Will Michael Jordan's championship win as a NASCAR team owner elevate the sport's profile? 23XI's president weighs in
23XI Racing, owned by Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, has reached the Championship Race at Phoenix and could win the title in the NASCAR Cup Series, just three years after its debut.
Tyler Reddick, who drives the No. 45 Toyota for 23XI, has had a great season with three wins and pole positions. The 28-year-old made it to the Championship 4 for the first time this year after also winning the regular season championship.
President of 23XI Racing, Steve Lauletta shared his thoughts on how Jordan's success as a team owner could affect NASCAR. In an interview, he discussed that it could help bring more fans and media attention to the sport
"I think very few professional sports teams reach the level of championship success in such a short amount of time as we could this weekend, so that would be newsworthy," Lauletta said.
"And then when you throw in the fact that the team is owned by the two legends in their own sport that we've been talking about, I think it will be big, big news and something that will put NASCAR in the spotlight again, as we've tried to do a few other times," he added.
The championship race at Phoenix Raceway is set for Sunday, November 10, at 3 pm ET.
23XI debuted in the Cup Series in 2021 and currently fields two full-time Toyota teams for Bubba Wallace (No. 23) and Tyler Reddick (No. 45).
First court day for 23XI's lawsuit against NASCAR
23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports filed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR last month. The lawsuit focuses on the 2025 Charter Agreement and unfair business practices.
The first court day for the case was on November 4, where 23XI Racing's lawyer, Jeffrey Kessler, argued for a preliminary injunction in Charlotte, NC.
"I've been in situations of disparity. I mean, I think the race team is going to focus on what they have to do this weekend, which I expect them to. I think Jeffrey did an unbelievable job today," Jordan said after the hearing.
The lawsuit started after NASCAR made a new charter offer that both 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports refused to accept. Kessler explained that they just want to return to the old terms so they can race during the legal process. The teams also want to remove a clause in NASCAR's agreement that prevents them from suing the organization.
If the court rules against them, both teams will have to operate as "open" teams that do not have guaranteed spots in races. They could even lose drivers and sponsorships.