“We did it, we executed.” – It’s Qualifying day. And everyone in Austin, Texas was buzzing with a familiar roar of engines, as the Circuit of the Americas, a track famous for its sharp turns, change in elevation and truly demanding nature, was about to witness something special. We have seen dramatic overtakes, we’ve also seen nail-biting finishes, but what happened this Saturday was an example of perfect teamwork and proof of the rising power of a certain team owner.

COTA, since its inaugural race back in 2021, has been a proving ground, a place where Davids shine and Goliaths struggle. There’s a certain magic when a team performs perfectly when every piece falls into place and works as it is supposed to. And for Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing, this moment arrived in Qualifying on Saturday. It was a statement of intent from the North Carolina-based team, a declaration that 23XI had arrived.

Jordan Channels Hendrick’s Might

As the checkered flag fell on the qualifying session, it was clear that 23XI had locked out the front row. Tyler Reddick, the winner of the 2023 Cup Series race at COTA, secured the pole position with teammate Bubba Wallace alongside him locking the front row.  “Hats off to everyone at 23XI,” Wallace exclaimed in an interview after qualifying. “The [No.] 45 and [No.] 23 on the front row. Getting Riley [Herbst] up to speed on everything.”

23XI racing has just pulled off a feat replicating the performance of Rick Hendrick’s team last year when Hendrick Motorsports secured P1 and P2 at COTA. This comparison is hugely significant for Jordan’s team. Hendrick Motorsports is a powerhouse in NASCAR, a team whose name is synonymous with success. For a young team, like Jordan’s 23XI Racing, to replicate that same achievement is indeed a big deal. It’s about sending a signal that they have reached a level where can match strides with the giants of NASCAR racing.

“I was worried I screwed his lap up and he was worried he screwed my lap up,” Reddick told in the interview highlighting the tight margins of qualifying. “Man, today really threw us for a loop. The pace was nowhere what we thought it was going to be.”

“When we come to the road course races, I think everybody in the Toyota camp leans on Tyler. So he does a great job of giving us the right information to chase sometimes. But I really thought I screwed his lap up,” Wallace added on Reddick’s expertise on road courses.

This achievement wasn’t just about 23XI locking out the front row, it’s proof of the team’s growth and their ability to succeed under pressure at the highest level. It was a masterclass of coordinated excellence that left everyone else competing for the 3rd spot on the starting lineup. Riley Herbst could’ve started beside his teammates in the third position but his qualifying lap was disallowed as he violated track limits.

However, the 23XI Racing drivers aren’t going to be in clear by any means as Chase Elliott from HMS will start the race in P3 just behind the leaders. Touted as one of the best road racers in the Cup Series garage, Elliott will be eager to showcase his prowess tomorrow.

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Can Elliott get back in the victory lane at COTA?

The HMS driver is regarded as one of the finest road racers in the Cup Series. Out of the 19 wins he has accumulated so far, 7 of them have come on road courses. These wins came in between an 11-race stretch from August 2018 to July 2021. The final stretch of this dominant run is what Elliott will look to replicate this year as he was the inaugural winner of the Cup race in COTA.

But ever since the Next Gen car took over, the HMS driver has found it hard to replicate his past success at road course events. In 2022, he did have a strong run with top 5 finishes at tracks like COTA, Road America, and Watkins Glen. And this continued in 2023 as well when he had a runner-up finish at  Brickyard and top 5 performances at Chicago Street Race and Sonoma.

It’s easy to sideline Chase Elliott and count him out of the equation as a potential candidate to win at COTA. But, if you look closely at his statistics, he’s always been in contention to win the races. Consistent top 5 performances can’t be solely based on luck, the HMS star knows his way around the road courses. So, while the odds might not favor him, don’t be surprised if he snaps his 29-race winless streak by the end of this weekend.