23XI Racing unveils car design, technical alliance with JGR
23XI Racing released more details regarding the highly anticipated NASCAR Cup Series team, including its paint scheme for the 2021 season.








The team, formed by NBA legend Michael Jordan alongside three-time Daytona 500 champion Denny Hamlin, will make its debut next February in the 2021 Daytona 500. Bubba Wallace was named as the driver earlier this year.
23XI Racing confirmed Friday that they will run the No. 23 Toyota Camry with support from Toyota Racing Development. They will also benefit from a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, who Hamlin currently drives for in the Cup Series.
As part of the partnership, TRD will build the team's engines and provide technology, data and technical assistance. JGR will provide the chassis, as well as other services such as information-sharing to help strengthen both organizations.
Mike Wheeler will serve as the crew chief.
“We are excited to be a part of this new team with Michael, Denny and Bubba,” said Ed Laukes, Group Vice President of Toyota Division Marketing at TMNA. “As a Chicago native, I saw firsthand Michael’s determination as he led his team to multiple NBA championships. I know he brings that same drive and work ethic to this new opportunity. Denny has been a valuable part of the Toyota family for over a decade and we are happy to support him as he takes the next step into NASCAR team ownership. We are also thrilled to bring Bubba back to the Toyota family. Bubba achieved many firsts with Toyota, and we are counting on him earning many more victories with 23XI Racing behind the wheel of a Camry.”
Read Also:
JGR team owner Joe Gibbs had this to say of the alliance: “We’re excited to have the opportunity to provide resources to this new Toyota team to help them get started. We can remember being in a similar position nearly three decades ago and we were fortunate to have a similar agreement that helped us in the beginning. We’re happy for Denny to realize his dream of ownership and certainly it’s a big deal for NASCAR to have someone with the respect and stature of Michael Jordan enter our sport.”
Aiming for the top
Jordan has ambitious goals set for the fledgling team, stating his desire "to be competitive for a championship as soon as possible. Our partnership with Toyota and Joe Gibbs Racing gives us the equipment, resources and expertise to do it.”
It would not be entirely unprecedented as the now defunct Furniture Racing team quickly grew into championship-winning organization just two years into their partnership with TRD and JGR. However, it will be a steep hill to climb for this all-new race team.
Hamlin has a strong relationship with Toyota. Since they partnered with Gibbs back in 2008, the championship contender has won the manufacturer 41 Cup races. Only Kyle Busch has won more.
“Toyota has been a big part of my NASCAR career,” said Hamlin. “We’ve achieved multiple milestones together including back-to-back Daytona 500 victories. I know how they support their teams, and when I decided move to team ownership, I knew that I wanted Toyota to be alongside our team. Toyota supports my vision with this team and will be integrated with our team members to support us as we grow and strive to achieve race wins and championships.”
Related video

Previous article
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
Next article
Where the NASCAR playoffs stand heading to Martinsville

About this article
Series | NASCAR Cup |
Author | Nick DeGroot |
23XI Racing unveils car design, technical alliance with JGR
Trending
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.