In the 2024 season, the sun is setting on one NASCAR team. And it is Stewart-Haas Racing. The team was fumbling after its two veteran drivers left post-2023, and now rumors about their up-for-sale charters are afloat. But SHR’s declining status throws up opportunities for other teams. Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing is one of the possible buyers if SHR happens to put up its charter for sale.
23XI fields Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 and Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota. But a third driver has peeped into the scene time and again. Now the team hopes to turn its fleeting third car into a permanent fixture. However, the prospects seem bleak, as an official recently proclaimed.
Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan created 23XI Racing, a small team with big ambitions, in 2021. Despite their two charter teams, they have fielded a third car three times now. Last season, Travis Pastrana drove the No. 67 non-charter car in Daytona, while Kamui Kobayashi took the same car to Indianapolis. The Japanese star driver appeared at this year’s COTA race as well, driving the No. 50 car.
Now, Corey Heim is on the cards to wield the same car in Nashville. However, these temporary runs are not enough to push 23XI to the winning circles and towards further expansion. Hence, fans wanted a permanent charter car to be on the cards for the Michael Jordan team. But in a recent pre-race interview at Darlington, 23XI president, Steve Lauletta, poured water on any hopes.
