For years, NASCAR fans have watched the #45 Toyota from 23XI Racing leap to the front of the pack, driven with grit and precision by Tyler Reddick. What some may not realize is the car’s evolution from a competitive contender to a canvas celebrating iconic moments in sports culture, each paint scheme telling its own story beyond the track. That transformation began last fall at Darlington, when Upper Deck made a splash with a striking commemorative design featuring sporting legends like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, and Tiger Woods on Reddick’s hood, turning the vehicle into a rolling showcase of “The World’s Greatest Memorabilia.”

Behind the scenes, the collaboration between Upper Deck and 23XI Racing has blossomed into more than just eye-catching graphics. In February 2025, the two brands expanded their multi-year sponsorship agreement, with Upper Deck committing to sponsor Corey Heim in the Xfinity Series and Reddick’s #45 at the high-speed Atlanta Motor Speedway event. As part of that deal, the audience gained access to an exclusive memorabilia line, complete with race-used car parts, autographed artwork, race-worn gear, and digital trading cards, blurring the lines between on-track action and collectible culture. But this summer will be different, blending pop-culture spectacle and high-octane racing in one bold moment.

How Denny Hamlin’s dream just got a superpowered boost

23XI Racing has teamed up with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products, part of a company with approximately $28 billion in U.S. annual revenue, to create exclusive cards and special-themed NASCAR livery featuring Superman on Tyler Reddick’s #45 car. Adam Stern, from the Sports Business Journal, posted on X, breaking the news, “.@Superman will be on 23XI Racing’s No. 45 Toyota at Atlanta through a deal with @UpperDeckEnt, which will also release two digital trading cards around the car through its e-Pack platform. @WBD is releasing a new ‘Superman’ film next month and using this to help promote it.” 

This new series, debuting with a Superman-themed design tied to the highly anticipated James Gunn-directed ‘Superman’ film, marks a significant new direction for Upper Deck, a strategic crossover that blends entertainment IP with motorsports collectibles. The spotlight moment will arrive soon at Atlanta’s EchoPark Speedway, where Tyler Reddick’s #45 Toyota Camry XSE will debut a bold livery, just ahead of the film’s nationwide release on 11th July.

“We’re constantly exploring new ways fans can enjoy and collect their favorite athletes and characters, and what better way to kick off the summer of ‘Superman’ than with an exciting crossover that marries the DC cinematic universe with the world of NASCAR,” said Upper Deck President Jason Masherah. “We continue to expand our footprint in the sports collectibles industry, bringing different sports to the forefront with innovative collecting experiences that fans and collectors can’t find anywhere else. I can’t wait to see how Superman and racing fans react to these first trading cards with the 23XI collectible license in conjunction with NASCAR.”

To mark this groundbreaking collaboration, fans and collectors will now be able to access the first of two limited-edition trading card drops featuring the Superman-themed car through Upper Deck e-Pack, the company’s premier digital platform that allows users to buy, trade, and store cards virtually or request physical copies. The second drop is timed to arrive on June 28, aligning with the live NASCAR Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway, the first 2025 Cup Series event to air on TNT as part of NASCAR’s newly restructured media deal.

But Tyler Reddick has been the center of attention many times, solely because of the choice of his car liveries. In January, 23XI Racing briefly unveiled Tyler Reddick’s first paint scheme of the 2025 season, set to debut at the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, before quickly taking it offline. The design, spotted again a few days later around the pit area, was a striking nod to the “Unbannable” Air Jordan 1 campaign, stirring excitement and speculation among fans. Surprisingly, the livery’s timing aligned with 23XI’s ongoing legal battle involving Front Row Motorsports and NASCAR, a case centered around team charters and profit equity, making the livery look like a subtle act of defiance.

But Reddick replied to all accusations tactfully, “Jordan Brand is a global brand, right? They have a life outside of racing, and they sell shoes all over the world. I can understand that, I know what the idea and what they’re going to do, I’m not going to talk to you about it today. Keeping in mind the rollout and what they’ve got planned, there’s not a lot I can talk about, but I’m excited to once we get to that point,” and since the team has been coming up with some of the coolest paint schemes and sponsorship deals in NASCAR. The Superman theme is just another example of it.

By merging the entertainment empire’s iconic hero with NASCAR’s next-gen stars, the card set and livery represent more than just a marketing stunt; they reflect a broader push to engage Gen Z and millennial audiences through digital-first, culturally relevant experiences. This type of collectible mirrors the rising trend of crossover branding in sports, where fandoms are no longer soiled but instead celebrated across mediums, from film and fashion to racing and memorabilia.

Trending

1

Kyle Larson Publicly Refutes His GOAT Status After Weeks of Turmoil

2

NASCAR Faces Shocking Fallout From Fans as Everyone Is Fuming Over Mexico Debacle

3

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Runs Out of Air as Mexico City Mayhem Leaves Fans Baffled

4

Denny Hamlin Told to Bench His Driver as Diabolical Maneuver in Mexico Leaves Everyone Infuriated

5

Carson Hocevar Changes Tune on Mexico City After Facing NASCAR’s Faithful Fans

How Hamlin’s Michigan win keeps him ahead in the chase

While the NASCAR Cup Series headed to Mexico City for its inaugural race at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Denny Hamlin made headlines off the track. Choosing family over racing, the Joe Gibbs Star and 23XI Racing co-owner, skipped the international showdown to be by his partner Jordan Fish’s side as they welcomed their 3rd child. On track, however, Shane van Gisbergen, who dominated the field, stole the spotlight with a commanding win. Despite that, Hamlin’s prior victory at Michigan International Speedway kept him top of the standings in NASCAR’s first-ever in-season tournament.

The unique format, modeled after March Madness, featured a single-elimination bracket seeded by best finishes in select races. Hamlin’s FireKeepers Casino 400 win secured his spot as the #1 seed, even though he missed the second qualifying event in Mexico. According to Bob Pockrass, “Seeding for the in-season tournament is by best finish. For the drivers with the same best finish, their next-best finish is the tiebreaker (if the same, the third-best finish),” which meant Hamlin’s decisive MIS victory carried more weight than SVG’s Mexico performance in the seed calculation.

With Michigan and Mexico in the books, the in-season challenge now heads to Pocono Raceway, the 3rd and final qualifier before the knockout rounds begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The bracket will pit drivers in head-to-head matchups, with only the top finisher advancing. All roads eventually lead to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the final showdown will crown the champion and award a $1 million prize. Having already punched his ticket to the playoffs, Hamlin will arrive at Pocono not just as a proud father but also a relaxed driver.