The NASCAR Journey of Michael Jordan: The Rise Of 23XI Racing

UPDATE — Monday, April 20, 2026, 1:45 p.m. EST:

Michael Jordan didn’t just pull up to NASCAR to see what it was hitting for — he came to win. And now that the 2026 season is rolling, his 23XI Racing team is doing way more than just making early noise. Tyler Reddick’s latest victory at Kansas on April 19 gave 23XI its fifth win in the first nine Cup Series races of the season, which officially pushes this team out of the “nice story” category and into something much more serious. Reddick also became the first driver since Dale Earnhardt in 1987 to win five of the first nine races of a Cup season, which is the kind of company that immediately changes how people talk about you.

This is crucial because when this story first started popping off, the headline was about 23XI making history with three straight wins to open the year. Since then, that heater has only gotten hotter. Reddick added a win at Darlington on March 22 before grabbing another one at Kansas, meaning his 2026 résumé already includes victories at the Daytona 500, Atlanta, Circuit of the Americas, Darlington, and Kansas. After Kansas, he also sat atop the Cup standings, which means Jordan and Denny Hamlin’s team isn’t just part of the conversation anymore — it’s helping define the season.

Why Michael Jordan Entered NASCAR In 2020?

Jordan’s NASCAR move wasn’t random — it was personal and it was purposeful. He’s been a fan since growing up in North Carolina, and by 2020, he saw a chance to get involved in a sport that was publicly being pushed to evolve, especially around race, access, and inclusion. Jordan made it clear from the jump that he wanted to open doors and bring more people into the sport, not just as fans but as real participants in the business and competition sides, too. That mission is still a major part of 23XI’s identity, even now that the team has grown into one of the most successful operations in the garage.

The Launch Of 23XI Racing & Signing Bubba Wallace

The foundation was established in September 2020 when Jordan teamed with Denny Hamlin, bought a Cup Series charter, and announced that Bubba Wallace would be their driver for 2021. Not long after, the branding came together: 23XI Racing (pronounced “twenty-three eleven”) blends Jordan’s iconic 23 with Hamlin’s 11, and Bubba debuted in the No. 23. From day one, the team carried a different kind of weight. The optics mattered, of course, but so did the commitment to becoming a real contender and not just a cool headline with a famous owner attached. That’s a big reason why the team’s current run hits so hard now — it feels like the payoff from a vision that was taken seriously from the start.

23XI Racing’s First Wins & Breakthrough Moments

23XI didn’t become a serious team overnight — they stacked key “firsts” until the rest of the garage had to respect it:

• Oct. 2021: Bubba Wallace gets 23XI’s first Cup win at Talladega.
• May 2022: Kurt Busch gives the team another milestone win by taking Kansas.
• Sept. 2022: Wallace wins again at Kansas, proving the first one wasn’t a fluke.
• Apr. 2024: Tyler Reddick wins at Talladega 500 and gives the organization another signature moment.
• Oct. 2024: Reddick wins at Homestead and punches his way into the Championship 4.
• Feb – March 2026: Reddick opens the season with three straight wins — Daytona, Atlanta, and COTA — becoming the first driver ever to start a Cup season 3/3.
• March 22, 2026: Reddick adds another win at Darlington.
• April 19, 2026: Reddick wins in overtime at Kansas, giving 23XI its fifth victory through nine races and adding another historic stat line to the team’s rise.

Expanding The Team: New Drivers & Growth

Once the wins started coming, 23XI moved like a real organization with long-term plans. The team expanded from Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 into a bigger operation that gave Tyler Reddick a full-time home in the No. 45, and by 2025, it had grown into a three-car setup with Riley Herbst joining the fold in the No. 35 Toyota. That growth has meant a lot because 23XI isn’t just winning with one flashy car out front — it’s building depth. Kansas was another reminder of that. Reddick got the win, Bubba Wallace logged a top finish, and the team continued showing that it’s operating like. a heavyweight, not just a team riding one driver’s hot streak.

Michael Jordan’s Impact On NASCAR Culture & Business

Jordan’s presence changes rooms, and NASCAR is no different. He brought mainstream attention, sponsor gravity, and a certain kind of pressure that comes with having Michael Jordan attached to your operation. But his impact hasn’t just been about vibes or visibility. 23XI has also been part of some of the sport’s biggest off-track conversations, including the charter-system fight that put team power and NASCAR’s business structure under a brighter spotlight. On the culture side, Jordan helped make 23XI feel like more than just a race team. On the competition side, the wins are now catching up to the aura in a major way.

What’s Next For 23XI Racing?

If you’re 23XI, the goal can’t just be a “cute start” anymore — it’s championships. That conversation changed once Reddick kept winning after the original three-race burst. Adding Darlington and Kansas to the résumé made it clear that this team can win across different kinds of tracks, race conditions, and pressure moments. Through nine races, Reddick leads the standings, and the whole organization looks more polished, more dangerous, and more competitive than ever.

Because once you stop looking like an upstart and start looking like a weekly problem, the framing changes. The rise of 23XI Racing is still the story, but now it’s just as much about arrival. Michael Jordan’s NASCAR team isn’t trying. to prove it belongs anymore. At this point, it’s one of the strongest teams in the sport — and if this pace keeps up, the next step is chasing the first championship in team history.

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