"We're here to win races": Michael Jordan owned 23XI Racing insider emphasize the team's stance amid NASCAR legal battle
After Tyler Reddick's win at Homestead, Dave Rogers opened up on working through the ongoing legal case with NASCAR, along with day-to-day operations in Michael Jordan-co-owned 23XI Racing. The team co-owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin announced recently that they'd be taking the governing body to the court over their charter conflict.
Speaking after Homestead, Rogers, the performance director of the team, addressed the media about 23XI working through the legal battle and handling the operations in the organization.
Rogers claimed that winning at Homestead was an answer to that question, as he elaborated:
"We represent the competition department, so we compete. Our ownership is committed to giving us the resources we need to compete. It’s our job to use those resources the best we can, regardless of any outside situation, whether it’s the one you bring up or any other situation, right? We’re here to win races. I think everyone at 23XI is focused on that."
Rogers further mentioned that any team that competes for a championship has to deal with distractions, roadblocks, and 'so much noise.'
He said that if a team wants to win a championship, then it must deal with adversity, which is a part of it.
"This is one of those distractions that we’re choosing to ignore and just compete at the highest level we know how," he added.
Michael Jordan claims he isn't just fighting for 23XI Racing but for all teams amid legal NASCAR battle
With 23XI Racing announcing their decision to take NASCAR to court, Michael Jordan claimed that their decision was as much for his own team, as it was for 'the smaller teams.'
"It's not just me. I think everybody should have an opportunity to be successful in any business," Jordan added.
The former NBA player hoped that both sides, the two teams, 23XI Racing and FRM, and NASCAR, could come to their senses to figure out something that works out for everyone.
It's worth mentioning that recently, former NASCAR driver Ken Schrader claimed that he doesn't see a lot changing with the things the two teams want. He pointed to the comment by Denny Hamlin in which the #11 driver asked NSCAR to pay for their expenses.
The veteran emphasized that every business would want their expenses paid. But if they have a 'serious, serious problem' with the way things are, then maybe they're not involved 'in the right thing.'
Schrader added that running a race team costs a lot of money, so one shouldn't be worried about 'a couple million a year here and there' with the kind of facility 23XI Racing built.
It's worth mentioning that 23XI Racing's facility, Airspeed, reportedly cost them $16 million.