23XI purchased the former StarCom Racing's charter for 13.5 million, making it the most expensive charter purchase since the implementation of the system in 2016.
Busch began his 2022 season with a nineteenth place finish at the 2022 Daytona 500. Despite a promising start with top-five finishes at Phoenix and Atlanta, he suffered from poor finishes at COTA, Richmond, Bristol dirt, Dover, and Darlington. However, he rebounded with a win at Kansas. At the Pocono race, Busch was not medically cleared after a crash during qualifying, and subsequently missed the last five races of the regular season. Xfinity Series driver Ty Gibbs substituted Busch for the next six races. He finished sixteenth at Pocono and seventeenth at Indianapolis. A 10th-place finish at Michigan earned Gibbs his first top-10 finish. The following week at Richmond, Gibbs finished 36th, last due to an engine failure. Gibbs finished 26th at Watkins Glen. On August 25, Busch announced he withdrew his request for a playoff waiver.