It has taken quite a while for Michael Jordan’s passion for motorsports to find a way to manifest itself in reality. When it did, it took the form of 23XI Racing, making its way onto the NASCAR circuit in 2020. Michael Jordan is known for his competitive background and for being a shrewd businessman.

Michael Jordan made a strategic move and formed a team with three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, culminating in 23XI racing. The team made its debut at the Daytona 500 on February 14, 2021. Three years down the lane, the duo is going public with another venture, and it’s creating quite a furor on social media.

The Genesis of Airspeed: A vision realized

The vision for Airspeed and the state-of-the-art 23XI Racing team headquarters was triggered by Jordan’s dream—a dream of owning a race shop that was second to none. “We wanted to build something that stands out, not just in NASCAR, but in all of sports,” said Michael Jordan in an interview with FOX Sports. That’s when the idea struck Michael Jordan to combine his business acumen with the racing expertise of Denny Hamlin.

As 23XI Racing co-owner Denny Hamlin put it, “A state-of-the-art facility was important. Airspeed is a testament to our commitment to excellence. From the design phase to the final touches, we wanted every aspect of this facility to reflect our ambition to be the best.” The race shop housed every piece of state-of-the-art technology. It’s designed completely to optimize team performance and efficiency.

[Adam Stern] Here’s some shots of 23XI Racing’s new 114,000-square-foot HQ near Charlotte called Airspeed that is opening to the public today.
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According to co-owner Denny Hamlin, business is all about synergy, and Airspeed represented the synergy between MJ and himself. One could as well call it ‘Bob’s Garage’ but the fact remains that we’re doing a little more than building Bob’s garage. “Airspeed is just a combination [of words] very similar to 23XI — 23 is him; XI (11) is me; Airspeed is air [for] him, speed [for] me“, said Hamlin.

The 114,000-square-foot building houses advanced engineering labs,  high-tech simulation rooms, and other necessities. The main aim is to ensure that members of the team are operating at their very best— a truly all-encompassing approach to performance and teamwork. As Airspeed opens up to the public, excitement is at an all-time high amongst the fans.

Airspeed gets some reviews from the NASCAR Community

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The Airspeed unveiling has certainly created a firestorm of buzz among its fans on Reddit. One user remarked, “Nice race shop. This race shop is state-of-the-art. A race shop to shine against all other race shops. ” The design intent of the facility was not lost in the details, but maybe with a bit of tongue-in-cheek detail, as some fans noted.

One of the fans said, “Interesting that they chose to show the bathroom in greater detail than the garage/shop. but it does look like a great place to drop some ballast from Cook-Out.”

The heavy influence from Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin did not exude away.  One of the fans remarked, “Airspeed does scream MJ and Denny Hamlin are the owners. and I think that’s cool.” The lure goes beyond a pretty skin. Properly put by one fan, “This is one of the nicest facilities in all of sports,” or by another, comically debating its ranking, “Nah, this wouldn’t touch even the top 30 college football facilities alone.”

For some, the connection is nostalgic. One of the fans spoke his heart out, “As someone who grew up a UNC fan this makes me a little bit giddy to see, so [expletive] awesome to see MJ’s team growing like this.” Responses like these show the value of Airspeed and its status in the NASCAR world.

It showcases itself as a symbol of 23XI Racing’s ambitions. It’s a reminder of the greater cultural footprint that Michael Jordan has within NASCAR. The world-class headquarters has set a new standard, building excitement coupled with expectation in the NASCAR community.