Michael Jordan’s entry into NASCAR stems from his genuine passion for motorsports. His pairing with Denny Hamlin has created a new powerhouse team, 23XI Racing. The duo further solidified their rapid expansion with the idea of a dream race shop named “AirSpeed.”

The $16 million facility is unlike anything NASCAR fans have seen, and the team is banking on it to promote their unique identity. It is indeed a huge investment made by the 23XI Racing team, but they are not expecting instant returns or success with it. Rather, it’s a long-term project that will allow them to capture a unique market and build an identity apart from success stories on the racetracks.

23XI Racing President explains the significance of AirSpeed

23XI Racing is a relatively new team in NASCAR. Having just run for three years, this project, backed by a massive investment, does look like a gamble. Which can either pay off or backfire. However, according to the team president, this new vision would open the doors to new opportunities for the team, which, for the most part, are untapped.

“The way he designed it to be sort of, you know, a Google of race shops, it kinda forces or implies that collaboration. It’s different; we’re different you know I talk about this team hopefully being the future of NASCAR. This building is what that represents, branding, and that thought process of, you know, how fans keep coming and seeing things that they hadn’t been able to see in the past,” Steve Lauletta said in an interview with NBC Chicago. Moreover, he also emphasized that co-owner Michael Jordan is all-in on his venture to push the team to the next level.

“The biggest thing is how much he loves NASCAR; it’s come through from day one. This is a passion of his, he’s been following it since growing up in North Carolina. He just genuinely loves the sport and therefore what we’re doing at this team, and obviously expect great things from us on the track and off the track, and that’s one of the things that pushes us every day,” he went on to add.

A legendary player who won six championships in the NBA certainly won’t settle for mediocrity. This is reflected in his actions and how he’s running his race team alongside his partner.

Talking about expansion and making rapid strides to make a name for themselves in the sport, 23XI Racing has been active in the silly season. The big talking point has been their interest in adding a third charter to its driver line-up and the potential candidates that have been linked to them.

Riley Herbst could be headed to 23XI Racing

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NASCAR’s silly season has been in full swing ever since SHR announced its departure at the end of the 2024 season. Now that charters are up for grabs, this provides an opportunity for Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin to further strengthen their racing project. Although, they have not yet confirmed a purchase of the third charter. But that hasn’t stopped the rumor mills from working overtime, linking different drivers to the team.

Corey Heim is the first option that the team could tap into. The driver already made his Cup debut for Legacy Motor Club, replacing injured Erik Jones, and also featured at last weekend’s race in Nashville. However, Riley Herbst, who is out of the seat in the Xfinity, could emerge as a potential candidate as the third 23XI Racing driver, according to Bob Pockrass.

Herbst recently revealed that he is in talks with multiple teams across all three series. He does have the backing of Monster Energy, which could support his next venture. And this could be a differentiating factor for 23XI Racing in choosing their next driver. But again, all eyes will be on their official announcement, making their intention clear about expanding to a three-car team in 2025.