Bubba Wallace is having a career-best season, and Tyler Reddick enters the playoffs as the regular-season champion, putting the 23XI Racing team squarely in the fight for the 2024 NASCAR championship. What makes this even more remarkable? 23XI Racing was only founded in 2020, and yet they are already competing on par with NASCAR powerhouses like Joe Gibbs Racing, Penske, and Hendrick Motorsports—teams with decades of experience under their belts.

So, what gives 23XI Racing an edge over these legendary teams? The answer lies in their co-owner, none other than the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan. Jordan’s involvement in the team goes far beyond his name—it’s his relentless drive for greatness that fuels Wallace and Reddick. His wisdom, forged over a career that redefined sports excellence, provides the team with unparalleled guidance. It’s a playbook for becoming the best, and Wallace and Reddick have front-row seats to it.

But let’s not forget the other powerhouse behind the wheel—Denny Hamlin, one of NASCAR’s top drivers and the team’s co-owner. Hamlin’s expertise on the track, combined with Jordan’s relentless pursuit of success, creates a potent formula. Even NASCAR legend Kyle Busch recently credited Jordan as the driving force behind 23XI Racing’s meteoric rise, calling them the “fastest-growing team in NASCAR.”

With Jordan’s competitive fire and Hamlin’s racing prowess, 23XI Racing is proving that they are a force to be reckoned with—challenging the old guard and setting a new standard for what a young team can accomplish in such a short time. The sky’s the limit for this dynamic duo.

Kyle Busch attributes Jordan as being an invaluable resource

If you look at the 23XI garage at any Cup Series race, you will find MJ staring at the racing monitor. Being as animated as any of us race fans. Take the recent Darlington race as an example. The #23 car had to win to make it to the playoffs or at least get a good finish over Chris Beuscher. Jordan was seen being anxious as the race became intense. Mid-race he was asked what was he feeling, to which he said, “I’m absolutely terrified right now, ’cause I want him to do well obviously.” This shows how invested MJ is in the team and player. The 6-time NBA champion, on numerous occasions, has been under pressure. His invaluable mentorship in dealing with such pressure is what makes 23XI successful.

The two-time Cup Series Champion Kyle Busch agrees to this. He said, “Those guys have such a resource at their fingertips. Being able to talk to that guy. Ask him questions. How did you handle X moment or what did you do, what was your thought process. All of those things to get inside the mind of the greatest of all time and to have that resource is just phenomenal. That’s one thing that I feel like can make anyone great.” Jordan’s radiating aura of greatness draws everyone in, pushing them to strive for success. “I think he (Jordan) raises the bar for anyone that works there at 23XI. Because they know who that guy is and they know what their accomplishments are,” Busch added.

The #23 driver has, on numerous occasions, spoken about how MJ mentors him. After last weekend’s Daytona race, Jordan texted Wallace saying, “Things you want more cost more.” According to Wallace, this not only motivates him but also gives him a different perspective on how great athletes deal with stressful situations. “It’s the way they manage and come out on the other side. So I think it’s just offering their insight and often their perspective is a way that you didn’t think of before, which helps,” The 23XI racer had previously said.

Jordan’s influence on 23XI is evident to everyone in the sport, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, Chris Gabehart, had written on X, “MJ’s passion over the years is unbelievable. Now watching him selflessly engaged in his @23XIRacing team, showing support on the ground, before the flag and long after, because he GENUINELY wants to be there for his them is true #goat status. @NASCAR is so lucky to have him,” 

Further in the conversation, Kyle Busch stated how it is important for a team to have a great mentor Like Joe Gibbs Racing has Joe Gibbs popularly known as Coach Gibbs.

Coach Gibbs behind the success of JGR

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At 83 years old, he remains deeply involved in managing his eponymous team, which has clinched the top Cup Series championship in NASCAR five times. Out of which two times it was Busch who won it from JGR. According to him, Joe’s been instrumental in mentoring his team to success, just like MJ is doing. When the #8 was a part of JGR from 2008 to 2022, the football coach turned team owner mentored him. Sports might differ, but the spirit of a sportsperson remains the same.

Reiterating this Busch said, “It’s not different than coach Gibbs. Like we all looked at him. We asked him those same sorts of questions because he put himself in those spots with so many great players over the years. How can I be one of his great players, go out and win a championship.”

Hamlin, on numerous occasions, has been vocal about Gibbs guiding him not just as a driver but also as a team owner. Hamlin had said, “The best advice he ever said was don’t be a team owner. He tried to he tried to talk me into that, for sure. And say that, ‘You’re making a huge mistake,’ which I agree with him, but I’ll say that just he leads by example,” Hamlin wants to have his work ethic and become an owner like he is, “And so I want to model myself as a team owner after Joe Gibbs, because you don’t find someone that is in the Hall of Fame in multiple sports very often. He obviously does it because he gets the best out of his people, and that’s something I really, really admire.”

As Denny is transferring his wisdom to 23XI received from Joe Gibbs, there is no doubt the team is destined for success. It won’t be long before they get their first championship. What do you think about 23XI’s success? Let us know in the comments below.