Denny Hamlin Lets Slip of Full-Time Temptations for 23XI Racing After 19-Year-Long Partnership With Joe Gibbs

The talks around Denny Hamlin potentially joining his own 23XI Racing team last started swirling in 2023 amid some hiccups in renewing his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing after 19 years. Folks were all abuzz, wondering if Hamlin might end up like Kyle Busch, who hit a snag due to sponsorship issues; could he switch over to 23XI?

Just when everyone was scratching their heads trying to figure it out, Joe Gibbs Racing cleared the air by announcing Hamlin’s contract renewal. But, here we are again, the the discussion has popped up again after Hamlin’s recent chat with Sports Business Journal.

Being both a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and a co-owner of 23XI Racing puts Denny Hamlin in a unique spot when it comes to his racing career. His 23XI drivers, Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, are tearing up the track this season. Last year, Wallace broke into the Round of 12, and Reddick pushed into the Round of 8, with Reddick now viewed as a potential contender for the Championship 4. It seems like 23XI is ahead of the game.

As for Hamlin stepping behind the wheel for 23XI, he hinted to the Sports Business Journal that it’s a possibility down the line, though it’s not clear if that move would come after hanging up his helmet at JGR or while he’s still racing full-time. He mentioned he’d only make the jump if he was sure the cars at 23XI could stack up against JGR’s. Hamlin admitted, “I’m slowly but surely starting to believe that 23XI is an equal to the position I’m in right now.”

Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin have really put their money where their mouth is with their 23XI Racing team, shelling out at least a hefty mid-eight figures, not to mention springing for a new shop. This shows they’re all in. And that is even though Hamlin knows that pouring money into the team is a bit like rolling the dice, hoping NASCAR doesn’t shake things up in a way that could hurt their team’s prospects or NASCAR’s future.

Hamlin is currently open to the idea of racing part-time after he steps away from full-time racing, maybe doing something similar to Jimmie Johnson’s gig at Legacy Motor Club, where he’d hit the track only on select dates with his team, but that’s after he’s wrapped things up with JGR.

For the moment, Hamlin’s got his sights set on teaming up with Michael Jordan’s empire, worth a cool $3 billion, to drop some exclusive merch for the team.

#11 JGR driver is hustling to broaden 23XI Racing’s appeal

Sports Business Journal spilled the beans on Hamlin’s latest venture: launching an exclusive line of 23XI merchandise in cahoots with the Jordan brand. This special collection would be set to be a hot ticket item, sold only at their spanking new HQ, dubbed “Airspeed.”

Hamlin shared with Sports Business Journal his vision for “Airspeed” once it’s fully up and running. He’s dreaming up a spot where fans can snag some unique 23XI gear created by Jordan Brand, but they’ve got to be there in person to get their hands on it. The Jordan Brand has already thrown its support behind Kurt Busch and now Tyler Reddick’s Toyota, decking it out on several occasions.

Though Airspeed stands as one of NASCAR’s latest and greatest shops, its workshop space isn’t quite as sprawling as some of its competitors. Since Joe Gibbs Racing is the muscle behind 23XI’s cars, 23XI hasn’t needed to set aside space for a fab team at Airspeed.

Read More: JGR’s “Weakest” Link Denny Hamlin Wrote Himself Off at COTA

Hamlin quipped earlier this month, “We could call it ‘Bob’s Garage’ but 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 is me; Airspeed is air [for] him, speed [for] me. We just feel like that is a good identity for that building. We’re building fast cars. Anybody can call their building a shop, but we are pretty confident that this is ‘Airspeed’ worthy.”

All these moves signal Hamlin’s strong belief in the venture. But the question remains: Is this confidence enough to lead Hamlin to take the wheel for 23XI Racing himself?