“Happy where they’re at” - Denny Hamlin rules out team expansion despite being partners with $3,200,000,000 worth Michael Jordan
Within a short period of time, Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan-owned 23XI Racing went from being a one-team organization to being a two-team organization. However, despite the net worth of Jordan being $3.2 billion as per Forbes, and Hamlin's being $65 million as per Celebrity Net Worth, the two co-owners of 23XI Racing aren't interested in spending more money on their NASCAR venture for now.
Even though there might be an opportunity for them to expand to three cars, 23XI simply isn't interested in that. Amid reports of Stewart Haas Racing looking to sell its charters, Denny Hamlin was asked what the situation is right now and if his team is interested in capitalizing on this opportunity to expand to a three-car organization. He said in an interview (via Frontstretch):
"I don't know what SHR's situation is. All I know is 23XI and certainly we've got a two car organization we're pretty happy with," Hamlin said.
When a journalist suggested that he heard 23XI Racing might be interested in buying a charter, but that they've decided to wait until the new charter agreement takes place before they make any move, Hamlin said:
"There is no charter agreement as far as I'm concerned, so there's nothing to buy or sell. But 23XI is happy with their two teams currently. I don't know what rumors are going on but 23XI is happy with where they're at right now," he added.
Denny Hamlin could be driving for 23XI Racing one day
While Denny Hamlin has put an end to all the rumors of 23XI buying a charter and expanding to a three-team organization for now, that doesn't mean they won't be interested in such an opportunity in the future. After all, Hamlin hinted that it is the charter agreement that is a factor in this decision.
But whenever 23XI gets a third car, there could be a chance that it is Denny Hamlin who steps behind the wheel to drive it and perhaps even sees out his NASCAR driving career behind the wheel of his own car.
Hamlin driving for 23XI in the future is a very real possibility, one which he commented on in an interview with Sports Business Journal. He claimed he would drive for 23XI as a full-time driver only if the cars were as competitive as Joe Gibbs Racing.
“I’m slowly but surely starting to believe that 23XI is an equal to the position I’m in right now," Hamlin added.
So it'll be interesting to see how the final few years of Denny Hamlin in NASCAR as a full-time driver shape up along with his first few years as a team owner. This is because there could be a point where both of those intersect and we see Hamlin seeing out his driving career in a 23XI racecar.